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Brigadier General Jerry L. Laws, the 21st Commander of
White Sands Proving Ground/Missile Range, was a graduate of the University of
Oklahoma, received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Field
Artillery Corps in August 1966. He later earned a Master's Degree in
Management from Central Michigan University. His military education includes
the Field Artillery Officers' Basic and Advanced Courses, Fixed and Rotary
Wing Flight Training, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the
Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
Brigadier General Laws assumed command of White Sands
Missile Range on 24 June 1994. His early assignments included duties within
the 1st Battalion, 321st Field Artillery (Airborne), 101st Airborne Division,
Fort Campbell, Kentucky; command of firing batteries within the 8th Battalion,
17th Field Artillery and 6th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery, 6th Infantry
Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Aviation Officer, 18th Engineer Brigade,
the Republic of South Vietnam; Aviation Staff Officer and Aide-de-Camp,
Combined Arms Combat Developments Activity, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
In 1974, Brigadier General Laws served as Adjutant and
Commander, Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery, the Republic of
Korea. He next served as Aviation Staff Officer, Aerial Systems Branch,
Combined Arms Combat Developments Activity, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Brigadier General Laws also served as Brigade Fire Support Officer and
Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 35th Field Artillery Regiment, and
Operations Officer (S-3), Division Artillery, 24th Infantry Division, Fort
Stewart, Georgia. He then served as Special Assistant to the Assistant
Division Commander, 2nd Armored Division (Forward), Garlstedt, the Federal
Republic of Germany. Brigadier General Laws also commanded the 1st Battalion,
14th Field Artillery Regiment and the 4th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery
Regiment, 2nd Armored Division (Forward), the Federal Republic of Germany.
In 1985, Brigadier General Laws served as Speech
Writer, Congressional Affairs Branch, Deputy Chief of Staff for Research and
Development, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C. He next served as
Division Chief, Operations/Plans Division (J-3), United States Central
Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. He also commanded the 75th Field
Artillery Brigade, III Corps Artillery, at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and in the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He served as Director, Gunnery Department and
Director, Combat Developments, U.S. Army Field Artillery School, Fort Sill,
Oklahoma. He also served as Assistant Division Commander for Support, 4th
Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado.
Brigadier General Laws' decorations and badges include:
the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (with two subsequent
awards); the Bronze Star Medal (with two subsequent awards); the Meritorious
Service Medal (with three subsequent awards); the Air Medal (with nine
subsequent awards); the Army Commendation Medal (with three subsequent
awards); the Army Achievement Medal; Senior Army Aviator Badge; and
Parachutist Badge.
Brigadier General Jerry L. Laws is married to the
former Louise C. "Misty" Mistick of North Braddock, Pennsylvania. They have
three children - Christina, Mary Katherine, and Jay.
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