Farris receives first star

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kayla McWalter
  • Joint Force Headquarters Public Affairs
PEASE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.H. --  New Hampshire Air National Guard Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Laurie Farris was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in Hanger 254 here Nov. 7, 2015.

As chief of staff to the N.H. Air National Guard commander, Farris is responsible for the direction and coordination of staff activities for Joint Force Headquarters.

"We must never forget that it is on the shoulders of citizen soldiers, our traditional guardsmen like Laurie Farris, that we must count on to continue to forge forward and make sure we remain the Air National Guard unit that we are and that this nation counts on," said recently retired Brig. Gen. Carolyn Protzmann, on hand to administer the oath of office to Farris.

Officiating the ceremony was The Adjutant General Maj. Gen. William N. Reddel III, who saw the potential in Farris early on in her N.H. ANG tenure.

"Laurie was a pilot's pilot. She was an advocate and a mentor [to Airmen]," said Reddel.

Farris will go on to also serve as a principal advisor to Reddel and the Brig. Gen. Paul Hutchinson, the commander of the N.H. Air National Guard, who is responsible for strategic planning, readiness initiative, budget execution, force management, recruiting and retention.

Farris told those attending that she is excited and honored to have the privileges that comes with the promotion to brigadier general.

"Thank you General Reddel for believing in me and putting me forward, I don't want to let you down," said the new general. "And thank you General Protzmann for teaching me it's okay to listen to your heart."

She went on to recognize her former organizations in the 157th Air Refueling Wing.

"The 133rd [Air Refueling Squadron] and the Ops Group, you're the reason I'm here too, you guys made me look good. I'll never forget what you all did for me. Thank you."

Farris received a Bachelor of Science Degree from the United States Air Force Academy, Master's degree from Embry Riddle, Florida, and completed undergraduate pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, in 1988. 

Her first assignment was with the 42nd Air Refueling Squadron, Loring Air Force Base, Maine, as an aircraft commander and instructor pilot.

She supported peacetime and combat air refueling operations, including Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Farris was then assigned to the 99th Air Refueling Squadron, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, where she served as an executive officer and chief of Tanker Scheduling.

Farris joined the New Hampshire Air National Guard in 1995. She served as a KC-135 instructor and evaluator pilot, flight commander and 133rd Air Refueling Squadron commander. She most recently served as the director of Operations, Joint Force Headquarters, N.H. Air National Guard.

She has deployed in support of Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.