State adjutant general

Each state in the United States has a senior military officer – the state adjutant general – who is de facto commander of a state's military forces, including the National Guard, the naval militia, and any state defense forces. This officer is known as TAG (The Adjutant General), and is subordinated to the chief executive.

Source of appointment

In 48 states (49 beginning in 2016),^[1] 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 the legislature; South Carolina, where the Adjutant General is elected by the populace, however, beginning in 2016, the South Carolina Adjutant General will be appointed by the Governor;^[1] and the District of Columbia, where a commanding general is appointed by the President of the United States of America.^[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 commander of the NGB 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 his 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. Seven of these in addition to Illinois also have 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	Perry G. Smith, Sr	Alabama	MG (Ret.)	ARNG	2011[6]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Alaska	Laurie Hummel	Alaska	Colonel (Ret.)	ARNG	2015[7]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Arizona	Michael "Mick" McGuire	Arizona	Brigadier General	ANG	2013	Governor
The Adjutant General of Arkansas	William D. Wofford	Arkansas	Major General	ARNG	2007[8]	Governor
The Adjutant General of California	David S. Baldwin	California	Major General	ARNG	2011[9]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Colorado	H. Michael Edwards	Colorado	Major General	ANG	2007[10]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Connecticut	Thaddeus J. Martin	Connecticut	Major General	ANG	2005[11]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Delaware	Francis D. Vavala	Delaware	Major General	ARNG	1999	Governor
Commanding General District of Columbia National Guard	Errol R. Schwartz	District of Columbia	Major General	ARNG	2008[12]	President
The Adjutant General of Florida	Michael A. Calhoun	Florida	Major General	ARNG	2015[13]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Georgia	Joseph F. Jarrard	Georgia	Brigadier General	ARNG	2015[14]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Guam	Benny M. Paulino	Guam	MG (Ret.)	ARNG	2011[15]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Hawaii	Arthur J. Logan	Hawaii	MG (HI)	ARNG	2015[16]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Idaho	Gary L. Sayler	Idaho	Major General	ANG	2010[17]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Illinois	Richard J. Hayes, Jr.	Illinois	Major General	ARNG	2015[18]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Indiana	Courtney P. Carr	Indiana	Major General	ARNG	2015[19]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Iowa	Timothy E. Orr	Iowa	Major General	ARNG	2009[20]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Kansas	Lee E. Tafanelli	Kansas	MG (KS)	ARNG	2011[21]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Kentucky	Stephen Hogan	Kentucky	MG (KY)	ANG	2015[22]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Louisiana	Glenn H. Curtis	Louisiana	Major General	ARNG	2011[23]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Maine	Douglas A. Farnham	Maine	Brigadier General	ANG	2016[24]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Maryland	Linda L. Singh	Maryland	MG (MD)	ARNG	2015[25]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Massachusetts	Leon S. Rice	Massachusetts	Major General	ANG	2012[26]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Michigan	Gregory J. Vadnais	Michigan	Major General	ARNG	2011[27]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Minnesota	Richard C. Nash	Minnesota	Major General	ARNG	2010	Governor
The Adjutant General of Mississippi	Augustus L. Collins	Mississippi	MG (MS)	ARNG	2012[28]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Missouri	Stephen L. Danner	Missouri	MG (MO)	ARNG	2009[29]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Montana	Matthew T. Quinn	Montana	MG (MT)	ARNG	2012[30]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Nebraska	Daryl L. Bohac	Nebraska	Major General	ANG	2013[31]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Nevada	William Burks	Nevada	Brigadier General	ANG	2009[32]	Governor
The Adjutant General of New Hampshire	William N. Reddel III	New Hampshire	Major General	ANG	2009[33]	Governor
The Adjutant General of New Jersey	Michael L. Cunniff (Acting)	New Jersey	Brigadier General	ANG	2011[34]	Governor
The Adjutant General of New Mexico	Andrew E. Salas	New Mexico	BG (NM)	ANG	2012[35]	Governor
The Adjutant General of New York	Patrick A. Murphy	New York	Major General	ARNG	2010[36]	Governor
The Adjutant General of North Carolina	Gregory A. Lusk	North Carolina	Major General	ARNG	2010[37]	Governor
The Adjutant General of North Dakota	Al Dohrmann	North Dakota	Major General	ARNG	2015	Governor
The Adjutant General of Ohio	Mark E. Bartman	Ohio	Major General	ANG	2015[38]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Oklahoma	Robbie L. Asher	Oklahoma	Major General	ARNG	2015[39]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Oregon	Michael E. Stencel	Oregon	Major General	ANG	2015[40]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Pennsylvania	James R. Joseph	Pennsylvania	Major General	ARNG	2015[41]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Puerto Rico	Marta Carcana	Puerto Rico	Brigadier General	ARNG	2015[42]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Rhode Island	Christopher P. Callahan	Rhode Island	Brigadier General	ARNG	2015[43]	Governor
The Adjutant General of South Carolina	Robert E. Livingston Jr	South Carolina	Major General	ARNG	2011[44]	General Election
The Adjutant General of South Dakota	Timothy A. Reisch	South Dakota	Major General	ARNG	2011[45]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Tennessee	Terry M. "Max" Haston	Tennessee	Major General	ARNG	2010[46]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Texas.	John F. Nichols	Texas	Major General	ANG	2011[47]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Utah	Jefferson S. Burton	Utah	Major General	ARNG	2012[48]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Vermont	Steven A. Cray	Vermont	Major General	ARNG	2013	Legislature
The Adjutant General of the Virgin Islands of the United States	Deborah Y. Howell	Virgin Islands of the United States	BG (VI)	ARNG	2015[49]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Virginia	Timothy P. Williams	Virginia	Brigadier General	ARNG	2014[50]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Washington	Bret D. Daugherty	Washington	MG (WA)	ARNG	2012[51]	Governor
The Adjutant General of West Virginia	James A. Hoyer	West Virginia	Major General	ARNG	2011[52]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Wisconsin	Donald P. Dunbar	Wisconsin	MG (WI)	ANG	2007[53]	Governor
The Adjutant General of Wyoming	Kenneth L. Reiner	Wyoming	MG (WY)	ARNG	2011[54]	Governor

References

1. http://ballotpedia.org/South_Carolina_Appointment_of_Adjutant_General,_Amendment_2_(2014)
2. "Adjutants General", The Adjutants General Association Online Resources (The National Guard Association of the United States), retrieved April 6, 2012
3. "Adjutants General Association of the United States | (AGAUS) National Guard of the United States". Retrieved 2012-12-09.
4. "Who We Are and What We Do". Retrieved 2012-12-09.
5. "STATE ADJUTANTS GENERAL ROSTER" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-11-20.
6. "The Adjutant General". Retrieved 2012-11-22.
7. "DMVA Leadership". Retrieved 2015-01-30.
8. "Major General William D. Wofford" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-11-22.
9. "Major General David S. Baldwin, The Adjutant General, California Military Department,". Retrieved 2012-11-22.
10. "Major General H. Michael Edwards". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
11. "Documents - CTTAGBioSvc". Retrieved 2012-11-22.
12. "Commanding General". Retrieved 2012-11-22.
13. "Major General Michael A. Calhoun". Retrieved 2015-07-14.
14. "Jarrard becomes head of Georgia Department of Defense". Retrieved 2015-02-25.
15. "Major General Benny M. Paulino". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
16. "The Adjutant General – Major General Arthur J. Logan". Retrieved 2015-10-02.
17. "MAJOR GENERAL GARY L. SAYLER". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
18. "Adjutant General, IL National Guard". Retrieved 2013-08-17.
19. "Brig. Gen. Courtney Carr named adjutant general of Indiana". 13 WTHR Indianapolis. May 26, 2015. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
20. "Major General Timothy E. Orr". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
21. "Kansas Adjutant General's Department - TAG Biography". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
22. "Major General (KY) Edward W. Tonini" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-11-23.
23. "The Adjutant General for Louisiana — Louisiana National Guard". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
24. "Maine Army National Guard — Leadership". Retrieved 2016-03-08.
25. "MDNG: TAG Bio". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
26. "Home - The Adjutant General". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
27. "Major General Gregory J. Vadnais". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
28. "Mississippi National Guard - Leadership". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
29. "Missouri National Guard | The Adjutant General". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
30. "Brigadier General Matthew T. Quinn". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
31. "Major General Daryl L. Bohac". Retrieved 2015-03-07.
32. "Brigadier General William R. Burks". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
33. "Major General William N. Reddel III". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
34. "Brigadier General Michael L. Cunniff". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
35. "Governor appoints Salas to lead Guard". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
36. "Major General Patrick A. Murphy". Retrieved 2012-11-23.
37. "Major General Gregory A. Lusk". Retrieved 2012-11-24.
38. "Ohio governor swears in new leader of National Guard troops". Retrieved 2015-04-05.
39. "Fallin Names Asher As Adjutant General, Others To Veterans Commission | The McCarville Report". mccarvillereport.com. Retrieved 2015-10-12.
40. "Major Brigadier Michael E. Stencel". Retrieved 2015-10-17.
41. "Adjutant General". Retrieved 2015-06-25.
42. "Brigadier General Marta Carcana". Retrieved 2016-02-06.
43. "New adjutant general sworn in for R.I. National Guard". Retrieved 2016-04-02.
44. "Major General Robert E. Livingston, Jr.". Retrieved 2012-11-24.
45. "Major General Timothy A. Reisch". Retrieved 2012-11-24.
46. "Major General Terry M. Haston". Retrieved 2012-11-24.
47. "Major General John F. Nichols". Retrieved 2012-11-24.
48. "www.ut.ngb.army.mil" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-11-24.
49. "Howell promoted to Brigadier General (VI)". Retrieved 2016-02-06.
50. "Brigadier General Timothy P. Williams". Retrieved 2014-06-06.
51. "Major General (WA) Bret D. Daugherty". Retrieved 2012-11-24.
52. "Major General James A. Hoyer". Retrieved 2012-11-24.
53. "Major General (WI) Donald P. Dunbar". Retrieved 2012-11-24.
54. "Major General (WY) Kenneth L. Reiner". Retrieved 2012-11-24.

External links

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