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.
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

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 Office of the Adjutant General, Texas militia, and Texas Rangers. The department was abolished from February 4, 1856 - April 6, 1860 due a fire on October 10, 1855 that destroyed nearly all records.
The department was again abolished from January 1, 1867 - June 24, 1870 during the military occupation and reconstruction of Texas. 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 Texas State Police. 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 2006-2015. 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 is the general and their deputy's 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

*Military ranks at time of office:
NumberPortraitAdjutant GeneralTook officeLeft officeTime in officeCommander-in-Chief
serving under		Ref
-Colonel John Austin WhartonDecember 9, 1835July 5, 18365 monthsMajor General Sam Houston
1Colonel Albert Sidney JohnstonAugust 5, 1836November 16, 18363 monthsGovernor James Robinson,
President David Burnet
2Colonel Edwin MorehouseDecember 22, 1836President Sam Houston
3Colonel Hugh McLeodOctober 24, 1837January 18, 18413 years,
2 months		President Sam Houston,
President Mirabeau Lamar,
President Sam Houston
Colonel James DavisMay 3, 1842July 31, 18422 monthsPresident Sam Houston
4Colonel William Gordon CookeJanuary 16, 1843April 27, 18463 years,
3 months		President Sam Houston,
President Anson James,
Governor James P. Henderson
Colonel Duncan Campbell Ogden1846Governor James P. Henderson
5Colonel Charles L. MannDecember 24, 1847March 4, 18482 monthsGovernor James P. Henderson
6Colonel John Drayton PittsMarch 4, 1848Governor George Wood,
Governor Peter Bell
7Major James Shackleford GillettNovember 24, 1851February 4, 18564 years,
2 months		Governor Peter Bell,
Governor James W. Henderson,
Governor Elisha Pease
Office abolished due to October 10, 1855 fireFebruary 4, 1856April 6, 18604 years,
2 months
8Civilian Anthony Banning NortonApril 6, 1860Governor Sam Houston
9Lieutenant Colonel William ByrdMarch 25, 1861Governor Edward Clark
10Colonel Jeremiah Yellot DashiellNovember 11, 1861Governor Francis Lubbock
11Lieutenant Colonel David Browning CulbersonNovember 17, 1863November 18641 yearGovernor Francis Lubbock
12Colonel John BurkeNovember 1, 1864May 13, 18656 monthsGovernor Pendleton Murrah
13Major Davis R. GurleyMay 13, 1865January 1, 18671 year,
7 months		Governor James Throckmorton,
Governor Elisha Pease
Office abolished due to ReconstructionJanuary 1, 1867June 24, 1870Military Governor Andrew Hamilton
14Colonel James DavidsonJune 24, 1870November 15, 1872Governor Edmund Davis
15Civilian Frank L. BrittonNovember 14, 1872January 20, 1874Governor Edmund Davis,
Governor Richard Coke
16Brigadier General William S. SteeleJanuary 20, 1874January 25, 1879Governor Richard Coke,
Governor Richard Hubbard
17Major John B. JonesJanuary 25, 1879July 19, 1881Governor Oran Roberts
18Colonel Wilburn Hill KingJuly 25, 1881January 23, 1891Governor Oran Roberts,
Governor John Ireland
Governor Lawrence Ross
19Brigadier General Woodford Haywood MabryJanuary 23, 1891May 5, 1898Governor Jim Hogg,
Governor Charles Culberson
20Brigadier General Alfred Prior WozencraftMay 5, 1898January 17, 1899Governor Charles Culberson
21Major Thomas ScurryJanuary 17, 1899June 1, 1903Governor Joseph Sayers
22Brigadier General John Augustus HulenJune 1, 1903January 23, 1907Governor Samuel Lanham
23Brigadier General James Oscar NewtonJanuary 23, 1907December 15, 1910Governor Thomas Campbell
24Brigadier General Robert H. BeckhamDecember 15, 1910January 23, 1911Governor Oscar Colquitt
25Brigadier General Henry HutchingsJanuary 23, 1911September 29, 1917Governor Oscar Colquitt,
Governor James Ferguson,
Governor William Hobby
26Major James A. HarleySeptember 29, 1917September 30, 1919Governor William Hobby
27Wesley D. CopeOctober 1, 1919January 20, 1921Governor William Hobby
28Major General Thomas Dickson BartonJanuary 20, 1921January 23, 1925Governor Pat Neff
29First Lieutenant William Mark McGeeJanuary 24, 1925December 5, 1925Governor Miriam Ferguson
30Colonel Dallas J. MatthewsDecember 5, 1925January 20, 1927Governor Miriam Ferguson
31Brigadier General Robert L. RobertsonJanuary 20, 1927January 22, 1931Governor Dan Moody
32Captain William Warren SterlingJanuary 22, 1931January 15, 1933Governor Ross Sterling
33Major General Henry HutchingsJanuary 18, 1933January 15, 1935Governor Miriam Ferguson
34Colonel Carl Eugene NesbittJanuary 15, 1935January 25, 1939Governor James Allred
35Brigadier General Harry Knox JrJanuary 26, 1939December 31, 1939Governor Wilbert O'Daniel
36Brigadier General John Watt Page SrJanuary 1, 1940March 4, 1943Governor Wilbert O'Daniel,
Governor Coke Stevenson
37Major General Arthur Balfour KnickerbockerMarch 4, 1943May 7, 1947Governor Coke Stevenson
38Major General Kearie Lee BerryMay 7, 1947July 1, 1961Governor Beauford Jester,
Governor Allan Shivers,
Governor Price Daniel
39Major General James Edward TaylorJuly 1, 1961January 1, 1962Governor Price Daniel
40Major General Thomas Sams BishopJanuary 1, 1962March 13, 1969Governor John Connally
41Lieutenant General Ross AyersMarch 13, 1969March 1, 1973Governor Preston Smith
42Major General Thomas Sams BishopMarch 1, 1973January 17, 1979Governor Dolph Briscoe
43Major General Willie Lee ScottJanuary 17, 1979February 21, 1985Governor Bill Clements,
Governor Mark White
44Major General James Thomas DennisFebruary 21, 1985April 24, 1989Governor Mark White,
Governor Bill Clements
45Major General William C. WilsonApril 24, 1989January 7, 1993Governor Bill Clements,
Governor Ann Richards
46Major General Sam C. TurkJanuary 7, 1993November 16, 1995Governor Ann Richards,
Governor George W. Bush
47Lieutenant General Daniel James IIINovember 16, 1995August 9, 2002Governor George W. Bush,
Governor Rick Perry
48Major General Wayne D. MartyAugust 9, 2002June 12, 2005Governor Rick Perry
49Major General Charles G. RodriguezJune 12, 2005March 2, 2009Governor Rick Perry
50Major General Jose S. Mayorga Jr.March 2, 2009February 16, 2011Governor Rick Perry
51Major General John Frederick NicholsFebruary 16, 2011December 31, 2018Governor Rick Perry,
Governor Greg Abbott
52Major General Tracy R. NorrisJanuary 1, 2019PresentGovernor Greg Abbott