(CNN) Maj. Gen. Laura Yeager is the first woman to lead a US Army infantry division.

The California National Guard's 40th Infantry Division has been led by men since it was formed in 1917, the guard said in a news release. Its soldiers have fought in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and most recently, in Afghanistan.

Yeager assumed command of the division Saturday during a ceremony at the Joint Forces Training Base at Los Alamitos, California. She assumes command from Maj. Gen. Mark Malanka, who is retiring.

In 2016, Yeager was promoted to brigadier general, making her, at that time, the fourth female general in California National Guard history. Ahead of her promotion, she spoke to the Defense Department news service about being a woman in the military.

"As a female, I have found the military to provide opportunities and benefits unmatched by any profession," Yeager said in 2016.

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