Larry O. Spencer

Larry Oneil Spencer (born 1 August 1954) is a retired United States Air Force general who served in many command, comptroller, and leadership roles during the course of his career.

Spencer was born in Washington, D.C., on 1 August 1954.

He later moved with his family to Seat Pleasant in Prince George's County, Maryland, a suburb just outside Washington.

Spencer attended Central High School in Prince George's County, where he participated in academic and varsity sports programs that helped him develop leadership and personal discipline.

Spencer is married to Ora Mae Spencer.

Together they have three children; Larry O'Neil Spencer II (married to Reem Spencer), Derrick Lajuane Spencer (married to Gina Spencer), and Shannon Christine Spencer-Watson (married to Michael Watson).

In 1971, Spencer walked into a recruiting office in Suitland, Maryland, and signed up for the Air Force.

His first job as an airman was as an administrative clerk at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina.

He was then sent to Taiwan, where he was promoted to airman first class.

After his overseas assignment, the Air Force sent Spencer to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, a Strategic Air Command base.

As Spencer’s period of enlistment came to an end, he was offered a football scholarship at Clemson University.

However, he decided to re-enlist and focused his attention on getting his bachelor's degree while he continued to serve in the Air Force.

He began taking weekend classes from Southern Illinois University.

Some of his leadership roles included being the Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, commander of the 75th Air Base Wing at Hill AFB, commander of the 72nd Support Group at Tinker AFB, and the commander of the 4th Comptroller Squadron at Seymour Johnson AFB.

In 1979, he was awarded a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering technology.

Spencer then applied and was accepted into Officer Training School.

He finished the training program as a distinguished graduate and was commissioned a second lieutenant in February 1980.

As a second lieutenant, Spencer was assigned to the financial management career field.

His first officer assignment in 1980 was as a cost analyst for the Air Force Reserve Command at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia.

During that three-year tour Spencer served as the chief of the headquarters cost analysis branch.

In 1982, he was transferred to the Pentagon.

He served on the Air Staff for four years, first as a cost analyst and then a budget officer.

In August 1986, Spencer was reassigned to Military Airlift Command headquarters at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.

He served three years there, first as a budget officer and then as an executive officer.

He attended the Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, Virginia from July 1989 until January 1990.

After graduating from that military education program, he was selected to his first command.

Spencer was commander of the 4th Comptroller Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina for three years.

During his tenure as commander, the 4th Comptroller Squadron was selected as the best comptroller unit in the Air Force, first in 1991 and then again in 1992.

This was the first time a comptroller squadron had received best in the Air Force recognition two years in a row.

In August 1993, Spencer was selected to attend the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort Lesley J. McNair, receiving a Master of Science degree from the college in June 1994.

This was followed by an assignment to the White House Military Office, where he was the first Air Force officer to serve as assistant chief of staff.

Spencer was then selected for group command.

He served as commander of the 72nd Support Group at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma from August 1996 to January 1998.

He was promoted to colonel during that assignment.

As a result of his successful tour as a group commander, Spencer was selected for a wing command.

He took command of the 75th Air Base Wing at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, serving there from February 1998 until July 1999.

His next assignment was at Headquarters Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, where he served as the command’s comptroller from September 1999 until June 2003.

Spencer was transferred to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio in June 2003, where he became director of mission support at Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command.

He retired 1 October 2015 after more than 44 years of service.

He received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, and the Legion of Merit.