Chief of the National Guard Bureau
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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...
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Seal of the National Guard Bureau

Flag of the Chief

National Guard BureauAbbreviation CNGBMember of Joint Chiefs of StaffReports to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffNominator PresidentAppointer SenateTerm length 4 years

RenewableConstituting instrument 10 U.S.C. § 10502Formation 14 February 1908First holder COL Erasmus M. Weaver Jr.Deputy Vice Chief of the National Guard BureauWebsite Official 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, who also meets the requirements for the position as determined by defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, under the advice and/or recommendation from their respective state governors and their service secretary. The nominee must be confirmed via majority vote from the Senate. The chief serves a four-year term of office at the pleasure of the President. By statute, the Chief is appointed as a four-star general in the Army or Air Force, serving as a reserve officer on active duty.

History[]

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.[5] The National Defense Act of 1920 included a provision that the chief of the Militia Bureau must be a National Guard officer.[6][7][8] 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.[9]

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.[10] 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.[11] 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.[12]

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.[13]

Previous flag[]

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 version of the flag which appears in the information box at the top of the page 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[]

No. Commander Term Service branch Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length 1Colonel Erasmus M. Weaver Jr.

(1854–1920)14 February 190814 March 1911 3 years, 28 days

U.S. Army 2Brigadier General Robert K. Evans

(1852–1926)15 March 191131 August 1912 1 year, 169 days

U.S. Army 3Major General Albert L. Mills

(1854–1916)1 September 191218 September 1916 4 years, 17 days

U.S. Army -Colonel George W. McIver (Acting)

(1858–1947)18 September 191626 October 1916 38 days

U.S. Army 4Major General William A. Mann

(1854–1934)26 October 191626 November 1917 262 days

U.S. Army 5Major General Jesse McI. Carter

(1863–1930)26 November 191715 August 1918 262 days

U.S. Army -Brigadier General John W. Heavey (Acting)

(1867–1941)15 August 19185 February 1919 174 days

U.S. Army 5Major General Jesse McI. Carter

(1863–1930)5 February 191928 June 1921 2 years, 143 days

U.S. Army 6Major General George C. Rickards

(1860–1933)29 June 192128 June 1925 3 years, 364 days

U.S. Army 7Major General Creed C. Hammond

(1874–1940)29 June 192528 June 1929 3 years, 364 days

U.S. Army -Colonel Ernest R. Redmond (Acting)

(1883–1966)29 June 192930 September 1929 93 days

U.S. Army 8Major General William G. Everson

(1879–1954)1 October 192930 November 1931 2 years, 60 days

U.S. Army 9Major General George E. Leach

(1876–1955)1 December 193130 November 1935 3 years, 364 days

U.S. Army -Colonel Herold J. Weiler (Acting)

(1886–1945)1 December 193516 January 1936 46 days

U.S. Army -Colonel John F. Williams (Acting)

(1887–1953)17 January 193630 January 1936 13 days

U.S. Army 10Major General Albert H. Blanding

(1876–1970)31 January 193630 January 1940 4 years, 0 days

U.S. Army 11Major General John F. Williams

(1887–1953)31 January 194030 January 1944 4 years, 0 days

U.S. Army -Major General John F. Williams (Acting)

(1887–1953)31 January 194431 January 1946 2 years, 0 days

U.S. Army 12Major General Butler B. Miltonberger

(1897–1977)1 February 194629 September 1947 1 year, 240 days

U.S. Army 13Major General Kenneth F. Cramer

(1894–1954)30 September 19474 September 1950 2 years, 339 days

U.S. Army -Major General Raymond H. Fleming (Acting)

(1889–1974)5 September 195013 August 1951 342 days

U.S. Army 14Major General Raymond H. Fleming

(1889–1974)14 August 195115 February 1953 1 year, 185 days

U.S. Army -Major General Earl T. Ricks (Acting)

(1908–1954)16 February 195321 June 1953 125 days

U.S. Air Force 15Major General Edgar C. Erickson

(1896–1989)22 June 195331 May 1959 5 years, 342 days

U.S. Army -Major General Winston P. Wilson (Acting)

(1911–1996)1 June 195919 July 1959 48 days

U.S. Air Force 16Major General Donald W. McGowan

(1899–1967)20 July 195930 August 1963 4 years, 41 days

U.S. Army 17Major General Winston P. Wilson

(1911–1996)31 August 196331 August 1971 8 years, 0 days

U.S. Air Force 18Major General Francis S. Greenlief

(1921–1999)1 September 197123 June 1974 2 years, 295 days

U.S. Army 19Lieutenant General La Vern E. Weber

(1923–1999)16 August 197415 August 1982 7 years, 364 days

U.S. Army 20Lieutenant General Emmett H. Walker Jr.

(1924–2007)16 August 198215 August 1986 3 years, 364 days

U.S. Army 21Lieutenant General Herbert R. Temple Jr.

(born 1928)16 August 198631 January 1990 3 years, 168 days

U.S. Army 22Lieutenant General John B. Conaway

(born 1934)1 February 19901 December 1993 3 years, 303 days

U.S. Air Force -Major General Philip G. Killey (Acting)

(born 1941)2 December 19931 January 1994 210 days

U.S. Air Force -Major General Raymond F. Rees (Acting)

(born 1944)2 January 199431 July 1994 210 days

U.S. Army -Major General John R. D'Araujo Jr. (Acting)

(born 1943)1 August 199430 September 1994 60 days

U.S. Army 23Lieutenant General Edward D. Baca

(1938–2020)1 October 199431 July 1998 3 years, 303 days

U.S. Army 24Lieutenant General Russell C. Davis

(born 1938)4 August 19983 August 2002 3 years, 364 days

U.S. Air Force -Major General Raymond F. Rees (Acting)

(born 1944)4 August 200210 April 2003 249 days

U.S. Army 25Lieutenant General H Steven Blum

(born 1946)11 April 200317 November 2008 5 years, 220 days

U.S. Army 26General Craig R. McKinley

(born 1952)17 November 20086 September 2012 3 years, 294 days

U.S. Air Force 27General Frank J. Grass

(born 1951)7 September 20123 August 2016 3 years, 331 days

U.S. Army 28General Joseph L. Lengyel

(born 1959)3 August 20163 August 2020 4 years, 0 days

U.S. Air Force 29General Daniel R. Hokanson

(born 1963)3 August 2020Incumbent 4 years, 3 days

U.S. Army

See also[]

Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau

Notes[]

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