[2] While at Parsons College, Lawson enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard and was later called to active duty as the 133rd Infantry Regiment's sergeant major at Fort Riley, Kansas.

He was then assigned to the 69th Bombardment Squadron at Loring Air Force Base, Maine, as a B-36 Peacemaker co-pilot and aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Bertram C. Harrison.

Lawson returned to the United States in June 1958 and was assigned to staff officer positions in the 5th Bombardment Wing, located at Travis Air Force Base, California.

[2] From June 1969 to February 1970, Lawson served at McCoy Air Force Base, Florida, as deputy commander for operations, 306th Bombardment Wing.

He subsequently took command of the 28th Bombardment Wing, then deployed to the Western Pacific from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota.

[2] Appointed military assistant to the president in August 1973, Lawson served at the White House until March 1975 when he returned to Air Force headquarters as director of plans, and remained there until June 1977.