National Guard
Major General LAPTHE C. FLORA
  
Special Assistant to Director, Army National Guard
Arlington, VA
Retired since: May 2024
 Official Photo
SOURCE OF COMMISSIONED SERVICE  ROTC

EDUCATIONAL DEGREES
Virginia Military Institute - BS - Biology
United States Army War College - MSS - Strategic Studies

MILITARY SCHOOLS ATTENDED
Infantry Officer Basic Course
Infantry Officer Advanced Course
Combined Arms and Services Staff School
United States Army Command and General Staff College
Defense Support of Civil Authorities Course
United States Army War College
Joint Domestic Operations Course (NORTHCOM)
Army Senior Leader Development Program-Basic (ASLDP-B)
Dual Status Commanders Course (NORTHCOM)
Joint Task Force Commanders Course (NORTHCOM)
National Security Studies Management Course (NSSMC)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE(S)  Vietnamese; Cantonese

PROMOTIONS DATE OF APPOINTMENT
2LT (USAR) 10 Sep 87
2LT (ARNG) 14 Sep 88
1LT (ARNG) 9 Sep 90
CPT (ARNG) 1 Aug 94
MAJ (ARNG) 11 Jan 01
LTC (ARNG) 31 Jan 06
COL (ARNG) 30 Jun 11
BG (ARNG) 23 May 16
MG 1 May 20

FROM TO ASSIGNMENT
Jul 21 May 24 Special Assistant to Director, Army National Guard , Arlington, VA
May 20 May 21 Commanding General, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa
May 16 Apr 20 Assistant Adjutant General, Sandston, Virginia; dual-hatted, August 2018 - April 2020, Deputy Commander and Army Reserve Component Integration Advisor, United States Army Southern European Task Force, United States Army Africa, Vicenza, Italy
May 15 May 16 Commander, 91st Troop Command, Bowling Green, Virginia
Aug 13 May 15 J5 (Plans and Policy), Joint Force Headquarters, Sandston, Virginia
Sep 12 Aug 13 G3 (Operations), 29th Infantry Division, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Sep 11 Aug 12 Director, Afghan National Army Ground Forces Command, Afghanistan
Jan 11 Aug 11 G3 (Operations), 29th Infantry Division, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Sep 09 Jan 11 Executive Officer, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Staunton, Virginia
Jan 08 Sep 09 Battle Captain and Chief Joint Operations Center, Joint Task Force-Civil Support, Army North, United States Northern Command, Fort Monroe, Virginia
Aug 06 Dec 07 1-116th Infantry Task Force Commander, Kosovo
Mar 04 Jul 06 Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry, 29th Infantry Division, Roanoke, Virginia
May 02 Mar 04 S-3 (Operations), 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry, 29th Infantry Division, Roanoke, Virginia
Sep 01 Apr 02 Deputy G3 Chief of Future Operations, Training & Synchronization, 29th Infantry Division, MND-N, Bosnia
Nov 00 Aug 01 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry, 29th Infantry Division, Roanoke, Virginia
Jan 00 Oct 00 S-2 (Intelligence), 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry, 29th Infantry Division, Roanoke, Virginia
Oct 97 Jan 00 S-4 (Logistic), 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry, 29th Infantry Division, Roanoke, Virginia
Feb 97 Oct 97 S-1 (Personnel), 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry, 29th Infantry Division, Roanoke, Virginia
Jan 94 Feb 97 Commander, Company A, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry, 29th Infantry Division, Bedford, Virginia
Nov 91 Jan 94 Company Executive Officer, Headquarters Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry, 29th Infantry Division, Pulaski, Virginia
Sep 88 Nov 91 Platoon Leader, Company C, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry, 29th Infantry Division, Clifton Forge, Virginia

SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS DATE GRADE
Commanding General, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa May 20 - May 21 Major General
Director, Afghan National Army Ground Forces Command, Afghanistan Sep 11 - Aug 12 Colonel
1-116th Infantry Task Force Commander, Kosovo Aug 06 - Dec 07 Lieutenant Colonel
Deputy G3 Chief of Future Operations, Training & Synchronization, 29th Infantry Division, MND-N, Bosnia Sep 01 - Apr 02 Major

US DECORATIONS AND BADGES
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Joint Services Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Achievement Medal (with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
Army Superior Unit Award
National Defense Service Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Kosovo Campaign Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with M Device, Silver Hourglass Device and Numeral 4)
Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon (with Numeral 4)
NATO Medal (with 2 Bronze Service Stars)
Virginia Governor National Service Medal
Virginia Army National Guard Legion of Merit
Virginia Army National Guard Bronze Star Medal
Virginia Army National Guard Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
Virginia Emergency Service Ribbon
Virginia National Guard State Partnership Program Service Ribbon (with Numeral 2)
Virginia National Guard Good Conduct Ribbon 12

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION
Recently retired after 30 years with the night vision business of Harris Corporation in Roanoke, Virginia. Positions held were Engineering Technician and Process Engineer, Engineering Manager, Engineering Director and Vice President for quality assurance and process improvement. A certified lean six-sigma black belt with decades of image intensification night vision manufacturing and management experience and holds six patent awards related to the AN/PVS-14, AN/AVS-6 and AN/AVS-9 night vision devices.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Board of Directors, Military Family Support Center, Virginia
Board of Directors, Roanoke Veterans Council Inc, Virginia
Board of Directors, National D-Day Memorial Foundation
Life Member, Army War College Alumni Association
Member, National Guard Association of Virginia
Member, National Guard Association of the United States
Member, 29th Division Association, Post 64
Life Member, Vietnamese-American Uniformed Services Association

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1994, General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award
1999, US Patent Number 413,130, AN/PVS-14 Combined Night Vision Monocular with Head or Helmet Mount and Small Arms Mounting Adapter
1999, US Patent Number 5,943,174, AN/PVS-14 Night Vision Monocular Device
2000, US Patent Number 6,071,639, AN/PVS-14 Battery Cartridge
2004, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, ITT Corporation
2005, US Patent Number 6,971,754, AN/PVS-14 Lens Cap Retention Arrangement
2005, US Patent Number 6,924,931, AN/AVS-9 Line of Sight Adjustment for Night Vision Binoculars
2006, US Patent Number 7,049,027, AN/PVS-14 Single Battery Housing Assembly
2018, Americanism Medal, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution

 

 

As of: 7 Mar 22

 

The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.