Brig. Gen. Laura J. Richardson will become the Army's first female deputy division commander.

The aviation officer will become one of three deputy commanding generals of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas.

"It has not been announced which slot Richardson will fill," an Army news release said.

Her husband, Brig. Gen. James Richardson, is the 1st Cavalry Division's deputy division commander for support. The division commander is Maj. Gen. Dan Allyn, who will become commander of Fort Bragg and the 18th Airborne Corps.

Richardson has been commanding general of the U.S. Army Operational Test Command at Fort Hood.

The Army has 10 divisions. The job of deputy division commander is one of the most coveted assignments for one-star generals.

The Army chief of staff announced Richardson's reassignment March 9 in a list new jobs for 16 generals.

Richardson grew up in Colorado and was commissioned as a second lieutenant upon graduation from Metropolitan State College in Denver.

In Washington, she served as the military aide to Vice President Al Gore and the Army's liaison officer to the U.S. Senate.

She commanded the 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, an assault helicopter battalion, and deployed to Iraq.