(CNN) A rear admiral who began her career as a helicopter pilot has been named the next president of the US Naval War College, the first woman to fill that role, the secretary of the Navy announced Friday.

Rear Adm. Shoshana Chatfield serves as a commander of the Joint Region Marianas in Guam and previously served as a Provincial Reconstruction Team commander in Afghanistan, the US Navy said in a statement

"Rear Admiral Chatfield is a historic choice for the Naval War College. She is the embodiment of the type of warrior-scholar we need now to lead this storied institution as it educates our next generation of leaders," Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer said in a statement.

"As our Education for Seapower (E4S) Study noted, our capacity for critical thinking in an age of increasing complexity will be our most important strategic advantage. Admiral Chatfield will play a pivotal role in leading the War College as it integrates into the new Naval University system we are now establishing to foster a culture of continuous learning in the naval services."

Chatfield will take over for Rear Adm. Jeffery Harley, who was reassigned June 9 "pending the final report of an ongoing Inspector General investigation," the Navy said

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