Laura J. Richardson

Laura Jane Richardson (née Strickland; born 11 December 1963) is a retired United States Army general who last served as the commander of United States Southern Command from 2021 to 2024. Prior to that, she was the commanding general 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 various commands at Fort Hood and 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 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 the first woman appointed to command United States Army North. Richardson was nominated as commander of United States Southern Command by President Joe Biden in March 2021 and confirmed in this role by the United States Senate on 11 August. Having been promoted on 18 October 2021, Richardson became the second woman to attain the rank of general in the U.S. Army, as well as the third woman to lead a combatant command.

Early life The daughter of Suzanne (Allen) Strickland, a teacher and Darwin Jan Strickland, a physician, Richardson grew up in Northglenn, Colorado, where she attended public schools and graduated from Northglenn High School in 1982. She attended Metropolitan State College in Denver, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. She was an All American swimmer and earned her pilot's license at the age of 16. She, her husband, and their daughter were the subjects of a story by Nancy Gibbs entitled "An American Family Goes to War", in which they were described as "...the first husband and wife battalion commanders in the new married-with-children military". She was Army campaign planner with the deputy chief of staff for operations and plans from 2004 to 2006. In 2007, she was awarded a Master of Science degree from the National Defense University's Industrial College of the Armed Forces (now the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy) at Fort McNair. Promoted to colonel, she was commander 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. Richardson returned to the United States after a year and became chief legislative liaison to the Office of the Secretary of the Army as a major general. In announcing the appointment, Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley indicated that Richardson could expect to be the acting commander for several months, and was being considered for permanent assignment to the post.

Commander of U.S. Army North In April, Richardson was nominated to be the first female commander of United States Army North. She assumed command of ARNORTH/5th Army on 8 July 2019.

During Richardson's tenure, ARNORTH supported the Operation Allies Welcome Afghan evacuee mission. ARNORTH also participated in the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as natural disaster relief including wildland firefighting operations in Northern California.

Commander of U.S. Southern Command Richardson is presented her four-star flag by Army chief of staff General James C. McConville at her promotion ceremony, 18 October 2021

On 6 March 2021, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that President Biden nominated Richardson to become commander of the United States Southern Command. Her nomination was sent to the Senate on 5 March 2021, with hearings held on 3 August 2021. Richardson was originally going to be recommended by then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, but they delayed until after the 2020 United States presidential election over concern that then-President Donald Trump might react negatively to the nomination of a woman to a top command.

At her nomination hearing, Richardson stated her commitment to strengthening SOUTHCOM's approach to security cooperation and ensuring the United States remained the partner of choice in the region, as well as ensuring SOUTHCOM played its part in supporting the "whole-of-government" effort to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to partner nations. She added that she would focus on expanding the command's security cooperation efforts and multilateral exercises, prioritize international military education and training exchanges, and continue to work with Congress and the Department of Defense to increase interoperability levels and global integration. She was confirmed by unanimous voice vote on 11 August 2021.

Richardson relinquished command of ARNORTH to John R. Evans Jr. on 9 September 2021. She received her fourth star as the third woman to lead a combatant command, with the promotion 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 General James M. Richardson.

The change of command ceremony took place on 29 October 2021, with her predecessor, Admiral Craig S. Faller, retiring after 38 years service.

At the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, on 20 July 2022, Richardson spoke about a "South blindness" and described the importance of the 31 nations that make up her command:

Personal life Richardson is married to retired Lieutenant General James M. Richardson, who was deputy commander for combat development at the Army Futures Command. They have one daughter.

Awards and decorations LTG Laura Richardson receives a tour of Javits New York Medical Station, 12 April 2020, by 44th Medical Brigade Commanding Officer Army Col. Kimberlee Aiello, right, during the COVID-19 pandemic As listed by U.S. Army datasheet: Army Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster Defense Superior Service Medal

Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters Bronze Star Medal

Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with bronze award numeral 7 Joint Service Commendation Medal Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster

Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters

Meritorious Unit Commendation with two oak leaf clusters Superior Unit Award with oak leaf cluster National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star Afghanistan Campaign Medal Iraq Campaign Medal with service star Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Korea Defense Service Medal Armed Forces Service Medal with service star Humanitarian Service Medal Army Service Ribbon

Army Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 5 NATO Medal for service with ISAF