Chief of Joint Staff

Col Laura M. Lopez is Chief of the Joint Staff, California National Guard, Sacramento. She is the principal integrator of directorate-level operations and the driving force behind strategic planning, interagency coordination, and mission synchronization across the California Military Department. She is responsible for aligning operational priorities with policy, resources, and personnel to enhance the state’s responsiveness to domestic operations and its preparedness for federal missions.

Colonel Lopez enlisted in the Air Force in May of 1999, completing her Space Systems Operator training in August 1999. In August 2002 she earned her commission through ROTC from University of Puerto Rico. She completed Financial Management Officer training in July 2003. She served 10 years on Active duty, three years in the Reserve component and has been in the Air National Guard since 2013. Col Lopez has held a variety of Financial Management positions ranging from budget officer to comptroller. Col Lopez has served as Comptroller with the Reserve component, the New Mexico Air National Guard and the California Air National Guard. Further she has served as the Director of Staff for the California Air National Guard, located in Sacramento, California. Prior to her current position she was the Deputy Wing Commander, 195th Air National Guard Wing, Beale AFB.

Education

2002 Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting, University of Puerto Rico, Bayamon, PR
2003 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Master of Business Administration, Webster University, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2013 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2019 Air War College, by correspondence

Assignments

August 1999 – August 2001, Space Systems Operator, 2nd Space Warning Squadron, Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.
August 2002 – September 2005, Financial Services Flight Commander, 49th Comptroller Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
September 2005 – December 2008, Financial Manager, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Space Force Base, Calif. (March 2007 – October 2007, Budget Analyst, Multinational Strategic Transition Command-Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq)
December 2008-December 2009, Director of Finance, MNSTC-Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq
December 2009 – December 2010, Budget Officer, 9th Comptroller Squadron, Beale AFB, Calif.
January 2011 — June 2013, Comptroller, J-8, Special Operations Command Central, MacDill AFB, Flor.
July 2013 – January 2017, Commander, 150th Comptroller Flight, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
February 2017 – Mach 2022, Commander, 195th Comptroller Flight, Beale AFB, Calif.
April 2022 – January 2024, Director of Staff, California Air National Guard, Sacramento, Calif.
February 2024 – March 2025, Deputy Commander, 195th Wing, Beale AFB, Calif.
April 2025—present, Chief, Joint Staff, California Military Department, Sacramento, Calif.

Major Awards & Decorations

Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with one oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal

Effective Dates of Promotions

Airman First Class May 5, 1999
Senior Airman September 5, 2001
Second Lieutenant August 24, 2002
First Lieutenant August 24, 2004
Captain August 24, 2006
Major April 2, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel June 10, 2016
Colonel April 25, 2022