WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE — Janet C. Wolfenbarger took over Friday, Dec. 4, as vice commander of the Air Force Materiel Command at her new rank of lieutenant general, making her the highest-ranking woman in the Air Force.

She succeeds Lt. Gen. Terry Gabreski, 57, who retired from the job on Nov. 20 and had been the Air Force’s highest-ranking woman.

The U.S. Senate voted Thursday night to confirm Wolfenbarger’s promotion and new job. President Obama had nominated her for promotion and the elevation from her former rank of major general.

Wolfenbarger, 51, is a 1976 graduate of Beavercreek High School. She had been director of the AFMC’s Intelligence and Requirements Directorate, the headquarters staff officer who oversees the acquisition arm of the command. The AFMC headquarters is at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

As vice commander, Wolfenbarger is responsible for providing acquisition management and logistics support for major Air Force aircraft and weapon systems. The command conducts research, development, testing and evaluation of war-fighting technology.

Her previous Air Force assignments include special assistant for command transformation to the commander and director of the Intelligence and Requirements Directorate; positions in the F-22 System Program Office at Wright-Patterson AFB; F-22 lead program element monitor at the Pentagon, and B-2 System program director at the Aeronautical Systems Center.

Maj. Gen. Marshall K. Sabol, director of strategic plans, programs and analyses at AFMC headquarters, had served as interim AFMC vice commander after Gabreski’s retirement. Sabol returns to his former job.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.