General Lawrence D. Garrison

Major General Lawrence D. Garrison was commander of the Defense Construction Supply Center, Columbus, Ohio. General Garrison was born in 1930, in Altadena, Calif. He graduated from Pasadena City College in 1950, and received a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Indiana University in 1957. He is also a graduate of Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

The general received his commission through the aviation cadet program in December 1952. His initial assignments were with the 15th and 17th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons flying RF-80s, RF-84s, RF-86s and RF-101s in Korea; Japan; Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.; and France. In April 1962 General Garrison was assigned to the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. In July 1965 he was assigned to Shaw Air Force Base, where he retrained in RF-101s in preparation for a tour of duty in Southeast Asia with the 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. While his unit was stationed at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, and Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, he flew 198 combat missions; 66 of these were over North Vietnam.

Returning from Southeast Asia in October 1966, General Garrison was assigned to the Office of the Inspector General, Headquarters Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, Va., until August 1969. He then moved to England for a tour of duty flying RF-4s with the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Royal Air Force Station Alconbury. While there he was chief of the Standardization/Evaluation Division, chief of the Operations Control Division, commander of the 32nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, and commander of the 10th Organizational Maintenance Squadron. In February 1973 General Garrison returned to the United States as commander of the 3345th Student Group, Chanute Air Force Base, Ill. In May 1974 he became deputy commander for logistics with the 14th Flying Training Wing at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. General Garrison commanded the 47th Flying Training Wing at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, from July 1975 to August 1977. He was then assigned to Headquarters Air Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, as the assistant deputy chief of staff for logistics, and in April 1978 became the deputy chief of staff for logistics.

In February 1980 the general was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., as director of maintenance and supply. He became air deputy to the commander in chief, Headquarters Allied Forces Northern Europe, Oslo, Norway, in September 1981. He assumed his duties as commander of the Defense Construction Supply Center in July 1984. The general is a command pilot with more than 4,800 flying hours. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters and Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster. He was promoted to major general Sept. 8, 1980, with date of rank July 1, 1977.

General Garrison retired July 1, 1987