NEW ORLEANS — An Alexandria native made history this month in the Louisiana National Guard, becoming the second African-American woman to be promoted to Colonel -- adding to her already-impressive list of accomplishments in the guard.
Col. Katrina Lloyd was joined by family, friends and fellow guardsmen to commemorate the honor in her hometown on April 12. The mayor there, Jeff Hall, even signed a proclamation declaring the day officially as 'Colonel Katrina Lloyd Day' in the town.
"It's pretty powerful when you look at the support I've had from soldiers all around," Lloyd said. "You don't think doors open, but when they do. You have to be prepared to walk through them."
State National Guard provided more information on Llloyd's decorated career:
This isn’t the first time Lloyd has made history. Before assuming her current role as LANG State Surgeon, she held the positions of battalion commander of the Louisiana Medical Detachment, the full-time State Surgeon – Army for the LANG, and the Louisiana Medical Detachment Administrative Officer. She is the first woman and African-American to hold any of these positions and the first Soldier to hold all three simultaneously.