Brig. Gen. Lawrence T. Sullivan is the Commander, 57th Wing, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. He is responsible for 36 squadrons at 12 installations constituting the Air Force’s most diverse flying wing. The Wing flies and maintains more than 182 aircraft of the following types: A-10, F-15E, F-16, F-22A, F-35A, and HH-60W. The wing also utilizes AC-130J, B-1, B-2, B-52, C-130, CV-22, E-3, C-17, E-11, EC-37, EC-130, HC-130, KC-46, KC-135, MC-130, MQ-9, RQ-4, RQ-170, RC-135, U-2, U-28 aircraft along with cyber, space, and command and control platforms at 12 stateside bases to execute the U.S. Air Force Weapons School syllabus. Brig. Gen. Sullivan is responsible for three groups: the 57th Operations Group, the 57th Maintenance Group and the U.S. Air Force Weapons School. In addition, he oversees the U.S. Air Force Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Operations School; Red Flag and Green Flag exercises; and the U.S. Air Force Aggressors, comprised of 4th and 5th generation fighters, air defense aggressors, and cyber aggressors. The 57th Wing is also home to the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron–the Thunderbirds.
Brig. Gen. Sullivan graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1999. He has served as an F-16 Weapons Officer, Director of Operations, Squadron Commander, Deputy Wing and Wing Commander during flying assignments at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea; Eielson AFB, Alaska; Misawa AB, Japan; Nellis AFB, Nev.; Kunsan AB, ROK; and Shaw AFB, S.C, respectively. While at Nellis in 2006, he was selected as the top F-16 Weapons School Graduate, was named Outstanding F-16 Weapons School Instructor, and later conducted a strike mission in Afghanistan that received the Clarence H. Mackay Trophy on display at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, in Washington, D.C.
Prior to his current position, he served for two years as the Principal Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2004 Forward Air Controller Airborne Course, Luke AFB, Ariz.2006 Weapons Instructor Course, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2006 Weapons Instructor Course, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2008 Master of Science, International Relations, Troy University, Troy, Ala.
2012 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Master of Science, National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2013 Master of Philosophy, Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2017 Master of Science, Natural Resource Strategy, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2020 Doctor of Philosophy, Military Strategy, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1.October 1999 - October 2000, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.
2.October 2000 - March 2001, Student Pilot, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Randolph AFB, Texas
3.April 2001 - October 2001, F-16 Student Pilot, 149th Fighter Squadron, Kelly AFB, Texas
4.December 2001 - December 2002, F-16 Pilot, 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea 5.December 2002 - December 2005, Flight Commander, Instructor Pilot and Standard/Evaluation Flight Examiner, 18th Fighter Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska
6.December 2005 - July 2008, Flight Commander, IP and SEFE, 13th Fighter Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
7.July 2006 - December 2006, Student, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8.January 2007 - December 2008, Squadron and Wing Weapons Officer, 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, Japan 9.December 2008 - July 2011, F-16 Instructor, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
10.July 2011 - June 2012, Student, College of Naval Command and Staff, Naval War College, Newport, R.I 11.July 2012 - June 2013, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12.October 2013 - May 2014, Director of Operations, 14th Fighter Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
13.May 2014 - April 2016, Commander, 35th Operations Support Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
14.April 2016 - July 2016, Fellow, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va.
15.July 2016 - June 2017, Student, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Ft. McNair Washington, D.C.
16.June 2017 - May 2018, Program Manager, Global Operations (J39), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 17.May 2018 - May 2019, Chief, Special Projects and Innovation Division, Global Operations (J39), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
18.May 2019 – April 2020, Depuy Commander, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
19.May 2020 – May 2022, Commander, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, S.C.
20.June 2022 – June 2024, Principal Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
21.July 2024 – Present: Commander, 57th Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1.June 2017–May 2018, Program Manager, Global Operations (J39), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. as a colonel
2.May 2018–May 2019, Chief of Special Projects and Innovation Division, Global Operations (J39), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. as a colonel
3.June 2022–June 2024, Principle Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,300
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, AT-38, AC-130J, AH-1Z, C-17, C-32, C-40, C-130, E-3, E-4B, EA-6B, E-7, E-8, F-15B, F-15E, B-1B, B-52H, HH-60W, HC-130J, MQ-1, MQ-9, KC-46, KC-135, RC-135, RQ-4, RQ-170, U-28 and F-16 Block 15/25/30/32/40/42/50/52
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 2, 1999
First Lieutenant June 2, 2001
Captain June 2, 2003
Major December 1, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel November 1, 2012
Colonel February 1, 2019
Brigadier General September 30, 2024
(Current as of August 2025)