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Adjutant General of Texas

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]

Adjutant General of Texas
Incumbent
Major General Thomas M. Suelzer, USAF
since March 14, 2022[1]
Texas Military Department
Office of the Adjutant General
StatusCommander and CEO
Reports toGovernor of Texas
SeatBuilding Eight
Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas
30°18′42.173″N 97°45′38.338″W
AppointerGovernor of Texas
with Texas Senate advice and consent
Term lengthTwo years
Constituting instrument4 T.G.C., Sub. C., Sec. 437.003
Formation5 August 1836; 188 years ago (1836)
First holderAlbert Sidney Johnston
DeputyBrigadier General Monie R. Ulis, TXARNG
Brigadier General Andrew Camacho, TXANG
Websitehttps://tmd.texas.gov/office-of-the-adjutant-general

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

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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

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See also: Texas Military Department § Administration

Office of the Adjutant General

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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

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Main article: Awards and decorations of the Texas Military

List of adjutants general

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*Military ranks at time of office:

Number Portrait 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]

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to State adjutants general of Texas.

References

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  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.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc "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.
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