Sara E. Lister is a United States lawyer who served as General Counsel of the Army under the Carter administration and then as Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) from 1994 to 1997. She gained national attention in November 1997 when she gave a speech in which she referred to members of the United States Marine Corps as "extremists". She was ultimately forced to resign early as Assistant Secretary of the Army because of the controversy over her remarks.