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.
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]
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]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized militia force and a federal military reserve force of the United States Army. They are simultaneously part of two different organizations: the ARNG of each state, most territories, and the District of Columbia, as well as the federal ARNG, as part of the National Guard as a whole. It is divided into subordinate units stationed in each state or insular area, responsible to their respective governors or other head-of-government.
Excelsior University is a private online university in Albany, New York. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and comprises three schools: the school of undergraduate studies, the school of graduate studies, and the school of nursing. It serves mostly non-traditional, adult working students through their distance education programs.
The 42nd Infantry Division (42ID) ("Rainbow") is a division of the United States Army National Guard. The 42nd Infantry Division has served in World War I, World War II and the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). The division is currently headquartered at the Glenmore Road Armory in Troy, New York.
The Puerto Rico Adjutant General is the commander of the Puerto Rico National Guard. As the adjutant general he is also the senior military advisor to the Governor of Puerto Rico and oversees both State and Federal Missions of the Puerto Rico National Guard. He provides leadership and management in the implementation of all programs and policies affecting more than 10,500 citizen-soldiers and airmen, and civilian employees of the three components of the PR National Guard: Puerto Rico Army National Guard, Puerto Rico Air National Guard and Puerto Rico State Guard. It is the responsibility of the Adjutant General of the Commonwealth to share his reports with the Secretary of the Army or the Secretary of the Air Force.
Major General Steven A. Cray was the Adjutant General of Vermont. In this post he served as the senior uniformed officer in the state, and was responsible for the organization, training and equipping of the 4,000 members of the Vermont Army and Air National Guard. As adjutant general, he also served as inspector general, quartermaster general and head of the State Military Department, including the Vermont State Guard and Veterans Affairs.
Timothy James Kadavy is a retired United States Army lieutenant general, who served as the 20th director of the Army National Guard from March 27, 2015, to March 25, 2019. He previously served as the special assistant to the vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, the adjutant general of the Nebraska National Guard, deputy director of the Army National Guard, and as the commander of Combined Joint Inter Agency Task Force-Afghanistan, which was part of the NATO International Security Assistance Force mission in that country. Kadavy was nominated by the President to become the Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau with the rank of lieutenant general, on March 5, 2019. The Senate returned his nomination to the president without action on January 3, 2020. After leaving his assignment as the director of the Army National Guard, he served as a two-star special assistant to the chief of the National Guard Bureau from May 23, 2019, until his retirement on August 3, 2020. He retired from the Army with the rank of lieutenant general after over 36 years of service.
Judd Henry Lyons is a retired Army National Guard officer. After retiring from the military the rank of major general, he was appointed to the Senior Executive Service on August 7, 2017. Since 2018, he has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense. In this role, he is the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs in support of the ASD's role of providing overall supervision of manpower and reserve affairs for the Department of Defense. He is responsible for both the integration of reserve affairs across the United States Department of Defense and strategic engagement on all Reserve Component matters.
The Adjutant General of New York is the highest-ranking military official in the New York National Guard as the state adjutant general. The adjutant general is part of the state government's executive branch, and serves as head of the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs, which includes the New York Army National Guard, New York Air National Guard, the New York Guard, and the New York Naval Militia.
Daniel Robert Hokanson is a four-star general in the United States Army who currently serves as the 29th chief of the National Guard Bureau. He previously served as the 21st director of the Army National Guard. His previous military assignments include serving as vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, deputy commander of United States Northern Command, adjutant general of the Oregon National Guard, and commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Just Cause. Hokanson assumed his current assignment on 3 August 2020.
Harry E. Miller Jr. is a retired Army National Guard officer. A veteran of the Iraq War, he attained the rank of major general as commander of the 42nd Infantry Division, a position he held from 2013 to 2017.
William J. Prendergast IV is a United States Army major general who served as Commander, Joint Task Force – Civil Support. He previously served as Commander, Contingency Command Post 1 and Task Force 51 of United States Army North. He also served as the Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Army Africa (USAFRICOM) as well as the Army Reserve Component Integration Advisor for the unit.
Gregory C. Knight is a United States Army officer. In 2019, he was selected to serve as Adjutant General of Vermont.
Troy Edward Dunn is a United States Air Force major general who has served as special assistant and senior military advisor with duties at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness since June 2023. He most recently served as commander of the Air Force Personnel Center from 2022 to 2023.
Steven Scott Nordhaus is a United States Air Force lieutenant general who has served as the commander of First Air Force since March 31, 2023. He most recently served as the Director of Operations of the National Guard Bureau from November 2019 to September 2022. Previously, he was the Commander of the Air National Guard Readiness Center from February 2017 to November 2019.
Lisa J. Hou, D.O. is an American physician and major general. She has served as the Adjutant General of the New Jersey National Guard and Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs since 2021 having been appointed by Governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy. She is the first Asian American and first female Adjutant General in the state.
"In the meantime, per state statutes, my good friend and trusty deputy adjutant general, Brig. Gen. Miguel Aguilar, will assume the daily responsibilities so stay focused and stay ready because our nation and state need you," said Nava.