MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2023 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Butler (36th), Jackson, Blackwell, Horhn, Barnett, Suber, Chassaniol, Simmons (12th), Frazier, Thomas, Butler (38th), Hickman, Wiggins, McLendon, Fillingane, Williams, Blount, DeBar, Hopson, Kirby, McCaughn, Michel, Parker, Seymour
A RESOLUTION TO COMMEND ANTOINETTE "TONI" GANT FOR PROMOTION TO BRIGADIER GENERAL IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
WHEREAS, we join the citizens of Port Gibson and the State of Mississippi in congratulating Antoinette "Toni" Gant for her outstanding achievement of being promoted to the title of Brigadier General in the United States Army; and
WHEREAS, Antoinette 'Toni' Gant, a Port Gibson native, was promoted to Brigadier General (BG) in the United States Army on October 28, 2022; and
WHEREAS, Brigadier General Gant is the first African American female to serve as a division commander in the United States Army Corps of Engineers, as well as the first on active duty to reach the rank of Brigadier General in the history of the Engineer Regiment; and
WHEREAS, Brigadier General Gant was pinned officially in the Donald Clarke Juvenile Justice and Psychology Building at Prairie View A&M University in Texas, where she participated in the Army ROTC and graduated in 1994 as a Distinguished Military Graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and a commission in the Engineer Regiment; and
WHEREAS, Brigadier General Gant is the fourth female Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) graduate to achieve the Brigadier General rank; and
WHEREAS, on July 9, 2021, Brigadier General Gant became the Commander and Division Engineer of the South Pacific Division (SPD), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Established in 1888 and headquartered in San Francisco, SPD is one of nine Corps regional commands, encompassing all or part of ten states, with four operating districts headquartered in Albuquerque, Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco; and
WHEREAS, as the SPD Commander and Division Engineer, Brigadier General Gant is responsible for leading a workforce of more than 2,500 military and civilians, overseeing hundreds of water resource development, military and interagency design and construction projects valued at more than $16 billion in support of our communities, our nation, and our warfighters; and
WHEREAS, in 2012, Brigadier General Gant sent a congratulatory letter to Brigadier General Margaret Burcham on her promotion as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' first female General Officer, beginning a relationship that has culminated in Gant gaining her mentor's star; and
WHEREAS, Brigadier General Gant holds a Master of Science in Engineer Management from Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Missouri, and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Dwight D. Eisenhower School, National Defense University, in Washington, D.C. She is also a certified Project Management Professional; and
WHEREAS, Brigadier General Gant has served in a variety of command and staff positions for engineering units stateside and abroad. Prior to South Pacific Division, Gant was Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Pacific Border District from July 2020 to June 2021. She previously served as combined joint engineer for the Resolute Support and OFS headquarters, Kabul, Afghanistan; military assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Army-Civil Works, Washington, D.C.; Chief of Operations for the Engineer Directorate, U.S. Army South, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas; and Director for the Directorates of Public Works and Installation Support, ASG-Kuwait; and
WHEREAS, Brigadier General Gant also served as the Executive Officer for Special Troops Battalion and Brigade Engineer, 4BCT, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado. Other Army Corps of Engineers assignments include Brigadier General Gant serving as the Commander for both the Albuquerque and Louisville Districts. She has deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Freedom Sentinel; and
WHEREAS, a strong advocate for STEM, Brigadier General Gant has worked to develop partnerships with agencies and organizations to promote science, technology, engineering, and math initiatives. She has received several national and community awards, including the 2021 Black Engineer of the Year Conference Awards (BEYA), Army Stars and Stripes Award, 2020 Women of Color Career Achievement in Government Award, YWCA Women on the Move Award, Women of Influence in Government by Albuquerque Business First, BEYA Special Recognition Award, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., South Central Region Visionary Leader and Global Leader Awards. She is an initiate of the Zeta Gamma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority at Prairie View A&M University; and
WHEREAS, Brigadier General Gant's military awards and decorations include: two Legion of Merit decorations, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, and seven Meritorious Service Medals. She is also a recipient of the Army Staff Identification Badge, Recruiter Badge, and Army Engineer Association Bronze and Silver de Fleury Medals. She also received the National Defense Service Medal (one Bronze Service Star), Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, NATO Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and three Overseas Service Ribbon (Numeral 3); and
WHEREAS, Brigadier General Gant is married to Leonard Gant of Kansas City, Missouri. They have two children, Lauryn, a third-year doctoral veterinary medicine student at Tuskegee University, and Leonard II, a sophomore at Florida A&M University studying Business Administration with a concentration in Supply Chain Management:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby recognize Antoinette "Toni" Gant of Port Gibson, and commend her for her promotion to Brigadier General in the U.S. Army. We extend the best wishes of the Mississippi Senate to her future success.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Brigadier General Gant and her family, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.