Adjutant General of Texas

Adjutant General of Texas
Adjutant General of Texas
	Incumbent; Major General Thomas M. Suelzer, USAF ; since March 14, 2022
	Texas Military Department ; Office of the Adjutant General
Status	Commander and CEO
Reports to	Governor of Texas
Seat	Building Eight ; Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas ; 30°18′42.173″N 97°45′38.338″W
Appointer	Governor of Texas ; with Texas Senate advice and consent
Term length	Two years
Constituting instrument	4 T.G.C., Sub. C., Sec. 437.003
Formation	5 August 1836;188 years ago
First holder	Albert Sidney Johnston
Deputy	Brigadier General Monie R. Ulis, TXARNG ; Brigadier General Andrew Camacho, TXANG
Website	https://tmd.texas.gov/office-of-the-adjutant-general

Last updated September 26, 2024

The Adjutant General of Texas is the commander and chief executive officer of the Texas Military Department, the executive department of the Texas Military Forces. The adjutant general's position of authority over Texas Military Forces is second only to the commander-in-chief, the governor of Texas. This position is analogous to the United States secretary of defense. The adjutant general of Texas is appointed by the governor of Texas with the advice and consent of the Texas Senate from Texas Government Code Title 4, Subtitle C, Chapter 437.003.^[2]

The Constitution of Texas vests all military authority in the commander-in-chief, an elected position, to maintain civilian control of the military. It is impractical for the governor of Texas to operate the military themselves, so their command authority is delegated via commission to the adjutant general. The adjutant general, secretary of state, attorney general, and comptroller are generally regarded as the most important executive positions in the Government of Texas.

History

Texas Military Forces were established in 1835 in concurrence with the Texas Revolution. The War Department, headed by the Secretary of War, was established by the 1st Congress of the Republic of Texas on August 5, 1836, which included the Texas militia, Texas Army, Texas Navy, Texas Rangers, and Office of the Adjutant General first held by Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston from August 5, 1836 to November 16, 1836.

When Texas joined the United States, the Texas Army and Texas Navy were integrated into the United States Armed Forces. The War Department was re-designated the Department of Texas and the Secretary of War position was abolished. The Adjutant General position was elevated to run the department, which now consisted of the Office of the Adjutant General, Texas militia, and the Texas Rangers. The department was abolished from February 4, 1856 to April 6, 1860 due a fire on October 10, 1855 that destroyed nearly all records.

The department was again abolished from January 1, 1867 to June 24, 1870 in the aftermath of Texas's failed attempt at seceding from the United States. After Texas was readmitted to the United States on March 30, 1870, the department was reestablished. It comprised the Office of the Adjutant General, Texas militia and the Texas State Police until the latter was disbanded in 1873, and replaced with a newly organized Texas Rangers, now operating as a statewide law enforcement body rather than a frontier militia force.

Following the Militia Act of 1903, the Texas militia became the Texas National Guard. During World War I, the Department of Texas was re-designated the Adjutant General Department and again maintained provincial "Home Guard" forces for defense of the state while the Texas National Guard was under federal command. By 1935, the Texas Rangers had evolved from a paramilitary force to a police force and were reorganized under the Texas Department of Public Safety. During World War II, the United States Congress amended the National Defense Act of 1916 permanently authorizing the "Home Guard" defense forces as the Texas State Guard. The Adjutant General Department was colloquially referred to as the "Texas Military" from 2006 to 2015. On October 28, 2015 the Adjutant General Department was officially rebranded as the Texas Military Department.^[3]

Powers and functions

Office of the Adjutant General

The Office of the Adjutant General (OAG) is the general and their deputy's (mainly) civilian staff.

OAG is the principal staff element of the Adjutant General in the exercise of policy development, planning, resource management, fiscal and program evaluation and oversight, and interface and exchange with other Texas Government departments and agencies, foreign governments, and international organizations, through formal and informal processes. OAG also performs oversight and management of Texas Military Forces.

Awards and decorations

The Texas Adjutant General's Individual Award, is the eighth highest military decoration that may be awarded to a service member of the Texas Military Forces.
The Texas Adjutant General’s Certificate of Commendation
The Texas Adjutant General’s Certificate of Appreciation

List of adjutants general

*Military ranks at time of office:

Number	Adjutant General	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Commander-in-Chief serving under	Ref
-	Colonel John Austin Wharton	December 9, 1835	July 5, 1836	5 months	Major General Sam Houston	^[4]
1	Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston	August 5, 1836	November 16, 1836	3 months	Governor James Robinson, President David Burnet	^[5]
2	Colonel Edwin Morehouse	December 22, 1836			President Sam Houston	^[5]
3	Colonel Hugh McLeod	October 24, 1837	January 18, 1841	3 years, 2 months	President Sam Houston, President Mirabeau Lamar, President Sam Houston	^[5]
	(Acting) Colonel James Davis	May 3, 1842	July 31, 1842	2 months	President Sam Houston	^[5]
4	Colonel William Gordon Cooke	January 16, 1843	April 27, 1846	3 years, 3 months	President Sam Houston, President Anson James, Governor James P. Henderson	^[5]
	(Acting) Colonel Duncan Campbell Ogden	1846			Governor James P. Henderson	^[6]^[7]
5	Colonel Charles L. Mann	December 24, 1847	March 4, 1848	2 months	Governor James P. Henderson	^[5]
6	Colonel John Drayton Pitts	March 4, 1848			Governor George Wood, Governor Peter Bell	^[5]
7	Major James Shackleford Gillett	November 24, 1851	February 4, 1856	4 years, 2 months	Governor Peter Bell, Governor James W. Henderson, Governor Elisha Pease	^[5]
	Office abolished due to October 10, 1855 fire	February 4, 1856	April 6, 1860	4 years, 2 months		^[5]
8	Civilian Anthony Banning Norton	April 6, 1860			Governor Sam Houston	^[5]
9	Lieutenant Colonel William Byrd	March 25, 1861			Governor Edward Clark	^[5]
10	Colonel Jeremiah Yellot Dashiell	November 11, 1861			Governor Francis Lubbock	^[5]
11	Lieutenant Colonel David Browning Culberson	November 17, 1863	November 1864	1 year	Governor Francis Lubbock	^[5]
12	Colonel John Burke	November 1, 1864	May 13, 1865	6 months	Governor Pendleton Murrah	^[5]
13	Major Davis R. Gurley	May 13, 1865	January 1, 1867	1 year, 7 months	Governor James Throckmorton, Governor Elisha Pease	^[5]
	Office abolished due to Reconstruction	January 1, 1867	June 24, 1870		Military Governor Andrew Hamilton	^[5]
14	Colonel James Davidson	June 24, 1870	November 15, 1872		Governor Edmund Davis	^[5]
15	Civilian Frank L. Britton	November 14, 1872	January 20, 1874		Governor Edmund Davis, Governor Richard Coke	^[5]
16	Brigadier General William S. Steele	January 20, 1874	January 25, 1879		Governor Richard Coke, Governor Richard Hubbard	^[5]
17	Major John B. Jones	January 25, 1879	July 19, 1881		Governor Oran Roberts	^[5]
18	Colonel Wilburn Hill King	July 25, 1881	January 23, 1891		Governor Oran Roberts, Governor John Ireland Governor Lawrence Ross	^[5]
19	Colonel Woodford Haywood Mabry	January 23, 1891	May 5, 1898		Governor Jim Hogg, Governor Charles Culberson	^[5]
20	Brigadier General Alfred Prior Wozencraft	May 5, 1898	January 17, 1899		Governor Charles Culberson	^[5]
21	Major Thomas Scurry	January 17, 1899	June 1, 1903		Governor Joseph Sayers	^[5]
22	Brigadier General John Augustus Hulen	June 1, 1903	January 23, 1907		Governor Samuel Lanham	^[5]
23	Brigadier General James Oscar Newton	January 23, 1907	December 15, 1910		Governor Thomas Campbell	^[5]
24	Brigadier General Robert H. Beckham	December 15, 1910	January 23, 1911		Governor Oscar Colquitt	^[5]
25	Brigadier General Henry Hutchings	January 23, 1911	September 29, 1917		Governor Oscar Colquitt, Governor James Ferguson, Governor William Hobby	^[5]
26	Major James A. Harley	September 29, 1917	September 30, 1919		Governor William Hobby	^[5]
27	Wesley D. Cope	October 1, 1919	January 20, 1921		Governor William Hobby	^[5]
28	Major General Thomas Dickson Barton	January 20, 1921	January 23, 1925		Governor Pat Neff	^[5]
29	First Lieutenant William Mark McGee	January 24, 1925	December 5, 1925		Governor Miriam Ferguson	^[5]
30	Colonel Dallas J. Matthews	December 5, 1925	January 20, 1927		Governor Miriam Ferguson	^[5]
31	Brigadier General Robert L. Robertson	January 20, 1927	January 22, 1931		Governor Dan Moody	^[5]
32	Captain William Warren Sterling	January 22, 1931	January 15, 1933		Governor Ross Sterling	^[5]
33	Major General Henry Hutchings	January 18, 1933	January 15, 1935		Governor Miriam Ferguson	^[5]
34	Colonel Carl Eugene Nesbitt	January 15, 1935	January 25, 1939		Governor James V. Allred	^[5]
35	Brigadier General Harry Knox Jr	January 26, 1939	December 31, 1939		Governor Wilbert O'Daniel	^[5]
36	Brigadier General John Watt Page Sr	January 1, 1940	March 4, 1943		Governor Wilbert O'Daniel, Governor Coke Stevenson	^[5]
37	Major General Arthur Balfour Knickerbocker	March 4, 1943	May 7, 1947		Governor Coke Stevenson	^[5]
38	Major General Kearie Lee Berry	May 7, 1947	July 1, 1961		Governor Beauford Jester, Governor Allan Shivers, Governor Price Daniel	^[5]
39	Major General James Edward Taylor	July 1, 1961	January 1, 1962		Governor Price Daniel	^[5]
40	Major General Thomas Sams Bishop	January 1, 1962	March 13, 1969		Governor John Connally	^[5]
41	Major General Ross Ayers^[8]	March 13, 1969	March 1, 1973		Governor Preston Smith	^[5]
42	Major General Thomas Sams Bishop	March 1, 1973	January 17, 1979		Governor Dolph Briscoe	^[5]
43	Major General Willie Lee Scott	January 17, 1979	February 21, 1985		Governor Bill Clements, Governor Mark White	^[5]
44	Major General James Thomas Dennis	February 21, 1985	April 24, 1989		Governor Mark White, Governor Bill Clements	^[5]
45	Major General William C. Wilson	April 24, 1989	January 7, 1993		Governor Bill Clements, Governor Ann Richards	^[5]
46	Major General Sam C. Turk	January 7, 1993	November 16, 1995		Governor Ann Richards, Governor George W. Bush	^[5]
47	Major General Daniel James III	November 16, 1995	August 9, 2002		Governor George W. Bush, Governor Rick Perry	^[5]
48	Major General Wayne D. Marty	August 9, 2002	June 12, 2005		Governor Rick Perry	^[5]
49	Major General Charles G. Rodriguez	June 12, 2005	March 2, 2009		Governor Rick Perry	^[5]
50	Major General Jose S. Mayorga Jr.	March 2, 2009	February 16, 2011		Governor Rick Perry	^[5]
51	Major General John Frederick Nichols	February 16, 2011	December 31, 2018		Governor Rick Perry, Governor Greg Abbott	^[5]
52	Major General Tracy R. Norris	January 1, 2019	March 1, 2022		Governor Greg Abbott	^[5]
53	Major General Thomas Suelzer	March 14, 2022	Present		Governor Greg Abbott	^[9]

Related Research Articles

A commander-in-chief or supreme commander is the person who exercises supreme command and control over an armed force or a military branch. As a technical term, it refers to military competencies that reside in a country's executive leadership, a head of state, head of government, or other designated government official.

In the United States, state defense forces (SDFs) are military units that operate under the sole authority of a state government. State defense forces are authorized by state and federal law and are under the command of the governor of each state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Guard Bureau</span> Federal agency responsible for the administration of the United States National Guard

The National Guard Bureau is the federal agency responsible for the administration of the National Guard established by the United States Congress as a joint bureau of the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force. It was created by the Militia Act of 1903. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, elevated the National Guard to a joint function of the Department of Defense. The 2007 NDAA, from the previous year, elevated the chief of the National Guard Bureau from a lieutenant general to a four-star general.

The Ohio Naval Militia (Ohio Navy) is the naval militia of the State of Ohio. It is the naval arm of the State of Ohio's Adjutant General's Department, and is part of Ohio's military forces.

The Arkansas National Guard (ARNG), commonly known as the Arkansas Guard, is a component of the Government of Arkansas and the National Guard of the United States. It is composed of Army and Air National Guard units. The adjutant general's office is located at Camp Robinson MTC, North Little Rock.

The Mississippi National Guard (MSNG), commonly known as the Mississippi Guard, is both a Mississippi state and a federal government organization, part of the United States National Guard. It is part of the Mississippi Military Department, a state agency of the government of Mississippi. The Adjutant General of Mississippi (TAG), Major General Bobby Ginn, serves as the executive director and is subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief, the Governor of Mississippi, in matters relating to the department and the state militia forces.

The Connecticut Military Department is a state agency of the government of Connecticut. Its primary components are the Connecticut Army National Guard, the Connecticut Air National Guard, and four companies of the state militia. The Military Department of the State of Connecticut traces its origins to May 11, 1637, when the "General Courts" established a military arm of the provincial government. In 1939, the State's Military Department was established to consolidate the offices of Adjutant General, Quartermaster General, Armory Board, and Armory Board Inspector.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas State Guard</span> Military unit

The Texas State Guard (TXSG) is part of the state military force of Texas, and one of three branches of the Texas Military Forces. Along with the other two branches, the TXSG falls under the command of the Governor of Texas and is administered by the Adjutant General of Texas, an appointee of the Governor. The other two branches of the Texas Military Forces are the Texas Army National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard.

The Adjutant General of Oklahoma is the highest-ranking military official in the state of Oklahoma, subordinate only to the Governor of Oklahoma. The highest officer of the Oklahoma National Guard, the Adjutant General is the principal advisor to the Governor on military affairs and the head of the Oklahoma Military Department as the Secretary of the Military.

The Texas Military Forces (TXMF) are the principal instrument through which the Texas Military Department (TMD) executes security policy for Texas, which has the second-largest population and border in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puerto Rico State Guard</span> State defense force of Puerto Rico

The Puerto Rico State Guard is the state defense force of Puerto Rico that operates under the sole authority of the governor of Puerto Rico who, in turn, delegates such authority to the Puerto Rico Adjutant General. The Guard's secondary purpose is to assume the state mission of the Puerto Rico National Guard in the event that the National Guard is mobilized. The first incarnation of the PRSG was created in 1941 in response to World War II and it disbanded in 1946. The PRSG was revived in 1971 and has remained in continuous existence since then. It is one of the few state defense forces of the United States that has an air division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkansas Territorial Militia</span> Militia of Arkansas Territory

The Militia of the Territory of Arkansas, commonly known as the Arkansas Militia, was the forerunner of today's Arkansas National Guard. The current Arkansas Army National Guard traces its roots to the creation of the territorial militia of the District of Louisiana in 1804. As the District of Louisiana evolved into the Territory of Missouri and the first counties were organized, regiments of the Missouri territorial militia were formed in present-day Arkansas. Territorial governors struggled to form a reliable militia system in the sparsely populated territory. When the Arkansas Territory was formed from the Missouri Territory, the militia was reorganized, gradually evolving from a single brigade composed of nine regiments to an entire division composed of six brigades, each containing four to six regiments. The local militia organization, with its regular musters and hierarchy added structure to the otherwise loosely organized territorial society. The Territorial Militia was utilized to quell problems with the Indian Nations and was held in readiness to deal with trouble along the border with Mexico due to an ambiguous international border and during the prelude to the Texas War of Independence.

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, and is subordinated to the chief executive. They do not have authority over police forces, only military forces.

The Adjutant General of Connecticut is the highest-ranking military officer in the Armed Forces of the State of Connecticut which includes the Connecticut National Guard, the four units of the Governor's Guards, the Connecticut State Guard, the Connecticut State Guard Reserve and the Connecticut Naval Militia. The current Adjutant General is Major General Francis J. Evon, Jr. He was appointed to a four-year term effective July 1, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Missouri State Defense Force</span> Militia branch of the State of Missouri

The Missouri State Defense Force (MSDF), formerly known as the Missouri Reserve Military Force, was the official state defense force of Missouri, deactivated in 2022. As a state defense force, the MSDF was a reserve military force which served parallel to the Missouri National Guard. As the MSDF fell solely under the command of the state of Missouri, it could not be federalized or deployed outside the borders of Missouri, unlike the National Guard. Although the MSDF and the Missouri National Guard were separate organizations, the MSDF's primary scope was to work alongside the National Guard during stateside operations, or in lieu of the National Guard when the National Guard is deployed outside of Missouri. Along with the Missouri Army National Guard, the Missouri Air National Guard, and the Missouri Naval Militia, the Missouri State Defense Force is recognized under Missouri law as part of the organized militia of Missouri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Military Department</span> Department of the Texas state government

The Texas Military Department (TMD) is an executive branch agency of the Texas government. Along with the Texas Department of Public Safety, it is charged with providing the security of Texas, which has the second largest population, border, and economy in the United States. It also provides administration of the Texas Military Forces (TXMF), the principal instrument through which it executes security policy. TXMF currently include the Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, and Texas State Guard. It formerly included the Texas Rangers, Texas Army, Texas Navy, and Texas Marines.

Awards and decorationsof the Texas Military are medals, ribbons, badges, tabs, trophies, plaques, certificates, memorials, monuments, holidays, and general honors that recognize service and achievement in the Texas Military Forces.

The Texian Militia was the militia forces of Texian colonists in the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas from 1823 to 1835 and the inaugurate force of the Texas Military. It was established by Stephen F. Austin on August 5, 1823 for defense of the Old Three Hundred colonists against the Karankawa, Comanche, and Cherokee tribes; among others. Its most notable unit, the Texas Rangers, remained in continuous service of Texas Military Forces until 1935.

The Texas Militia are the militia forces of the State of Texas. It currently consists of the Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, and Texas State Guard. It is administered by the Texas Military Department under command of the Texas Adjutant General. Since 1846, the Texas Militia constitutes the entirety of the Texas Military Forces.

References

↑ "Texas Guard's top general replaced amid border mission troubles". 14 March 2022.
↑ "TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE TITLE 4. EXECUTIVE BRANCH SUBTITLE C. STATE MILITARY FORCES AND VETERANS CHAPTER 437. TEXAS MILITARY". Texas Constitution and Statutes.
↑ Chaney, Colonel Gregory P. (October 28, 2015). "JFTX I15-23. Texas Military Department (TMD) Rebranding Implementation" (PDF). Texas Military Department. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
↑ Kemp, Louis W. "WHARTON, JOHN A." San Jacinto Museum of History.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 "ADJUTANT GENERALS OF TEXAS". Texas Military Forces Museum. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
↑ Cutrer, Thomas W. "Ogden, Duncan Campbell". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
↑ Barnes, Charles Merritt (1910). Combats and Conquests of Immortal Heroes: Sung in Song and Told in Story. San Antonio, Texas: Brookaven Press. p. 253. ISBN 9781403500991 . Retrieved May 12, 2020.
↑ Promoted to brevet lieutenant general by the state governor upon retirement.
↑ "Texas Guard's top general replaced amid border mission troubles". 14 March 2022.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] "Texas Guard's top general replaced amid border mission troubles". 14 March 2022.

[2] "TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE TITLE 4. EXECUTIVE BRANCH SUBTITLE C. STATE MILITARY FORCES AND VETERANS CHAPTER 437. TEXAS MILITARY". Texas Constitution and Statutes.

[3] Chaney, Colonel Gregory P. (October 28, 2015). "JFTX I15-23. Texas Military Department (TMD) Rebranding Implementation" (PDF). Texas Military Department. Retrieved August 31, 2019.

[4] Kemp, Louis W. "WHARTON, JOHN A." San Jacinto Museum of History.

[:0-5] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 "ADJUTANT GENERALS OF TEXAS". Texas Military Forces Museum. Retrieved August 31, 2019.

[6] Cutrer, Thomas W. "Ogden, Duncan Campbell". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved May 12, 2020.

[7] Barnes, Charles Merritt (1910). Combats and Conquests of Immortal Heroes: Sung in Song and Told in Story. San Antonio, Texas: Brookaven Press. p. 253. ISBN 9781403500991 . Retrieved May 12, 2020.

[8] Promoted to brevet lieutenant general by the state governor upon retirement.

[9] "Texas Guard's top general replaced amid border mission troubles". 14 March 2022.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]