Harris' promotion to Lieutenant General was a first for African-American females, as she is the first to hold the three-star rank in the U.S. Air Force.

Prior to her assignment as Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, Harris was Commander, Twenty-Second Air Force.

[2] Harris received her commission in 1981 through Air Force ROTC at the University of Southern California serving on active duty until transferring to the Air Force Reserve in 1991.

While in the reserves Harris has served as in Individual Mobilization Augmentee in multiple staff assignments.

Harris is a Command Pilot having flown more than 2,500 hours in military aircraft.