Lieutenant General Laura J. Richardson
Commander, United States Army North (Fifth Army) and Senior Commander, Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis
Lt. Gen. Laura J. Richardson is the Commanding General of U.S. Army North (Fifth Army), headquartered at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. U.S. Army North is the Theater Army and Army Service Component Command to U.S. Northern Command, the geographic combatant command for North America. U.S. Army North’s mission is Homeland Defense, Defense Support of Civil Authorities and Theater Security Cooperation. U.S. Army North is also a standing Joint Force Land Component Command for the Department of Defense’s Title 10 Southwest Border and COVID-19 pandemic response missions.
Prior to assuming command of U.S. Army North, she was the Deputy Commanding General then Commanding General of U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Other assignments as a General Officer include Commanding General of the U.S. Army Operational Test Command at Fort Hood, Texas; Deputy Commanding General of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas; Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications at Headquarters International Security Assistance Force in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, in Kabul, Afghanistan; and Chief of Army Legislative Liaison to the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C.
Lt. Gen. Richardson grew up in Colorado and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Aviation upon graduation from Metropolitan State College in Denver, Colorado. She has commanded from the Company to Theater Army level. She has also served in numerous assignments including South Korea; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Fort Myer, Virginia; and in Washington, D.C. at the White House, U.S. Capitol and the Pentagon.
She is married to Lt. Gen. Jim Richardson, and they have one daughter and a grandchild.
