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Chief of the National Guard Bureau

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Chief of the National Guard Bureau
Seal of the National Guard Bureau
Flag of the Chief
since 2 October 2024
National Guard Bureau
AbbreviationCNGB
Member ofJoint Chiefs of Staff
Reports toChairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
NominatorPresident
AppointerSenate
Term length4 years
Renewable
Constituting instrument10 U.S.C. § 10502
Formation14 February 1908
First holderCOL Erasmus M. Weaver Jr.
DeputyVice Chief of the National Guard Bureau
WebsiteOfficial Website

The chief of the National Guard Bureau (CNGB) is the highest-ranking officer of the National Guard and the head of the National Guard Bureau.[1] The position is a statutory office (10 U.S.C. § 10502), held by a federally recognized commissioned officer who has served at least 10 years of federally recognized active duty in the National Guard; the Army National Guard or the Air National Guard.[2] In a separate capacity as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (10 U.S.C. § 151), the chief is a military adviser to the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council, the secretary of defense, and the president on matters pertaining to the National Guard.[3]

The chief is nominated for appointment by the president from any eligible National Guard officers holding the rank of major general or above,[4] who also meets the requirements for the position as determined by defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,[4] under the advice and/or recommendation from their respective state governors and their service secretary. The chief and vice chief of the National Guard Bureau cannot be from the same service.[5] The nominee must be confirmed via majority vote from the Senate.[4] The chief serves a four-year term of office at the pleasure of the President.[4] By statute, the Chief is appointed as a four-star general[4] in the Army or Air Force, serving as a reserve officer on active duty.[4]

The current Chief of the National Guard Bureau is General Steven Nordhaus, who assumed command on 2 October 2024.[6]

History

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In 1908, the United States Army created the Militia Bureau to oversee training and readiness for the National Guard as part of implementing the Militia Act of 1903. From 1908 to 1911, Erasmus M. Weaver Jr. served as head of the Army's Militia Bureau, the first person to hold the position.[7] The National Defense Act of 1920 included a provision that the chief of the Militia Bureau must be a National Guard officer.[8][9][10] In 1921 Pennsylvania National Guard officer George C. Rickards became the first Guardsman to serve as Chief, and he held the post until his 1925 retirement.[11]

In September 1947, the Air National Guard was created, and the positions of Chief the Army Division and Chief of the Air Division were established, with the directors subordinate to the NGB Chief.[12] In 1953, Air National Guard Director Earl T. Ricks served as acting chief of the National Guard Bureau, making him the first Air Guard officer to hold the chief's position.[13] In the mid-1970s, the chief of the National Guard Bureau position was elevated from major general to lieutenant general, and La Vern E. Weber became the first NGB chief to wear three stars.[14]

The 2008 National Defense Authorization Act elevated the chief of the National Guard Bureau to the four-star rank of general making Craig McKinley the first National Guard officer to achieve four-star rank. In 2012, the position became the seventh member of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff via the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law by President Obama on 31 December 2011. The sitting Joint Chiefs at the time, had opposed the addition of another member, but the president promised in his 2008 campaign to elevate the office.[15]

Previous flag

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This positional flag for the chief of the National Guard Bureau was used from 1998 to 2008. The dark blue represented the Army National Guard, the light blue represented the Air National Guard. The badge in the center is the branch insignia of the National Guard Bureau. The two triangles in the upper fly are "flight devices" and represent the Air National Guard.

The current version of the flag was adopted in 2008 when the position of Chief of the National Guard Bureau was upgraded to four-star general.

List of chiefs of the National Guard Bureau

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General Steven Nordhaus, incoming chief of the National Guard Bureau, receives the NGB command guidon from Admiral Christopher W. Grady (back facing camera) on 15 October 2024.
No. Commander Term Service branch
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
1
Erasmus M. Weaver Jr.
Colonel
Erasmus M. Weaver Jr.
(1854–1920)		14 February 190814 March 19113 years, 28 days
U.S. Army
2
Robert K. Evans
Brigadier General
Robert K. Evans
(1852–1926)		15 March 191131 August 19121 year, 169 days
U.S. Army
3
Albert L. Mills
Major General
Albert L. Mills
(1854–1916)		1 September 191218 September 19164 years, 17 days
U.S. Army
-
George W. McIver
Colonel
George W. McIver
(1858–1947)
Acting		18 September 191626 October 191638 days
U.S. Army
4
William A. Mann
Major General
William A. Mann
(1854–1934)		26 October 191626 November 1917262 days
U.S. Army
5
Jesse McI. Carter
Major General
Jesse McI. Carter
(1863–1930)		26 November 191715 August 1918262 days
U.S. Army
-
John W. Heavey
Brigadier General
John W. Heavey
(1867–1941)
Acting		15 August 19185 February 1919174 days
U.S. Army
5
Jesse McI. Carter
Major General
Jesse McI. Carter
(1863–1930)		5 February 191928 June 19212 years, 143 days
U.S. Army
6
George C. Rickards
Major General
George C. Rickards
(1860–1933)		29 June 192128 June 19253 years, 364 days
U.S. Army
7
Creed C. Hammond
Major General
Creed C. Hammond
(1874–1940)		29 June 192528 June 19293 years, 364 days
U.S. Army
-
Ernest R. Redmond
Colonel
Ernest R. Redmond
(1883–1966)
Acting		29 June 192930 September 192993 days
U.S. Army
8
William G. Everson
Major General
William G. Everson
(1879–1954)		1 October 192930 November 19312 years, 60 days
U.S. Army
9
George E. Leach
Major General
George E. Leach
(1876–1955)		1 December 193130 November 19353 years, 364 days
U.S. Army
-
Herold J. Weiler
Colonel
Herold J. Weiler
(1886–1945)
Acting		1 December 193516 January 193646 days
U.S. Army
-
John F. Williams
Colonel
John F. Williams
(1887–1953)
Acting		17 January 193630 January 193613 days
U.S. Army
10
Albert H. Blanding
Major General
Albert H. Blanding
(1876–1970)		31 January 193630 January 19404 years, 0 days
U.S. Army
11
John F. Williams
Major General
John F. Williams
(1887–1953)		31 January 194030 January 19444 years, 0 days
U.S. Army
-
John F. Williams
Major General
John F. Williams
(1887–1953)
Acting		31 January 194431 January 19462 years, 0 days
U.S. Army
12
Butler B. Miltonberger
Major General
Butler B. Miltonberger
(1897–1977)		1 February 194629 September 19471 year, 240 days
U.S. Army
13
Kenneth F. Cramer
Major General
Kenneth F. Cramer
(1894–1954)		30 September 19474 September 19502 years, 339 days
U.S. Army
-
Raymond H. Fleming
Major General
Raymond H. Fleming
(1889–1974)
Acting		5 September 195013 August 1951342 days
U.S. Army
14
Raymond H. Fleming
Major General
Raymond H. Fleming
(1889–1974)		14 August 195115 February 19531 year, 185 days
U.S. Army
-
Earl T. Ricks
Major General
Earl T. Ricks
(1908–1954)
Acting		16 February 195321 June 1953125 days
U.S. Air Force
15
Edgar C. Erickson
Major General
Edgar C. Erickson
(1896–1989)		22 June 195331 May 19595 years, 342 days
U.S. Army
-
Winston P. Wilson
Major General
Winston P. Wilson
(1911–1996)
Acting		1 June 195919 July 195948 days
U.S. Air Force
16
Donald W. McGowan
Major General
Donald W. McGowan
(1899–1967)		20 July 195930 August 19634 years, 41 days
U.S. Army
17
Winston P. Wilson
Major General
Winston P. Wilson
(1911–1996)		31 August 196331 August 19718 years, 0 days
U.S. Air Force
18
Francis S. Greenlief
Major General
Francis S. Greenlief
(1921–1999)		1 September 197123 June 19742 years, 295 days
U.S. Army
19
La Vern E. Weber
Lieutenant General
La Vern E. Weber
(1923–1999)		16 August 197415 August 19827 years, 364 days
U.S. Army
20
Emmett H. Walker Jr.
Lieutenant General
Emmett H. Walker Jr.
(1924–2007)		16 August 198215 August 19863 years, 364 days
U.S. Army
21
Herbert R. Temple Jr.
Lieutenant General
Herbert R. Temple Jr.
(born 1928)		16 August 198631 January 19903 years, 168 days
U.S. Army
22
John B. Conaway
Lieutenant General
John B. Conaway
(born 1934)		1 February 19901 December 19933 years, 303 days
U.S. Air Force
-
Philip G. Killey
Major General
Philip G. Killey
(born 1941)
Acting		2 December 19931 January 1994210 days
U.S. Air Force
-
Raymond F. Rees
Major General
Raymond F. Rees
(born 1944)
Acting		2 January 199431 July 1994210 days
U.S. Army
-
John R. D'Araujo Jr.
Major General
John R. D'Araujo Jr.
(born 1943)
Acting		1 August 199430 September 199460 days
U.S. Army
23
Edward D. Baca
Lieutenant General
Edward D. Baca
(1938–2020)		1 October 199431 July 19983 years, 303 days
U.S. Army
24
Russell C. Davis
Lieutenant General
Russell C. Davis
(born 1938)		4 August 19983 August 20023 years, 364 days
U.S. Air Force
-
Raymond F. Rees
Major General
Raymond F. Rees
(born 1944)
Acting		4 August 200210 April 2003249 days
U.S. Army
25
H Steven Blum
Lieutenant General
H Steven Blum
(born 1946)		11 April 200317 November 20085 years, 220 days
U.S. Army
26
Craig R. McKinley
General
Craig R. McKinley
(born 1952)		17 November 20086 September 20123 years, 294 days
U.S. Air Force
27
Frank J. Grass
General
Frank J. Grass
(born 1951)		7 September 20123 August 20163 years, 331 days
U.S. Army
28
Joseph L. Lengyel
General
Joseph L. Lengyel
(born 1959)		3 August 20163 August 20204 years, 0 days
U.S. Air Force
29
Daniel R. Hokanson
General
Daniel R. Hokanson
(born 1963)		3 August 20202 August 20243 years, 365 days
U.S. Army
-
Jonathan Stubbs
Lieutenant General
Jonathan Stubbs
(born 1972)
Acting		5 August 2024[16]2 October 202458 days
U.S. Army
30
Steven S. Nordhaus
General
Steven S. Nordhaus
(born 1966)		2 October 2024Incumbent78 days
U.S. Air Force

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ "10 USC 10502 Chief of the National Guard Bureau: appointment; adviser on National Guard matters; grade; succession". Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  2. ^ U.S. Congress (28 January 2008). "Public Law 110-181: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008". GPO.gov. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Publishing Office.
  3. ^ United States Congress (2008). "SEC. 1812. Establishment of National Guard Bureau as Joint Activity of the Department of Defense". H.R. 4986 (110th): National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. govtrack. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Public Law 110-181.
  5. ^ "10 U.S. Code § 10505 - Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  6. ^ "General Steven S. Nordhaus". National Guard Bureau. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  7. ^ United States Infantry Association, Infantry Journal, Volume 5, 1908, page 292
  8. ^ Dodd, Mead, Inc., The New International Year Book, 1934, page 575
  9. ^ United States Field Artillery Association, The Field Artillery Journal, Volume 15, 1925, page 308
  10. ^ Pittsburgh Press, "Maj. Smathers becomes First in Command", April 13, 1919
  11. ^ Doubler, Michael Dale; Listman, John W. (2003). The National Guard: An Illustrated History of Americas Citizen-soldiers. Dulles, VA: Brassey's, Inc. p. 68. ISBN 978-1-57488-389-3.
  12. ^ "New Commanding General of the Air Force Division". Flying. Chicago, IL: Ziff-Davis Publishing. 1 December 1948. p. 10.
  13. ^ "Chief of the National Guard Bureau". The National Guardsman. Vol. 7. Washington, DC: National Guard Association of the United States. 1953. p. 8.
  14. ^ Frazier, David L. "Biography, Weber, La Vern Erick". OKHistory.org. Oklahoma City, OK: Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  15. ^ Thompson, Mark (4 January 2012). "The Changing of the Guard". Time. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  16. ^ "Chief, National Guard Bureau". National Guard Bureau. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
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