Maj. Gen. Janet L. Cobb (Ret.) has come a long way from working in the potato sheds of Baldwin County at age 14. After graduating from Foley High School, she joined the U.S. Army Reserve, and 42 years later retired as the commanding general of the 81st Regional Support Command.
Today she is at the helm of the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. In 2015, she became the first woman to serve as executive director of the park, which encompasses its 155-acre property.
“It is the coolest job in the world. We are charged with honoring the men and women who have served in the military in all branches who are from the state of Alabama and to educate the public on those sacrifices,” Cobb said.
Her military career took her around the world, from loading ships in Saudi Arabia to working in the Pentagon. Employees describe her as fair and modest. Pam Jeffcoat, the park’s longest-serving employee, calls her “the best.”
Cobb’s decorations include the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star, though she credits the people who worked for her. A breast cancer survivor for more than a decade, she draws strength from her faith and a positive outlook. Now 63, she expects to serve as executive director for a few more years before kayaking, reading and visiting friends in retirement.