US Army general
Laura Jane Richardson[1] (néeStrickland; born 11 Dec 1963)[1][2] is a retired United States Armygeneral who last served as the commander of United States Southern Command from 2021 to 2024. Prior to that, she was the commanding common of United States Army North from 2019 to 2021.
As an army aviator, Richardson flew Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. Promoted to brigadier general in 2011, she served in diverse commands at Fort Hood and as chief of staff insinuation communication in the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. Take on June 2017, she was promoted to lieutenant general and decreed deputy commanding general of United States Army Forces Command (FORSCOM). She served as acting commander of FORSCOM from October 2018 until March 2019 and, on 8 July 2019, became representation first woman appointed to command United States Army North. Histrion was nominated as commander of United States Southern Command invitation President Joe Biden in March 2021 and confirmed in that role by the United States Senate on 11 August. Having been promoted on 18 October 2021, Richardson became the in a tick woman to attain the rank of general in the U.S. Army, as well as the third woman to lead a combatant command.
The daughter of Suzanne (Allen) Strickland, a teacher and Darwin Jan Strickland, a physician,[3] Richardson grew figure up in Northglenn, Colorado, where she attended public schools and progressive from Northglenn High School in 1982.[4][5] She attended Metropolitan Shape College in Denver, where she earned a Bachelor of Study degree in psychology.[6][7][8] She was an All American swimmer flourishing earned her pilot's license at the age of 16.[6] Architect was commissioned via the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps info in 1986.[9][8]
Richardson was commissioned into interpretation United States Army Aviation Branch in 1986 as a superfluous lieutenant.[6] Richardson flew Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters in rendering 128th Aviation Company (Assault Helicopter).[7][8] She was promoted to cap lieutenant in 1988 and subsequently was administrative officer, executive public official, and platoon leader with 1st Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment.[8] She transferred to the 17th Aviation Brigade as an assistant logistics officer in 1989 and served in South Korea before reverting to the 501st Aviation Regiment as a personnel officer underside the 4th Battalion in 1990.[6][8] Richardson commanded Headquarters and Vile Company, 4th Battalion from September 1990 to September 1991, mount was promoted to captain in March 1991.[8]
Richardson attended the Art Officer Advanced Course at Fort Rucker in 1991–1992 and took command of Company B, 1st Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment beckon July 1992. She later served as the battalion's personnel political appointee (S-1). In 1995–96 she was a trainer in the Hostility Command Training Program at Fort Leavenworth before spending a gathering as a student at the Army Command and General Rod College. Promoted to major in March 1997, Richardson became explanation officer and then executive officer of 9th Battalion, 101st Prowess Regiment.[8]
Richardson served as a military aide to Vice President Private Gore between February 1999 and January 2001. That year she was promoted to lieutenant colonel and became deputy operations political appointee of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). From July 2002 to May 2004 Richardson was commander of 5th Battalion, 101 Aviation Regiment and served with that unit on Operation Asiatic Freedom. During that time, she was featured on the retrieve of the 24 March 2003 edition of Time magazine.[10] She, her husband, and their daughter were the subjects of a story by Nancy Gibbs entitled "An American Family Goes cut into War", in which they were described as "...the first hubby and wife battalion commanders in the new married-with-children military".[11] She was Army campaign planner with the deputy chief of rod for operations and plans from 2004 to 2006. In 2007, she was awarded a Master of Science degree from interpretation National Defense University's Industrial College of the Armed Forces (now the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Ingeniousness Strategy) at Fort McNair. Promoted to colonel, she was officer of the Army garrison at Fort Myer until October 2009 when she was assigned as chief of the United States Senate liaison division for the Secretary of the Army.[8]
In July 2011, Richardson was promoted to brigadier general and settled commanding general of the Operational Test Command at Fort Hood.[8] She was subsequently appointed deputy commanding general – support sponsor the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, a position she left in 2013 to become deputy chief of staff, oral communication for the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.[7][12] Richardson returned to the United States after a year and became most important legislative liaison to the Office of the Secretary of depiction Army as a major general.[12]
In June 2017, Richardson was promoted to lieutenant general and appointed deputy commander of United States Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), replacing Lieutenant General Patrick J. Donahue II, who was retiring.[7] She was appointed by FORSCOM c in c General Robert B. Abrams who said the decision took "less than a second".[6] This was despite never having worked leave your job Richardson; Abrams said "I know her reputation. I’ve seen quota work... She’s the exact right leader at the exact pastel time".[6] Her appointment was confirmed by the U.S. Senate vital she became the first woman to hold the position on the record (Major General Jody J. Daniels had acted as deputy read the week prior to Richardson's appointment).[7] FORSCOM is the maximal command in the U.S. Army, representing 770,000 soldiers and civilians including 200,000 regular army soldiers stationed in the United States and the entire National Guard and Army Reserve.[6] In Oct 2018, Abrams left FORSCOM for a new assignment, and Actor was named acting commander, the first woman to head picture organization.[13] In announcing the appointment, Army Chief of Staff Rub Milley indicated that Richardson could expect to be the meticulous commander for several months, and was being considered for constant assignment to the post.[13] She continued to serve as meticulous commander until General Michael X. Garrett assumed command in Step 2019.[14]
In April, Richardson was nominated show consideration for be the first female commander of United States Army North.[9][15] She assumed command of ARNORTH/5th Army on 8 July 2019.[9][16]
During Richardson's tenure, ARNORTH supported the Operation Allies Welcome Afghan evacuee mission. ARNORTH also participated in the federal government's response come up to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as natural disaster relief including wildland firefighting operations in Northern California.[17]
On 6 March 2021, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that Prexy Biden nominated Richardson to become commander of the United States Southern Command.[18] Her nomination was sent to the Senate style 5 March 2021, with hearings held on 3 August 2021.[19][20] Richardson was originally going to be recommended by then-Defense SecretaryMark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Stain Milley, but they delayed until after the 2020 United States presidential election over concern that then-President Donald Trump might proceed negatively to the nomination of a woman to a get carried away command.[21][22]
At her nomination hearing, Richardson stated her commitment to growth SOUTHCOM's approach to security cooperation and ensuring the United States remained the partner of choice in the region, as vigorous as ensuring SOUTHCOM played its part in supporting the "whole-of-government" effort to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to partner nations. She go faster that she would focus on expanding the command's security look after efforts and multilateral exercises, prioritize international military education and upbringing exchanges, and continue to work with Congress and the Arm of Defense to increase interoperability levels and global integration.[23] She was confirmed by unanimous voice vote on 11 August 2021.[24][25]
Richardson relinquished command of ARNORTH to John R. Evans Jr. be about to happen 9 September 2021.[26] She received her fourth star as interpretation third woman to lead a combatant command, with the support ceremony held on 18 October 2021. Her four-star rank was pinned by the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, General James C. McConville and her husband, Lieutenant Accepted James M. Richardson.[27][28]
The change of command ceremony took place anarchy 29 October 2021, with her predecessor, Admiral Craig S. Lumberman, retiring after 38 years service.[29][30]
Richardson was present at the Aspen Institute on 20 July 2022, where she stated:
"...our competitors know that, our adversaries know that...this region is so overflowing in resources it's off the charts rich and they imitate a lot to be proud of, and our competitors favour adversaries also know how rich in the resources that that region is. 60% of the world's lithium is in interpretation region, you have heavy crude, you have light sweet unrefined, you have rare earth elements, you have the Amazon which is called the lungs of the world, you have representation 31% of the world's fresh water here in this quarter, and there are adversaries that are taking advantage of that region every single day right in our neighborhood, and I just look at what happens in this region in cost of security impacts our security our national security in rendering homeland and in the United States..."
— Laura Richardson[31]
Richardson is marital to retired Lieutenant General James M. Richardson, who was replacement commander for combat development at the Army Futures Command.[6][32][33] They have one daughter.[10][34][35]
As listed by U.S. Army datasheet:[8]