State adjutant general

This article is about the senior military officer of U.S. states. For other uses, see Adjutant general.

Each state in the United States has a senior military officer, as the state adjutant general, who is the de facto commander of a state's military forces, including the National Guard residing within the state, the state's naval militia, and any state defense forces. This officer is known as TAG (The Adjutant General), and is subordinated to the chief executive (generally the state's governor). They do not have authority over police forces, only military forces.

State Adjutant General Texas historical marker in Camp Mabry

Source of appointment

In 49 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands, the adjutant general is appointed by the governor. The exceptions are Vermont, where the adjutant general is appointed by a vote of the Vermont General Assembly, and the District of Columbia, where a commanding general is appointed by the President of the United States of America.^[1] Until 2016, South Carolina chose its adjutant general in statewide general elections, but after passage of a popular referendum, the holder of this position is now appointed by the governor.^[2]

Responsibilities

Each adjutant general shares a common responsibility for the state's National Guard plus a unique set of other responsibilities defined by the state's constitution, state statutes, and other state-level directives. In addition to their state responsibilities, each TAG is responsible to the federal government for the use and care of federal assets under the state's control. The National Guard Bureau (NGB) in the Department of Defense provides a centralized administrative, funding, and procurement process to support the states' military departments. The Chief of the National Guard Bureau also provides input as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on national military activities as they relate to the National Guard.

The 54 adjutants general collectively form the Adjutants General Association of the United States (AGAUS) which strives to enhance both state and national military security.^[3] A professional military guard organization, the National Guard Association of the United States serves to lobby both Congress and the Executive branch about common needs of the Guard as a whole and also provide support to members of the National Guard.^[4]

National Guard

Each adjutant general commands their state's Army and Air National Guard units which are not on federal active duty. When a National Guard unit is federalized it is moved from state command to the Department of Defense and placed under an Army or Air Force command.

State defense forces

Twenty-three adjutants general have responsibility for military land forces that comprise state level militias under the command of the various governors and generally have state support missions. Eight of which maintain a naval militia division. Two adjutants general, Puerto Rico and Texas, are also responsible for an air support component.

Emergency management agencies

Some adjutant generals are responsible for oversight of the state's emergency management organization. These groups are non-military organizations but have a close working relationship with the state's National Guard and any state defense forces. They are the state level agency that works directly with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters.

Homeland security

Some states have assigned their adjutant general the responsibility for overseeing homeland security. In other states, this responsibility may be assigned to the state's law enforcement agency instead.

Veteran’s affairs

Some states place their veteran's affairs organization in the state's military department under the oversight of the state adjutant general. Other states have an independent veteran's affairs department.

List of adjutants general

Each adjutant general is the senior officer in the state's military structure. Many hold federal rank as active duty general officers, but others may for a variety of reasons, including mandatory federal military retirement age, only hold general officer rank from their state.

Title[5]	Adjutant General[5]	State, district, or insular area	Rank[5]	Svc	Assumed office	Appointed by
The Adjutant General of Alabama	David K. Pritchett	Alabama	Major General[6]	ARNG	2024[6]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Alaska	Torrence Saxe	Alaska	Lieutenant General (AK)[7][8]	ANG	2019[9]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Arizona	Kerry L. Muehlenbeck	Arizona	Major General[10]	ANG	2021[11]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Arkansas	Chad Bridges	Arkansas	Colonel[12]	ARNG	2024[12]	Governor
The Adjutant General of California	Matthew P. Beevers	California	Major General[13]	ARNG	2023[13]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Colorado	Laura L. Clellan	Colorado	Major General[14]	ARNG	2020[14]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Connecticut	Francis J. Evon Jr.	Connecticut	Major General[15]	ARNG	2018[16]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Delaware	Michael R. Berry	Delaware	Major General[17]	ARNG	2019[18]	Governor
The Commanding General, District of Columbia National Guard	John C. Andonie	District of Columbia	Major General[19]	ARNG	2023[20]	President
The Adjutant General of the District of Columbia National Guard	Leland L. Blanchard II	District of Columbia	Brigadier General[21]	ARNG	2024[21]	President
The Adjutant General of Florida	John D. Haas	Florida	Major General	ARNG	2023[22]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Georgia	Richard D. Wilson	Georgia	Major General	ARNG	2024[23]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Guam	Michael Cruz[24]	Guam	Brigadier General (GU)[25]	ARNG	2023[24]	Governor[24]
The Adjutant General of Hawaii	Stephen F. Logan	Hawaii	Major General[26]	ARNG	2024[26]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Idaho	Timothy J. Donnellan	Idaho	Major General[27][28]	ANG	2024[27]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Illinois	Rodney C. Boyd	Illinois	Major General	ARNG	2024[29]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Indiana	R. Dale Lyles	Indiana	Major General[30][31]	ARNG	2019[32]	Governor[32]
The Adjutant General of Iowa	Stephen E. Osborn	Iowa	Major General[33]	ARNG	2023[34]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Kansas	Michael T. Venerdi	Kansas	Brigadier General[35]	ANG	2023[36]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Kentucky	Haldane B. Lamberton	Kentucky	Major General[37]	ARNG	2020[38]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Louisiana	Thomas C. Friloux	Louisiana	Brigadier General[39]	ARNG	2024[39]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Maine	Diane L. Dunn	Maine	Brigadier General[40]	ARNG	2024[40]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Maryland	Janeen L. Birckhead	Maryland	Major General[41]	ARNG	2023[42]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Massachusetts	Gary W. Keefe	Massachusetts	Major General[43]	ANG	2016[43]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Michigan	Paul D. Rogers	Michigan	Major General[44]	ARNG	2019[44]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Minnesota	Shawn P. Manke	Minnesota	Major General[45][46]	ARNG	2020[47]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Mississippi	Bobby M. Ginn Jr.	Mississippi	Major General (MS)[48][49]	ARNG	2024[50]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Missouri	Levon E. Cumpton	Missouri	Major General[51][52]	ARNG	2019[51]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Montana	John P. Hronek	Montana	Major General[53]	ANG	2021[53]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Nebraska	Craig W. Strong	Nebraska	Major General[54]	ANG	2023[55][56]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Nevada	D. Rodger Waters	Nevada	Brigadier General[57]	ARNG	2024[57]	Governor
The Adjutant General of New Hampshire	David J. Mikolaities	New Hampshire	Major General[58]	ARNG	2017[59]	Governor
The Adjutant General of New Jersey	Yvonne Mays (acting)	New Jersey	Colonel[60]	ARNG	2024[60]	Governor
The Adjutant General of New Mexico	Miguel Aguilar	New Mexico	Major General[61]	ARNG	2021[62]	Governor
The Adjutant General of New York	Raymond F. Shields Jr.	New York	Major General[63]	ARNG	2018[63]	Governor
The Adjutant General of North Carolina	M. Todd Hunt	North Carolina	Major General[64]	ARNG	2019[64]	Governor
The Adjutant General of North Dakota	Mitchell R. Johnson	North Dakota	Brigadier General[65]	ANG	2024[65]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Ohio	John C. Harris Jr.	Ohio	Major General[66]	ARNG	2019[66]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Oklahoma	Thomas H. Mancino	Oklahoma	Major General[67]	ARNG	2021[68]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Oregon	Alan Gronewold	Oregon	Brigadier General[69]	ARNG	2023[70]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Pennsylvania	John R. Pippy	Pennsylvania	Brigadier General[71]	ARNG	2024[71]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Puerto Rico	Miguel A. Mendez	Puerto Rico	Major General[72]	ARNG	2023[73]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Rhode Island	Christopher P. Callahan	Rhode Island	Major General[74]	ARNG	2015[75]	Governor
The Adjutant General of South Carolina	R. Van McCarty	South Carolina	Major General[76]	ARNG	2019[76]	Governor[77]
The Adjutant General of South Dakota	Mark R. Morrell	South Dakota	Major General (SD)[78][79]	ARNG	2023[78]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Tennessee	Warner A. Ross II	Tennessee	Major General[80]	ARNG	2019[80]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Texas	Thomas M. Suelzer	Texas	Major General[81]	ANG	2022[82]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Utah	Daniel D. Boyack	Utah	Brigadier General[83]	ANG	2023[83]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Vermont	Gregory C. Knight	Vermont	Major General[52][84]	ARNG	2019[85]	Legislature
The Adjutant General of the U.S. Virgin Islands	Kodjo S. Knox-Limbacker	U.S. Virgin Islands	Major General[46][86]	ARNG	2019[87]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Virginia	James W. Ring	Virginia	Major General	ARNG	2023[88]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Washington	Gent Welsh Jr.	Washington	Major General[89]	ANG	2024[89]	Governor
The Adjutant General of West Virginia	William E. Crane	West Virginia	Major General[46][90]	ARNG	2021[90]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Wisconsin	David W. May	Wisconsin	Brigadier General[91]	ANG	2024[91]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Wyoming	Gregory C. Porter	Wyoming	Major General[92]	ARNG	2019[93]	Governor

See also

• List of current United States National Guard major generals

References

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78. "Gov. Noem Announces Next Adjutant General". Government of South Dakota. April 28, 2023. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
79. Keene, C.J. (August 7, 2023). "South Dakota National Guard names 23rd adjutant general". SDPB. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
80. "Major General Warner A. Ross II". Retrieved December 23, 2023.
81. "Biography, Major General Thomas M. Suelzer". National Guard Bureau Senior Leader Management Office. Arlington, VA: National Guard Bureau. March 14, 2022.
82. Barragán, James (March 14, 2022). "Gov. Greg Abbott replaces Texas military leader who has overseen heavily criticized border mission". The Texas Tribune. Austin, TX.
83. Lewis, Scott (August 21, 2023). "Boyack appointed new commander of Utah National Guard as Turley retires amid scandal". ABC4.com. Salt Lake City, UT: KTVX-TV.
84. National Guard Bureau Senior Leader Management Office (September 11, 2020). "Biography, Major General (VT) Gregory C. Knight". NationalGuard.mil. Arlington, VA: National Guard Bureau. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
85. Johnson, Mark (February 21, 2019). "Knight elected to replace Cray as head of Vermont National Guard". VT Digger. Montpelier, VT.
86. "Biography, Major General (VI) Kodjo S. Knox-Limbacker". National Guard Bureau Senior Leader Management Office. Arlington, VA: National Guard Bureau.
87. Shimel, Judi (May 7, 2019). "Report Finds VING Lawless, Needing Overhaul". The Source. St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands.
88. Puryear, Cotton (March 31, 2023). "Governor Youngkin appoints Brig. Gen. James W. Ring as 29th Adjutant General of Virginia". Virginia National Guard. Richmond, Virginia: Virginia National Guard Public Affairs. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
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External links

• "NGB-GO Biographies".
• "Adjutants General Association of the United States".
• National Guard Association of the United States