Adjutant General of Texas

Last updated
Adjutant General of Texas
Thomas M. Suelzer (3).jpg
Incumbent
Major General Thomas M. Suelzer, USAF
since March 14, 2022 [1]
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 instrument4 T.G.C., Sub. C., Sec. 437.003
Formation5 August 1836;189 years ago (1836)
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

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]

Contents

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

List of adjutants general

*Military ranks at time of office:

NumberPortraitAdjutant GeneralTook officeLeft officeTime in office Commander-in-Chief

serving under

Ref
-Colonel John Austin WhartonDecember 9, 1835July 5, 18365 months Major General Sam Houston [4]
1 ASJohnston.jpg Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston August 5, 1836November 16, 18363 months Governor James Robinson,

President David Burnet

[5]
2Colonel Edwin MorehouseDecember 22, 1836 President Sam Houston [5]
3Colonel Hugh McLeodOctober 24, 1837January 18, 18413 years,

2 months

President Sam Houston,

President Mirabeau Lamar,

President Sam Houston

[5]
(Acting) Colonel James DavisMay 3, 1842July 31, 18422 months President Sam Houston [5]
4 Colonel William G. Cooke.jpg Colonel William Gordon Cooke January 16, 1843April 27, 18463 years,

3 months

President Sam Houston,

President Anson James,

Governor James P. Henderson

[5]
(Acting) Colonel Duncan Campbell Ogden1846 Governor James P. Henderson [6] [7]
5Colonel Charles L. MannDecember 24, 1847March 4, 18482 months Governor James P. Henderson [5]
6Colonel John Drayton PittsMarch 4, 1848 Governor George Wood,

Governor Peter Bell

[5]
7Major James Shackleford GillettNovember 24, 1851February 4, 18564 years,

2 months

Governor Peter Bell,

Governor James W. Henderson,

Governor Elisha Pease

[5]
Office abolished due to October 10, 1855 fireFebruary 4, 1856April 6, 18604 years,

2 months

[5]
8 Anthony Banning Norton (1860).jpg Civilian Anthony Banning Norton April 6, 1860 Governor Sam Houston [5]
9Lieutenant Colonel William ByrdMarch 25, 1861 Governor Edward Clark [5]
10Colonel Jeremiah Yellot DashiellNovember 11, 1861 Governor Francis Lubbock [5]
11 D.B. Culberson.jpg Lieutenant Colonel David Browning Culberson November 17, 1863November 18641 year Governor Francis Lubbock [5]
12 Colonel John Burke November 1, 1864May 13, 18656 months Governor Pendleton Murrah [5]
13Major Davis R. GurleyMay 13, 1865January 1, 18671 year,

7 months

Governor James Throckmorton,

Governor Elisha Pease

[5]
Office abolished due to Reconstruction January 1, 1867June 24, 1870 Military Governor Andrew Hamilton [5]
14
James Davidson (Union officer).jpg
Colonel James DavidsonJune 24, 1870November 15, 1872 Governor Edmund Davis [5]
15Civilian Frank L. BrittonNovember 14, 1872January 20, 1874 Governor Edmund Davis,

Governor Richard Coke

[5]
16
WSteele-laterlife.JPG
Brigadier General William S. Steele January 20, 1874January 25, 1879 Governor Richard Coke,

Governor Richard Hubbard

[5]
17 John B. Jones (1834-1881).jpg Major John B. Jones January 25, 1879July 19, 1881 Governor Oran Roberts [5]
18 Wilburn Hill King.jpg Colonel Wilburn Hill King July 25, 1881January 23, 1891 Governor Oran Roberts,

Governor John Ireland

Governor Lawrence Ross

[5]
19
Woodford H. Mabry.jpg
Colonel Woodford Haywood Mabry January 23, 1891May 5, 1898 Governor Jim Hogg,

Governor Charles Culberson

[5]
20
Alfred P. Wozencraft.jpg
Brigadier General Alfred Prior WozencraftMay 5, 1898January 17, 1899 Governor Charles Culberson [5]
21Major Thomas ScurryJanuary 17, 1899June 1, 1903 Governor Joseph Sayers [5]
22 Brigadier General John Augustus Hulen June 1, 1903January 23, 1907 Governor Samuel Lanham [5]
23Brigadier General James Oscar NewtonJanuary 23, 1907December 15, 1910 Governor Thomas Campbell [5]
24Brigadier General Robert H. BeckhamDecember 15, 1910January 23, 1911 Governor Oscar Colquitt [5]
25
Gen. Henry Hutchings, Adj. Gen. of Texas (cropped).jpg
Brigadier General Henry Hutchings January 23, 1911September 29, 1917 Governor Oscar Colquitt,

Governor James Ferguson,

Governor William Hobby

[5]
26
James A. Harley.jpg
Major James A. HarleySeptember 29, 1917September 30, 1919 Governor William Hobby [5]
27Wesley D. CopeOctober 1, 1919January 20, 1921 Governor William Hobby [5]
28Major General Thomas Dickson BartonJanuary 20, 1921January 23, 1925 Governor Pat Neff [5]
29First Lieutenant William Mark McGeeJanuary 24, 1925December 5, 1925 Governor Miriam Ferguson [5]
30Colonel Dallas J. MatthewsDecember 5, 1925January 20, 1927 Governor Miriam Ferguson [5]
31Brigadier General Robert L. RobertsonJanuary 20, 1927January 22, 1931 Governor Dan Moody [5]
32Captain William Warren SterlingJanuary 22, 1931January 15, 1933 Governor Ross Sterling [5]
33
Gen. Henry Hutchings, Adj. Gen. of Texas (cropped).jpg
Major General Henry Hutchings January 18, 1933January 15, 1935 Governor Miriam Ferguson [5]
34Colonel Carl Eugene NesbittJanuary 15, 1935January 25, 1939 Governor James V. Allred [5]
35Brigadier General Harry Knox JrJanuary 26, 1939December 31, 1939 Governor Wilbert O'Daniel [5]
36 Adjutant General J. Watt Page.jpg Brigadier General John Watt Page SrJanuary 1, 1940March 4, 1943 Governor Wilbert O'Daniel,

Governor Coke Stevenson

[5]
37Major General Arthur Balfour KnickerbockerMarch 4, 1943May 7, 1947 Governor Coke Stevenson [5]
38Major General Kearie Lee BerryMay 7, 1947July 1, 1961 Governor Beauford Jester,

Governor Allan Shivers,

Governor Price Daniel

[5]
39Major General James Edward TaylorJuly 1, 1961January 1, 1962 Governor Price Daniel [5]
40Major General Thomas Sams BishopJanuary 1, 1962March 13, 1969 Governor John Connally [5]
41Major General Ross Ayers [8] March 13, 1969March 1, 1973 Governor Preston Smith [5]
42Major General Thomas Sams BishopMarch 1, 1973January 17, 1979 Governor Dolph Briscoe [5]
43Major General Willie Lee ScottJanuary 17, 1979February 21, 1985 Governor Bill Clements,

Governor Mark White

[5]
44Major General James Thomas DennisFebruary 21, 1985April 24, 1989 Governor Mark White,

Governor Bill Clements

[5]
45Major General William C. WilsonApril 24, 1989January 7, 1993 Governor Bill Clements,

Governor Ann Richards

[5]
46Major General Sam C. TurkJanuary 7, 1993November 16, 1995 Governor Ann Richards,

Governor George W. Bush

[5]
47 Daniel James III.png Major General Daniel James III November 16, 1995August 9, 2002 Governor George W. Bush,

Governor Rick Perry

[5]
48 Wayne D. Marty.jpg Major General Wayne D. MartyAugust 9, 2002June 12, 2005 Governor Rick Perry [5]
49 Charles G. Rodriguez.jpg Major General Charles G. RodriguezJune 12, 2005March 2, 2009 Governor Rick Perry [5]
50 Jose S. Mayorga, Jr.jpg Major General Jose S. Mayorga Jr.March 2, 2009February 16, 2011 Governor Rick Perry [5]
51 Major General John F Nichols.jpg Major General John Frederick Nichols February 16, 2011December 31, 2018 Governor Rick Perry,

Governor Greg Abbott

[5]
52 MG TRACY NORRIS - GOMO (3).jpg Major General Tracy R. NorrisJanuary 1, 2019March 1, 2022 Governor Greg Abbott [5]
53 Thomas M. Suelzer (3).jpg Major General Thomas SuelzerMarch 14, 2022Present Governor Greg Abbott [1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "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.
  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.{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  8. Promoted to brevet lieutenant general by the state governor upon retirement.