Major General (Retired) Bruce M. Lawlor (born January 24, 1948) is a retired United States Army officer. He is prominent as the first commander of Joint Task Force-Civil Support. In addition, he was one of five White House staff members who wrote the plan to create the Department of Homeland Security, and he was the first DHS Chief of Staff.
Early life and service in Vietnam Bruce Michael LawlorVermont Adjutant General, List of Vermonters in the Vietnam War 1964-1975, 1986, page 225 was born in Bellows Falls, Vermont on January 24, 1948,Vermont Secretary of State, Legislative Directory, 1981, page 258 and graduated from Vermont Academy in 1966.Vermont Academy , Florence Sabin Award Winners page, accessed July 13, 2012 He briefly attended the United States Military AcademyAssociation of Graduates, Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of the United States Military Academy, 1991, page 124 before transferring to George Washington University, from which he received a Bachelor of Science degree in political science in 1970.Vermont Secretary of State, Legislative Directory, 1983, page 255
While attending George Washington University Lawlor was recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency.Elizabeth Becker, New York Times, January 9, 2000, Military Terrorism Operation Has a Civilian Focus After graduation Lawlor became a full CIA staff member, took a paramilitary training course, and was trained as a foreign intelligence officer. Assigned to the Vietnam Desk at CIA headquarters, he was trained in Vietnam agent operations and took a Vietnamese language course. Lawlor was sent to South Vietnam in November 1971, and by the beginning of 1972 was working in counterintelligence in the Danang regional headquarters. In the summer of 1972 Lawlor became Police Special Branch advisor in Quang Nam Province, organizing paramilitary Special Branch operations and interrogations. He took part in Phoenix Program operations until 1973; he resigned from the CIA in 1974.William P. Mahedy, Out of the Night: The Spiritual Journey of Vietnam Vets, 1988, page 18Al Santoli, Everything we had: an oral history of the Vietnam War, 1985, page 182Bright Quang, Road to the United States, Part 1, 2006, page 321Walter H. Capps, The Unfinished War: Vietnam and the American Conscience, 1990, page 97Loren Baritz, Backfire: A History of How American Culture Led Us Into Vietnam and Made Us Fight the Way We Did, 1986, page 16
In 1974 Lawlor received a direct commission in the United States Navy Reserve as an intelligence officer.Tom Jennemann , Former Homeland Security Chief to Work at Stevens: University Hires Lawlor for Security Initiatives, Hudson Reporter, November 30, 2003
Lawlor received his law degree from George Washington University Law School in 1975 and started a practice in Springfield, Vermont.Legislative Directory, 1983, page 255
Political career A Democrat, Lawlor was a legal advisor to Governor Thomas P. Salmon.Susan Smallheer , Ex-Springfield Representative on Front Lines, Rutland Herald, September 12, 2001 In 1980 Lawlor won election to the Vermont House of Representatives. He served two terms, 1981 to 1985.Legislative Directory, 1981, page 258
In September 1984 Lawlor won the Democratic nomination for Vermont Attorney General. He lost the November general election to the Republican nominee, Jeffrey Amestoy., General Election Results Attorney General, 1906-2010, 2010, page 11
Continued military career In 1979 Lawlor transferred his military membership to the Vermont Army National Guard. Initially assigned as the intelligence officer in an armor battalion, Lawlor became qualified in the Armor branch and advanced through command and staff positions including: commander of the 86th Armored Brigade's 1st Battalion 172nd Armor Battalion; commander of the 86th Brigade; special assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe; and assistant division commander of the 42nd Infantry Division. In 1986 he graduated from the Command and General Staff College.
In 1996 Lawlor received a Master of Science degree in National Security Studies from Norwich University as part of the Army War College's Senior Service College Fellowship Program (SSCF).Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Newly Formed Center for Technology, Security, and Policy Names Former Chief of Staff for U.S. Department of Homeland Security as Director, Virginia Tech News, February 5, 2008 In addition, he attended the National Security Fellows Program at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.Kevin J. Kennedy, Bruce M. Lawlor, Arne J. Nelson, Grand Strategy for Information Age National Security, 1996, page 5
Later military career From May 1998 to October 1999 Lawlor served as deputy director for operations, readiness and mobilization in the Army's Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans., Speaker's Biography, Bruce M. Lawlor, 2000, accessed July 13, 2012
From October 1999 until October, 2001 Lawlor was commander of Joint Task Force-Civil Support, the first individual assigned to this position.Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) , Brig. Gen. Bruce M. Lawlor Appointed First Commanding General For Joint Task Force-Civil Support, November 1, 1999Executive Publications, Government Executive, Volume 36, 2004, page 115 In this assignment Lawlor oversaw creation of the Civil Support Team concept, an initiative that enables the National Guard to play a greater role in responding to domestic terrorism than has historically been allowed since the passage of the Posse Comitatus Act.National Domestic Preparedness Office , Joint Task Force – Civil Support and WMD Prepardness, The Beacon newsletter, December 1999, page 6 Lawlor retired from the military in November, 2003.Government Research Corp., National Journal, Volume 36, 2004, page 115
Effective dates of promotions Ensign, Navy Reserve, 11 November 1974 Lieutenant Junior Grade, Navy Reserve, 11 November 1976 Lieutenant, Navy Reserve, 1 December 1978 First Lieutenant, Army National Guard, 2 January 1979 Captain, Army National Guard, 2 May 1981 Major, Army National Guard, 22 October 1986 Lieutenant Colonel, Army National Guard, 22 October 1990 Colonel, Army National Guard, 23 October 1993 Brigadier General, Army National Guard, 1 October 1997 Major General, Army National Guard, 6 October 2000General Officer Biography, Bruce M. Lawlor, 2001
Military awards and decorations General Lawlor's awards and decorations include:
Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal (with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster) Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster) Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters) National Defense Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Stars) Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with 1 Silver Hourglass Device) Army Service Ribbon Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross (with 1 Gold and 1 Bronze Star) Vietnamese Honor Medal (First Class)
Continued governmental career Shortly after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Lawlor joined the White House staff to help plan and coordinate the response as senior director for protection and prevention in the Office of Homeland Security.Elizabeth Book , Security Beat, National Defense Industrial Association, September 2002 While in this position Lawlor was one of the chief creators of the legislation that created the Department of Homeland Security.Stevens Institute of Technology , Top National Expert to Head Homeland Security Initiatives at Stevens, November 21, 2003 When DHS was officially founded in March, 2003 Lawlor was named its first Chief of Staff, and he served until being succeeded by J. Duncan Campbell in October, 2003.Stephanie Strom, Threats and Responses: Protective Devices; Behind Duct Tape and Sheeting, an Unlikely Proponent, New York Times, February 23, 2003Sterling Investment Partners , Sterling Investment Partners Completes Acquisition of Domestic Preparedness and Emergency Response Company, May 12, 2004
In 2003 Lawlor earned a Doctor of Science degree in engineering management from George Washington University.George Washington University Alumni Association, Alumni Newsmakers, Geowgr Washington University Magazine, Spring 2008, accessed July 13, 2012
Post governmental career Since leaving DHS Lawlor has continued his involvement in national security affairs through both academia and private business, including: member of the board of advisors for the Global Panel Foundation; member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC); chief executive officer of Centuria Corporation; distinguished service professor at the Stevens Institute of Technology; professor at the George Washington University; instructor at the Army War College; and director of the Center for Technology, Security, and Public Policy at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech); advisory board member for Patron Systems, Inc.; and chairman and chief executive officer of Community Research Associates, Inc.Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Faculty biography, Bruce M. Lawlor, accessed July 13, 2012Patron Systems, Inc., Patron Announces Creation of Advisory Board, January 7, 2005Global Panel Foundation, List, Board of Advisors members , accessed August 15, 2013 After leaving Virginia Tech, Lawlor was a senior associate at the Center for International and European Studies.
While with Virginia Tech, Lawlor resided in Arlington, Virginia and he later moved to Norfolk.CampaignMoney.com, Rob Simmons Political Campaign Contributions from Virginia 2006 Election Cycle, accessed July 13, 2012
External resources Defence Geospatial Intelligence Europe, , 2010
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