Bachelor’s in business administration, 1980
Why she is a barrier breaker?
First female finance officer to achieve the rank of three-star general in the U.S. Army
For Lieutenant General Karen Dyson, the United States military is the family business.
Her father was a special forces officer stationed in Germany, her two younger brothers were active in the military — one still is — and her husband is a retired Air Force officer. She began her part of the legacy when she accepted an ROTC scholarship to Missouri State. After earning her degree, she served the Army in capacities related to finance both in the United States and abroad. She was a commander in Iraq during Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990-91. In 2014, she made Army history through her promotion to three-star rank, becoming one of just a handful of women of that rank currently in the Army. She now lives in Washington, D.C., and works at the Pentagon.
What is the role of a finance officer in the Army?
I began my career working in an area called “disbursing,” which is cash management. We used to call ourselves “the bankers on the battlefield.” When we go to war we often buy things locally, and we often have to have cash to do that. In the Iraq war, where I was deployed for a year as a commander, we used to call our money “nonkinetic ammunition.” You have kinetic ammunition, which includes bullets and similar items, and nonkinetic ammunition, which is creating goodwill by paying local people to go to work for us. It was our job to acquire cash, store it, secure it, distribute it and then account for it, because ultimately we’re talking about taxpayer dollars and we want to make sure we have strict accountability. We also handled payroll for soldiers.
Today, as one of the Army’s leaders, I’m responsible for managing the entire Army budget, and we’re working on the goal of achieving auditable financial statements.
You worked at the White House. How did that come about?
That was a phenomenal opportunity that came my way unexpectedly, which is how a lot of my career has happened — opportunities have come up, and I’ve found myself prepared to take advantage of them. In this particular case, I was called for an interview to work as a member of the White House Military Office, which supports the president. I was able to work at the White House for two years, from 2000 to 2002. I was the comptroller, so I was responsible for the money it took to run our operations supporting the president, and I was also the chief of staff. I made sure we had the resources to do what we needed to do.
If you’re familiar with history, you’ll realize I was there on 9/11. It was an incredible experience to be there that particular day, which really changed life as we knew it into this current environment that’s very uncertain and unstable in many areas of the world.
Do you think we’ll be seeing more women attain the rank of general in the Army?
This is such an exciting time for opportunities for women in the military. In December 2015, the Secretary of Defense made a decision to open all combat positions to women. Women can now attend Ranger School, and some have graduated from there. We’re all very proud of them, and it shows that there is a place for women on the battlefield in these combat-centered, traditionally male positions. This is important for women, because in order to attain most senior positions, you would be expected to have combat experience. This means that there will be more opportunities for women to gain this experience and achieve these senior positions in the future.
Do you see yourself as a barrier breaker?
I don’t see myself that way. I see myself as someone who has met opportunities with preparedness. I hope my contributions make a difference, and I hope the people behind me, especially the women who are coming through the ranks, can see that it is possible to work hard, stay focused and achieve goals that may seem beyond reach.
What interests and hobbies do you engage in outside of the military?
It’s hard to find personal time, but my husband, Jim Chamberlain, and I like to spend time with family when we can. We also like to go on bike trips with our friends. We meet with friends and get away for a weekend whenever we can. We also try to reconnect with other MSU graduates and the university through alumni events held in the D.C. area.
Some awards, recognitions
“The awards I am most proud of are the Unit Commendation Medals, which reflect on everyone in the unit – the Army is a team sport, and it is never about a single person,” Dyson said. “This award means the whole team won.”
- Army Distinguished Service Medal
- Defense Superior Service Medal
- Legion of Merit
- Bronze Star Medal
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Parachutist Badge
- Army Staff Identification Badge
- Presidential Support Badge
This article appeared in the Summer 2016 issue of Missouri State Magazine. The magazine published for the alumni and friends of Missouri State University