General Laura J. Richardson is a native of Northglenn, Colorado and  a  graduate  of  Metropolitan  State  University  of  Denver, Colorado. She was commissioned into the U.S. Army and trained as an Army Aviator. She holds a Master of Science in National Resource  Strategy  from  the  National  Defense  University’s Dwight   D.   Eisenhower   School for National Security and Resource Strategy.

General  Richardson previously  served  as  the  Commanding General  of  U.S.  Army North  (Fifth  Army)  at  Fort  Sam  Houston, Texas, which is the Army Service Component Command for U.S. Northern Command.

Other assignments as a General Officer include Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Chief of Army Legislative Liaison to the U.S. Congress in Washington  D.C.;  Deputy  Chief  of  Staff  for  Communications  at  Headquarters  International  Security Assistance   Force   in   support   of   Operation   Enduring   Freedom,   Kabul,   Afghanistan;   Deputy Commanding General of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas; and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Operational Test Command at Fort Hood, Texas.   

Over her career General Richardson has commanded from the Company to Theater Army level. She commanded  an  Assault  Helicopter  Battalion  in  combat  in  the  101st  Airborne  Division  (Air  Assault), deploying  her  unit  from  Fort  Campbell,  Kentucky  to  Iraq  2003-04,  in  support  of  Operation  Iraqi Freedom.  She  has  also  served  in  numerous  staff  assignments  at  a  myriad  of  locations,  including Military Aide to the Vice President at the White House in Washington, D.C., the Army’s Legislative Liaison to Congress at the U.S. Capitol, and at the Pentagon as an Army Campaign Planner.

General Richardson’s awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Defense Superior Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Legion of Merit (with three Oak Leaf Clusters), Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with four Oak Leaf Clusters), and the Air Medal (with Numeral 7). She also has various unit, service and  campaign  awards,  and  numerous  badges,  including  the  Combat  Action  Badge,  Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Senior Army Aviator Badge, Vice-Presidential Service Badge and the Army Staff Identification Badge.

She is married to Lieutenant General Jim Richardson and they have one daughter and a grandchild.