JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
U.S. Army North will conduct a change of command ceremony at Staff Post Field at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston at 9 a.m. July 8.
Lt. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan, who has commanded U.S. Army North for the last three years, will relinquish command to Lt. Gen Laura J. Richardson.
Gen. Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, commanding general, U.S. Northern Command, will host the ceremony.
Buchanan assumed command of U.S. Army North Aug. 26, 2016. He is retiring after a 37-year career. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry in May 1982 after graduating from the University of Arizona and has commanded at every level with assignments in the 82nd Airborne Division, 25th Infantry Division, 101st Airborne Division, and 10th Mountain Division. He also served as a Company and Battalion Tactical Officer at the U.S. Military Academy, the Director for Operations (J3) of Joint Task Force Full Accounting, and the Senior Light Infantry Task Force Trainer at the National Training Center. As the U.S. Army North Commander, he served as NORTHCOM’s Joint Forces Land Component Commander for military forces supporting the Department of Homeland Security in Southwest Border operations, and FEMA in Hurricanes Matthew, Harvey, Irma, Maria, Florence, and Michael. Additionally, he served four tours in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan.
Lt. Gen Laura J. Richardson most recently served at U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where she was the deputy commanding general. Richardson grew up in Colorado and was commissioned a second lieutenant of aviation upon graduation from Metropolitan State College in Denver.
Her career spans more than three decades and includes command and staff time in the United States and the Republic of Korea. She served as the military aide to the Vice President at the White House in Washington, District of Columbia; as the commanding general of the U.S. Army Operational Test Command; the deputy commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas; and as the Chief of Army Legislative Liaison. She has deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
U.S. Army North provides command and control of assigned and attached subordinate commands, joint interagency and international partners. It is comprised of more than 600 service members and 330 civilians, all partnering to conduct homeland defense, support civil authorities, and cooperate with Canadian and Mexican militaries in order to protect the United States and its interests.