Brigadier General Catherine Smith Lutz
and Major General William J. Lutz

While the great majority of these would be males, a significant number, playing very vital roles, would be women.

These overall numbers fall to a virtual “handful” when the question is asked, “How many would become generals?” Then, to a “teacup’s worth,” when you are asked, “How many women would ever reach the level of general?” Now, let’s really get serious and ask, “How many women, native to our Mississippi have ever made it to the rank of general?” That’s easy to answer—only ONE.

But one more question—“How many married couples have ever both been generals?” This author has done significant research on these questions and there, of course, may be someone, somewhere. But until it has been shown, it appears that the two subjects of this article stand alone as the only married couple in history to have both been legitimate, long-serving generals in bona fide military service.

Brigadier General Catherine Smith Lutz and Major General William J. Lutz, of Flora, Miss., are native Mississippians. They are the two bright “stars” of this article. (Make that ‘three’ as two star General William outranks his bride by one star).

When asked a blunt question regarding their inner guiding reasons for dedicating their lives to helping America be a safe and sane place for families to grow and prosper, their answer was, “Love of God and Country.”

Their records, listed toward the end of the article are testimonies to that end. Both have had very dangerous assignments and carried them out to the level of receiving a number of medals and citations for their excellence of achievement.

Brigadier General Catherine Smith Lutz

Born in Canton, but raised in Jackson, Cathy faced early personal and family challenges that would eventually culminate in a revelation of what brought about success in her personal and professional life. “I learned to be, to some extent, self sufficient,” she says. “I recognized early on that I wanted to be able to take care of myself.” She, very early, sought answers from God and still does today.

She relates, “In high school one day it just occurred to me that I must diligently apply myself to whatever task was at hand, and then, be responsible for the consequences.” Further, she states, “that I should not be satisfied with mediocrity, giving my maximum effort to achieve whatever goals I sought.”

Another revelation became convincingly apparent, “Service” to others was not only the most productive, but amazingly, gave her the most self satisfaction. It was no surprise that she chose nursing as a career.

Cathy pursued and received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1978. In 1986, she followed with a Master of Science in Nursing, also from USM. In 1998, she received her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership in Higher Education at the University of Mississippi.

She has served as a registered nurse with the Veteran’s Administration (VA) Hospital for 30 years. Her accomplishments there have ranged from Staff Nurse to Head Nurse of ICU and administrative roles.

It was near the beginning of her career as a registered nurse with the VA hospital that Cathy made the decision to join the military. She explains that her initial decision was more pragmatic than patriotic. She had saved money all year for a spring break vacation, spent her entire savings that one week, and determined that there had to be another way to travel, see the world, meet people and serve people—something that didn’t involve blowing a year’s worth of savings.

She joined the Air National Guard as a flight nurse right after her 27th birthday. The date was September 11, 1982, and she was assigned to the 172nd Airlift Wing in Jackson, Miss. She admits that her motive to see the world was soon replaced by a huge desire to serve her country. “Going through the ceremonies that were part of the military was almost addicting,” she says. The word “patriotism” and everything the stars and stripes stand for became personal to her, and she knew there was nothing else she could imagine doing than this.

Somewhere about this time, the Cold War and definitely later, Desert Storm elevated the tempo and duties of the ANG. During Desert Storm, her unit was activated to South Carolina as an Air Staging Facility to care for casualties.

In 1999, her early revelations of “Service to God and Country” became increasingly evident as she was dispatched to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as commander of the medical element of the 320th Air Expeditionary Group, serving 2,500 people. Her excellent service there led to her assignment in 2000 as commander of the 183rd Air Evacuation Squadron of the Mississippi Air National Guard. While serving in this capacity she commanded the medical crew for the USS Cole rescue mission. Following this assignment, Cathy was selected to command the 172nd Medical Group and promoted to Full Colonel.

In 2004, she was selected by the Air Force Reserve to serve as Health Services Administrator for the 81st Medical Wing, Keesler AFB. Following this assignment, General Harold Cross, Adjutant General of Mississippi brought her back into the Air National Guard as his Special Assistant. Shortly thereafter, she was selected as Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander 59th Medical Wing, San Antonio, Texas. Her excellence in dealing with high level Air Force issues did not go unnoticed. In 2008, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau picked Cathy to become the next Air National Guard Assistant to The Chief Nurse of the Air Force, leading to her promotion to Brigadier General, becoming the first female general in the Mississippi National Guard and the highest ranking officer in the Air National Guard Nursing Corps. Mississippi can well be tremendously proud of this achievement. Her new duty station is Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, DC.

Major General William J. Lutz

Husband, William J. Lutz, (Bill) is also from Canton, Miss. His father had been a Navy pilot in World War II and inspired Bill his entire life. He, as well as his brother Michael, entered the military—not because of family pressure but because of tremendous respect for the dad who had modeled so much for them their entire lives. Bill combined his innate intelligence with a strong work ethic he learned at home, always giving everything he had to both mental and physical challenges. Today, even in his retirement, he loves working hard outdoors. His favorite physical challenge involves what he calls, “tractor therapy,” as he drives a tractor all over the 110 acre farm near Flora where the couple makes their home.

Bill likes to explain his basic biblical beliefs as grounded in the Golden Rule. Both he and Cathy are Catholic by denomination and attend church at either Sacred Heart in Canton, St. Francis in Madison or St. Teresa in Jackson where Cathy’s mom is still active.

Following high school graduation, Bill attended Mississippi State University, where he joined the Air Force ROTC, and in 1968 received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Force Reserves. He followed that later, in 1982, with a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree from Mississippi College School of Law.

Upon completion of Air Force pilot training at Webb AFB, Texas, he served combat tours in Vietnam and Laos as a forward air controller. His 18 month tour in Laos was as a member of the Ravens, who flew combat missions in clandestine CIA operations. He later served tours instructing air to ground gunnery and air ground operations at the 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla., and flew the A-7D Corsair II for the 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB. He joined the Mississippi Air National Guard as a pilot in 1979. The aircraft he flew included the O1 Birddog, the A-7D Corsair II fighter, and the C-141 Starlifter.

He commanded a flying squadron, group, and wing. He served as Chief of Staff of the Mississippi Air National Guard and a tour as ANG Special Assistant to the Commander of Air Force Materiel Command. He retired as Assistant Adjutant General and Commander of the Mississippi Air National Guard in April 2006 as Major General. He also served Mississippi as a Madison County Chancery Judge from 1995-2006. He currently serves as Senior Status Judge, where he accepts appointments from the Mississippi Supreme Court to try cases. He heads Lutz Mediation and Arbitration Services.

An Unbeatable Force

Cathy’s relationship with her husband, Bill, started with a typical (for her) revelation on a volleyball court in 1982. She was playing and he arrived as a spectator. Her position on the court placed her in direct vision of him. Her first thought was, “That’s the man I’m going to marry.”

Their relationship was enhanced in several different ways when they were assigned to fly Air Evac missions together, with Bill as the pilot and Cathy as part of the plane’s medical team.

Their admiration for each other’s work habits and knowledge of their jobs just added ‘frosting to the cake’ of their already blossoming attraction for one another. They were married in 1986 when she was a second lieutenant and he was a major. They have now been married for 23 years, as a testament to her accuracy in “revealed” judgment, she says, “All enriched by love for God and country.” She adds, “The longer we are married, the better it gets.”

The testimony of the Lutzs’ lives has been that service to God and country produces results that almost defy description. All of us have benefitted in some large or small way from the safety of our lives and land, to the physical well being that has been made available to us through outstanding military medical care and training.

The overriding word here is “Service”—God-fearing, freely volunteered, and fraught with danger. It is transparently evident that God has played a rather large part in the Lutz’s dual careers.

Both continually speak of not only their admiration and love for one another, but also their respect for the other’s self confidence, reliability, and leadership abilities.

From this writer’s point of view, you mix a strong work ethic, a desire to serve your fellow man, and an authentic faith in the Lord, and you have an unbeatable force.