Lieutenant General Laura J. Richardson grew up in Colorado and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Aviation upon graduation from Metropolitan State College in Denver. Her first assignment after flight school was in Korea with the 17th Aviation Brigade, where she served as a Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, Brigade Staff Officer and Company Commander. She next served at Fort Hood, Texas on the III Corps staff and in the 6th Cavalry Brigade as a Company Commander and Brigade Adjutant.
 
Upon leaving Texas, she was assigned to the Battle Command Training Program at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas as an observer trainer and later attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College. She next served at Fort Campbell, Kentucky as an Assault Helicopter Battalion Operations Officer and Executive Officer with the 9th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).  
 
Lieutenant General Richardson was selected to serve as the military aide to the Vice President at the White House in Washington, D.C. She returned to Fort Campbell to serve as the Division Deputy G-3 of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and later commanded the 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment and deployed to Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.  
 
Following battalion command, she was assigned to the Army G-3/5/7 in the Pentagon where she served as Deputy Director, then Director, for the Army's Transformation Office. After her Pentagon tour, she attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair in Washington, DC, and then served as the 100th Garrison Commander of Fort Myer and Fort McNair, and first Joint Base Commander of Myer-Henderson Hall. Following command she served as the Army's Liaison Officer to the United States Senate.  
 
Her assignments as a general officer include Commanding General of the U.S. Army Operational Test Command; Deputy Commanding General of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas; Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications with Headquarters, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Afghanistan; Chief, Army Legislative Liaison; and most recently as the Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Forces Command.  
 
She is married to Lieutenant General Jim Richardson, and they have one daughter and a grandchild.