Maj. Gen. Maria Barrett and Brig. Gen. Paula Lodi are the first sisters in the U.S. Army to hold the rank of general.
Barrett oversees communications networks and her younger sister, Lodi, serves in the Army's medical command.
They talked to NBC News' Kate Snow about their achievements, their family’s history of service and how they hope to inspire others.
When Barrett was promoted to two-star general she followed the tradition of passing on her former one-star emblem to someone else on the rise -- her sister.
"I thought after polyester jumpsuits we were done with hand-me-downs," Lodi said. "But this was a very special hand-me-down."
Watch the full interview in the video above.