Maj. Gen. Laurie M. Farris is the Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. She is responsible for advising the commander and staff on all air mobility issues impacting the Air National Guard. She ensures requirements for the Air National Guard are included in all planning, programming and execution phases of Air Mobility Command mission elements: airlift, aerial refueling, special air mission and aeromedical evacuation. She is responsible for the coordination of Air National Guard issues through the Director of the Air National Guard.
Maj. Gen. Farris is a native of Marshfield, Massachusetts. In 1987, she received a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Air Force Academy and attended pilot training at Vance AFB, Oklahoma. Upon graduation, she was assigned to the 42nd Air Refueling Squadron, Loring AFB, Maine. Maj. Gen. Farris joined the New Hampshire Air National Guard in 1995. She has supported combat air refueling with numerous missions flown in operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Restore Hope, Southern Watch, Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. In 2011, she was assigned to Joint Force Headquarters–New Hampshire as Director of Operations and also served as the Chief of Staff for the New Hampshire Air National Guard.
Prior to her current position, Maj. Gen. Farris served dual-hatted as the Assistant Adjutant General for Air, New Hampshire National Guard, and as the Air National Guard Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs. As Assistant Adjutant General, she was the principal advisor on New Hampshire Air National Guard matters. As ANG Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs, Maj. Gen. Farris built, sustained and expanded theater security cooperation and international relationships for expeditionary air and space forces in global operations.
EDUCATION
1987 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1992 Masters of Business Administration, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
1997 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2002 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2006 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Joint Task Force Commander Course, U.S. Northern Command, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2014 Leadership in Homeland Security, Harvard Kennedy School of Executive Education, Cambridge, Mass.
2015 Interim Guard Senior Leader Training, in residence
2016 National Security Studies Management Course, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
2016 Senior Leader Orientation Course, in residence
2017 Dual Status Commander Course, U.S. Northern Command, Colorado Springs, Colo.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1987–June 1988, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
2. June 1988–June 1992, Pilot/Aircraft Commander, KC-135, Instructor Pilot, 42nd Air Refueling Squadron, Loring AFB, Maine
3. June 1992–September 1993, Instructor Pilot, KC-135, Training Flight, 42nd Air Refueling Squadron, Loring AFB, Maine
4. October 1993–March 1994, Executive Officer/Instructor Pilot, KC-135, 99th Air Refueling Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
5. March 1994–July 1994, Chief Tanker Scheduling Branch, 19th Operations Support Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
6. July 1994–April 1995, Inactive Reserve
7. April 1995–January 2000, Aircraft Commander, KC-135R, 133rd Air Refueling Squadron, Pease Air National Guard Base, N.H.
8. January 2000–March 2009, Flight Commander/Instructor Pilot, KC-135R, 133rd Air Refueling Squadron, New Hampshire Air National Guard, Pease ANGB, N.H.
9. March 2009–September 2011, Commander, 133rd Air Refueling Squadron, Pease ANGB, N.H.
10. September 2011–August 2015, Director of Operations, Joint Force Headquarters, Concord, N.H.
11. August 2015–January 2018, Chief of Staff, Concord, N.H.
12. January 2018–May 2021, Assistant Adjutant General, Concord, N.H.; dual–hatted, May 2019–May 2021, Air National Guard Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, Washington, D.C.; dual–hatted, July 2017–July 2019 Director, Commanders’ Leadership Course, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Va.
13. May 2021–present, Assistant to the Commander, Air Mobility Command, Headquarters AMC, Scott AFB, Ill.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight Hours: more than 5,000
Aircraft Flown: KC-135 A/R, T-37, T-38
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with “V” device and with oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with three bronze stars
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with silver hour glass and seven “M” devices
Kuwait Liberation Medal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait
Louisiana Emergency Service Medal
New Hampshire National Guard State Active Service Ribbon
New Hampshire National Guard Service Bar
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
National Guard Association of the United States Life member
Vice President Air, National Guard Association of New Hampshire
Board of Directors, New Hampshire Military Assistance Foundation
Air Force Association Life member
Airlift Tanker Association Life member
Women Military Aviators Association
Force Development Council
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1987
First Lieutenant May 27, 1989
Captain May 27, 1991
Major October 1, 1998
Lieutenant Colonel March 5, 2003
Colonel October 21, 2011
Brigadier General Sept. 16, 2015
Major General May 1, 2021
(Current as of August 2021)