Miyako Schanely

Major General Schanely’s career in the U.S. Army spans more than three decades. She was commissioned in 1986 through the United States Military Academy at West Point and served on active duty as an Engineer officer for more than seven years, with assignments in Germany and Panama with humanitarian deployments to Honduras, Guyana, Uruguay, and El Salvador. Since transitioning to the U.S. Army Reserve in 1993, she has served in a variety of units and she has commanded at every echelon including Company, Battalion, Brigade and Division.

Major General Schanely holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management from the U.S. Military Academy, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Rochester, a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, and a Master of Arts in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University. Her awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Meritorious Service Medal (with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster), the Army Commendation Medal (with Silver and Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Achievement Medal, the Parachutist Badge, and the Jungle Expert Badge.

In 2013, Schanely became the U.S. Army’s first Japanese-American female to be promoted to General Officer. She recently became the first female Engineer Officer in the U.S. Army to be promoted to Major General (2-star).

In her civilian career, Major General Schanely is the Executive Director of the State University of New York (SUNY) North Country Consortium, a partnership of six SUNY campuses that collaborate to bring a variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs to Fort Drum and the Northern New York community. She and her husband Steve reside in Black River, New York, and have two grown children, Michael and Teresa.