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.
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 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.
Powers and functions
Office of the Adjutant General 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
The Texas Adjutant General's Individual Award, is the eighth highest military decoration that may be awarded to a service member of the Texas Military Forces. The Texas Adjutant General's Certificate of Commendation The Texas Adjutant General's Certificate of Appreciation
List of adjutants general *Military ranks at time of office: NumberPortraitAdjutant GeneralTook officeLeft officeTime in officeCommander-in-Chief serving underRef -Colonel John Austin WhartonDecember 9, 1835July 5, 18365 monthsMajor General Sam Houston1Colonel Albert Sidney JohnstonAugust 5, 1836November 16, 18363 monthsGovernor James Robinson, President David Burnet2Colonel Edwin MorehouseDecember 22, 1836President Sam Houston3Colonel Hugh McLeodOctober 24, 1837January 18, 18413 years,
2 monthsPresident Sam Houston, President Mirabeau Lamar,
President Sam Houston(Acting) Colonel James DavisMay 3, 1842July 31, 18422 monthsPresident Sam Houston4Colonel William Gordon CookeJanuary 16, 1843April 27, 18463 years,
3 monthsPresident Sam Houston, President Anson James,
Governor James P. Henderson(Acting) Colonel Duncan Campbell Ogden1846Governor James P. Henderson5Colonel Charles L. MannDecember 24, 1847March 4, 18482 monthsGovernor James P. Henderson6Colonel John Drayton PittsMarch 4, 1848Governor George Wood, Governor Peter Bell7Major James Shackleford GillettNovember 24, 1851February 4, 18564 years,
2 monthsGovernor Peter Bell,
Governor James W. Henderson,
Governor Elisha PeaseOffice abolished due to October 10, 1855, fireFebruary 4, 1856April 6, 18604 years,
2 months8Civilian Anthony Banning NortonApril 6, 1860Governor Sam Houston9Lieutenant Colonel William ByrdMarch 25, 1861Governor Edward Clark10Colonel Jeremiah Yellot DashiellNovember 11, 1861Governor Francis Lubbock11Lieutenant Colonel David Browning CulbersonNovember 17, 1863November 18641 yearGovernor Francis Lubbock12Colonel John BurkeNovember 1, 1864May 13, 18656 monthsGovernor Pendleton Murrah13Major Davis R. GurleyMay 13, 1865January 1, 18671 year,
7 monthsGovernor James Throckmorton,
Governor Elisha PeaseOffice abolished due to ReconstructionJanuary 1, 1867June 24, 1870Military Governor Andrew Hamilton14Colonel James DavidsonJune 24, 1870November 15, 1872Governor Edmund Davis15Civilian Frank L. BrittonNovember 14, 1872January 20, 1874Governor Edmund Davis,
Governor Richard Coke16Brigadier General William S. SteeleJanuary 20, 1874January 25, 1879Governor Richard Coke,
Governor Richard Hubbard17Major John B. JonesJanuary 25, 1879July 19, 1881Governor Oran Roberts18Colonel Wilburn Hill KingJuly 25, 1881January 23, 1891Governor Oran Roberts,
Governor John Ireland
Governor Lawrence Ross19Colonel Woodford Haywood MabryJanuary 23, 1891May 5, 1898Governor Jim Hogg, Governor Charles Culberson20Brigadier General Alfred Prior WozencraftMay 5, 1898January 17, 1899Governor Charles Culberson21Major Thomas ScurryJanuary 17, 1899June 1, 1903Governor Joseph Sayers22Brigadier General John Augustus HulenJune 1, 1903January 23, 1907Governor Samuel Lanham23Brigadier General James Oscar NewtonJanuary 23, 1907December 15, 1910Governor Thomas Campbell24Brigadier General Robert H. BeckhamDecember 15, 1910January 23, 1911Governor Oscar Colquitt25Brigadier General Henry HutchingsJanuary 23, 1911September 29, 1917Governor Oscar Colquitt,
Governor James Ferguson,
Governor William Hobby26Major James A. HarleySeptember 29, 1917 September 30, 1919Governor William Hobby27Wesley D. CopeOctober 1, 1919January 20, 1921Governor William Hobby28Major General Thomas Dickson BartonJanuary 20, 1921January 23, 1925Governor Pat Neff29First Lieutenant William Mark McGeeJanuary 24, 1925December 5, 1925Governor Miriam Ferguson30Colonel Dallas J. MatthewsDecember 5, 1925January 20, 1927Governor Miriam Ferguson31Brigadier General Robert L. RobertsonJanuary 20, 1927January 22, 1931Governor Dan Moody32Captain William Warren SterlingJanuary 22, 1931January 15, 1933Governor Ross Sterling33Major General Henry HutchingsJanuary 18, 1933January 15, 1935Governor Miriam Ferguson34Colonel Carl Eugene NesbittJanuary 15, 1935January 25, 1939Governor James V. Allred35Brigadier General Harry Knox JrJanuary 26, 1939December 31, 1939Governor Wilbert O'Daniel36Brigadier General John Watt Page SrJanuary 1, 1940March 4, 1943Governor Wilbert O'Daniel,
Governor Coke Stevenson37Major General Arthur Balfour KnickerbockerMarch 4, 1943May 7, 1947Governor Coke Stevenson38Major General Kearie Lee BerryMay 7, 1947July 1, 1961Governor Beauford Jester,
Governor Allan Shivers,
Governor Price Daniel39Major General James Edward TaylorJuly 1, 1961January 1, 1962Governor Price Daniel40Major General Thomas Sams BishopJanuary 1, 1962March 13, 1969Governor John Connally41Major General Ross AyersPromoted to brevet lieutenant general by the state governor upon retirement.March 13, 1969March 1, 1973Governor Preston Smith42Major General Thomas Sams BishopMarch 1, 1973January 17, 1979Governor Dolph Briscoe43Major General Willie Lee ScottJanuary 17, 1979February 21, 1985Governor Bill Clements,
Governor Mark White44Major General James Thomas DennisFebruary 21, 1985April 24, 1989Governor Mark White,
Governor Bill Clements45Major General William C. WilsonApril 24, 1989January 7, 1993Governor Bill Clements,
Governor Ann Richards46Major General Sam C. TurkJanuary 7, 1993November 16, 1995Governor Ann Richards,
Governor George W. Bush47Major General Daniel James IIINovember 16, 1995August 9, 2002Governor George W. Bush,
Governor Rick Perry48Major General Wayne D. MartyAugust 9, 2002June 12, 2005Governor Rick Perry49Major General Charles G. RodriguezJune 12, 2005March 2, 2009Governor Rick Perry50Major General Jose S. Mayorga Jr.March 2, 2009February 16, 2011Governor Rick Perry51Major General John Frederick NicholsFebruary 16, 2011December 31, 2018Governor Rick Perry,
Governor Greg Abbott52Major General Tracy R. NorrisJanuary 1, 2019March 1, 2022Governor Greg Abbott53Major General Thomas SuelzerMarch 14, 2022PresentGovernor Greg Abbott
See also Texas Military Forces Texas Military Department List of conflicts involving the Texas Military Awards and decorations of the Texas Military United States Secretary of Defense
References