U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant Emily Perez a.k.a. “Kobe” was the first black woman at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to reach the rank of Corps Commander Sergeant Major. She was nicknamed “Kobe” because she “always made the shots” according to family and friends. A 2005 graduate, Perez was fluent in German and a straight “A” student. Perez also served as a star on the Army’s 400-meter relay team.
