Bruce M. Lawlor

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Bruce M. Lawlor
Lawlor as commander of Joint Task Force-Civil Support
Born (1948-01-24) January 24, 1948 (age 76)
Bellows Falls, Vermont
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1967–2003
Rank Major General
Commands held1st Battalion 172nd Armor
86th Armored Brigade
Joint Task Force-Civil Support
Battles/warsVietnam War
Global War on Terrorism
AwardsDefense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Other workDirector of the Center for Technology, Security, and Public Policy, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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[edit]

Bruce Michael Lawlor[1] was born in Bellows Falls, Vermont on January 24, 1948,[2] and graduated from Vermont Academy in 1966.[3] He briefly attended the United States Military Academy[4] before transferring to George Washington University, from which he received a Bachelor of Science degree in political science in 1970.[5]

While attending George Washington University Lawlor was recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency.[6] After graduation Lawlor became a full CIA staff member, took a paramilitary training course, and was trained as a foreign intelligence officer.[7] Assigned to the Vietnam Desk at CIA headquarters, he was trained in Vietnam agent operations and took a Vietnamese language course.[8] Lawlor was sent to South Vietnam in November 1971, and by the beginning of 1972 was working in counterintelligence in the Danang regional headquarters.[8] In the summer of 1972 Lawlor became Police Special Branch advisor in Quang Nam Province, organizing paramilitary Special Branch operations and interrogations.[8] He took part in Phoenix Program operations until 1973; he resigned from the CIA in 1974.[9][10][11][12][13]

In 1974 Lawlor received a direct commission in the United States Navy Reserve as an intelligence officer.[14]

Lawlor received his law degree from George Washington University Law School in 1975 and started a practice in Springfield, Vermont.[15]

Political career[edit]

A Democrat, Lawlor was a legal advisor to Governor Thomas P. Salmon.[16] In 1980 Lawlor won election to the Vermont House of Representatives. He served two terms, 1981 to 1985.[15][17]

In September 1984 Lawlor won the Democratic nomination for Vermont Attorney General.[18] He lost the November general election to the Republican nominee, Jeffrey Amestoy.[19]

Continued military career[edit]

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.[20]

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).[21] In addition, he attended the National Security Fellows Program at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.[22]

Later military career[edit]

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.[23]

From October 1999 until October, 2001 Lawlor was commander of Joint Task Force-Civil Support, the first individual assigned to this position.[24][25] 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.[26] Lawlor retired from the military in November, 2003.[27]

Effective dates of promotions[edit]

Military awards and decorations[edit]

General Lawlor's awards and decorations include:

Continued governmental career[edit]

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.[29] While in this position Lawlor was one of the chief creators of the legislation that created the Department of Homeland Security.[30] 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.[31][32][33]

In 2003 Lawlor earned a Doctor of Science degree in engineering management from George Washington University.[34]

Post governmental career[edit]

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.[35][36][37][38] After leaving Virginia Tech, Lawlor was a senior associate at the Center for International and European Studies.[39]

While with Virginia Tech, Lawlor resided in Arlington, Virginia and he later moved to Norfolk.[40][41]

External resources[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Vermont Adjutant General, List of Vermonters in the Vietnam War 1964-1975, 1986, page 225
  2. ^ Vermont Secretary of State, Legislative Directory, 1981, page 258
  3. ^ Vermont Academy Archived August 6, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Florence Sabin Award Winners page, accessed July 13, 2012
  4. ^ Association of Graduates, Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of the United States Military Academy, 1991, page 124
  5. ^ Vermont Secretary of State, Legislative Directory, 1983, page 255
  6. ^ Elizabeth Becker, New York Times, January 9, 2000, Military Terrorism Operation Has a Civilian Focus
  7. ^ Valentine, Douglas (2017). The CIA as Organized Crime: How Illegal Operations Corrupt America and the World. Atlanta, GA: Clarity Press. p. 351. ISBN 978-0-9972870-2-8 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ a b c Valentine, p. 352.
  9. ^ William P. Mahedy, Out of the Night: The Spiritual Journey of Vietnam Vets, 1988, page 18
  10. ^ Al Santoli, Everything we had: an oral history of the Vietnam War, 1985, page 182
  11. ^ Bright Quang, Road to the United States, Part 1, 2006, page 321
  12. ^ Walter H. Capps, The Unfinished War: Vietnam and the American Conscience, 1990, page 97
  13. ^ Loren Baritz, Backfire: A History of How American Culture Led Us Into Vietnam and Made Us Fight the Way We Did, 1986, page 16
  14. ^ Tom Jennemann Archived 2013-10-23 at the Wayback Machine, Former Homeland Security Chief to Work at Stevens: University Hires Lawlor for Security Initiatives, Hudson Reporter, November 30, 2003
  15. ^ a b Legislative Directory, 1983, page 255
  16. ^ Susan Smallheer Archived 2014-09-11 at the Wayback Machine, Ex-Springfield Representative on Front Lines, Rutland Herald, September 12, 2001
  17. ^ Legislative Directory, 1981, page 258
  18. ^ Brown, Leslie (September 12, 1984). "Lawlor Narrowly Claims Attorney General Contest". The Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Vermont State Archives Archived 2011-08-09 at the Wayback Machine, General Election Results Attorney General, 1906-2010, 2010, page 11
  20. ^ Senior Leader Management Office (April 30, 2001). "General Officer Biography, Bruce M. Lawlor". National Guard.mil. Arlington, VA: National Guard Bureau. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  21. ^ 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
  22. ^ Kevin J. Kennedy, Bruce M. Lawlor, Arne J. Nelson[permanent dead link], Grand Strategy for Information Age National Security, 1996, page 5
  23. ^ Center for Biosecurity, Speaker's Biography, Bruce M. Lawlor, 2000, accessed July 13, 2012
  24. ^ Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Archived October 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Brig. Gen. Bruce M. Lawlor Appointed First Commanding General For Joint Task Force-Civil Support, November 1, 1999
  25. ^ Executive Publications, Government Executive, Volume 36, 2004, page 115
  26. ^ National Domestic Preparedness Office Archived 2013-09-12 at the Wayback Machine, Joint Task Force – Civil Support and WMD Prepardness, The Beacon newsletter, December 1999, page 6
  27. ^ Government Research Corp., National Journal, Volume 36, 2004, page 115
  28. ^ a b General Officer Biography, Bruce M. Lawlor, 2001
  29. ^ Elizabeth Book Archived 2010-12-07 at the Wayback Machine, Security Beat, National Defense Industrial Association, September 2002
  30. ^ Stevens Institute of Technology Archived November 17, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, Top National Expert to Head Homeland Security Initiatives at Stevens, November 21, 2003
  31. ^ Stephanie Strom, Threats and Responses: Protective Devices; Behind Duct Tape and Sheeting, an Unlikely Proponent, New York Times, February 23, 2003
  32. ^ Sterling Investment Partners Archived November 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Sterling Investment Partners Completes Acquisition of Domestic Preparedness and Emergency Response Company, May 12, 2004
  33. ^ History Office (2008). Senior Leadership: The First Five Years, 2003–2008 (PDF). Washington, DC: US Department of Homeland Security. p. 36. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-09-12. Retrieved 2019-05-03.
  34. ^ George Washington University Alumni Association, Alumni Newsmakers, Geowgr Washington University Magazine, Spring 2008, accessed July 13, 2012
  35. ^ Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Faculty biography, Bruce M. Lawlor, accessed July 13, 2012
  36. ^ Patron Systems, Inc., Patron Announces Creation of Advisory Board, January 7, 2005
  37. ^ Business Library, Reviewer's Biography, Bruce M. Rawlor, Review of "A Time for Heroes" by Robert L. Dilenschneider, Fall, 2005
  38. ^ Global Panel Foundation, List, Board of Advisors members Archived 2012-09-20 at the Wayback Machine, accessed August 15, 2013
  39. ^ "Senior Associates". CIES. Istanbul, Turkey: Center for International and European Studies. Retrieved September 2, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  40. ^ CampaignMoney.com, Rob Simmons Political Campaign Contributions from Virginia 2006 Election Cycle, accessed July 13, 2012
  41. ^ "Profile: Bruce M Lawlor". Member Profiles. Tallahassee, FL: The Florida Bar. Retrieved September 22, 2020.

External links[edit]

Political offices
Preceded by
Position established
 Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of Homeland Security
January 24, 2003–October 17, 2003 		Succeeded by
J. Duncan Campbell
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