Laura J. Richardson

Laura J. Richardson is a Lieutenant-General of the United States. An army aviator, Richardson flew Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. Promoted to brigadier-general in 2011, she served in various commands at Fort Hood and served as chief of staff for communication in the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. In June 2017, she was promoted to lieutenant-general and appointed deputy commander of the United States Army Forces Command.

Early life
Laura J Richardson is from Colorado and attended Metropolitan State College in Denver where she was awarded a bachelor of science degree in psychology. She was an All American swimmer and earned her pilot's license at the age of 16. Richardson was a member of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps.

Junior and field officer career
Richardson was commissioned into the United States Army Aviation Branch in 1986 as a second lieutenant. Richardson flew Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters in the 128th Assault Helicopter Company. She was promoted to first lieutenant in 1988 and subsequently was administrative officer, executive officer and platoon leader in the 1st battalion of the 501st Aviation Regiment. She transferred to the 17th Aviation Brigade as an assistant logistics officer in 1989 and served in South Korea before returning to the 501st Aviation Regiment as a personnel officer in the 4th battalion in 1990. Richardson commanded the HQ company of the 4th battalion from September 1990 to September 1991, being promoted to captain in March 1991.

Richardson attended the Aviation Officer Advanced Course at Fort Rucker in 1991-92 and was made a company commander in the 1st Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment in July 1992. She was later personnel officer of the 6th Cavalry Brigade at Fort Hood. In 1995-6 she was a trainer in the Battle Command Training Program at Fort Leavenworth before she spent a year as a student at the Army Command and General Staff College. Promoted to major in March 1997 Richardson became operations officer and then executive officer of the 9th battalion 101st Aviation Regiment.

Richardson served as a military aide to Vice President Al Gore between February 1999 and January 2001. That year she was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and became deputy operations officer of the 101st Airborne Division. From July 2002 to May 2004 Richardson was commander of the 5th battalion of the 101st Aviation Regiment and served with that unit on Operation Iraqi Freedom. She was Army campaign planner with the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans from 2004 to 2006 and graduated with a master of science degree from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair in June 2007. Promoted to colonel she was commander of the Army garrison at Fort Myer until October 2009 when she was chief of the US Senate liaison division for the Secretary of the Army.

General officer career
In July 2011, Richardson was promoted to brigadier-general and appointed commanding general of the Operational Test Command at Fort Hood. She was subsequently appointed commanding general of support for the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, a position she left in 2013 to become deputy chief of staff, communication for the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. Richardson returned to the United States after a year and became chief legislative liaison to the Office of the Secretary of the Army.

In June 2017, Richardson was promoted to lieutenant-general and appointed deputy commander of he United States Army Forces Command (USAFC), replacing Lieutenant-General Patrick J. Donahue II who was retiring. She was appointed by USAFC commander General Robert B. Abrams who said the decision took "less than a second". This was depite never having worked with Richarson, Abrams said "I know her reputation. I’ve seen her work ... She’s the exact right leader at the exact right time". Her appointment was confirmed by the US Senate and she became the first woman to hold the position officially, Major-General Jody Daniels holding it for the week prior to Richardson's appointment on a temporary basis only. USAFC is the largest command in the US Army representing 770,000 soldiers and civilians including 200,000 regular army soldiers stationed in the USA and the entire National Guard and Army Reserve.

Personal life
Richardson is married to Major General James Richardson. They have one daughter.

Awards and Decoration
As follows:


 * Defense Superior Service Medal
 * Legion of Merit (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
 * Bronze Star Medal
 * Meritorious Service Medal (with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters)
 * Air Medal (with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters)
 * Joint Service Commendation Medal
 * Army Commendation Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster)
 * Army Achievement Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
 * Parachutist Badge
 * Air Assault Badge
 * Senior Army Aviator Badge
 * Vice­ Presidential Service Badge
 * Army Staff Identification Badge