LOS ALAMITOS — The California National Guard has announced the appointment of the first woman to lead a U.S. Army infantry division.

Brig. Gen. Laura Yeager will assume command of the 40th Infantry Division on June 29 at Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, California.
She succeeds Maj. Gen. Mark Malanka, who is retiring, according to a National Guard news release.
Yeager currently commands Joint Task Force North, U.S. Northern Command at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Became an Officer in 1986

Yeager was commissioned in 1986 as a second lieutenant from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at California State University, Long Beach.
She served as UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot, left active duty when her son was born and continued her military career in the California Army National Guard.
Yeager deployed to Iraq in 2011 as deputy commander of the Cal Guard’s 40th Combat Aviation Brigade, then served as a battalion and brigade commander.

History of the 40th Infantry Division

The 40th Infantry Division, which was formed in 1917, participated in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. Its soldiers also have deployed to Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
In March, the division headquarters returned to the U.S. following a mission in Afghanistan.
(GV Wire contributed to this story.)