Major General Gus L. Hargett Announces Military Retirement Plans

NASHVILLE – Governor Phil Bredesen today announced the retirement of Major General Gus L. Hargett, Jr. as Tennessee’s Adjutant General and Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Military. The retirement is effective on December 31, 2009. Hargett’s retirement culminates a military career spanning almost 47 years.

 

“General Hargett has served our state and country during a critical period for our National Guard, deploying more than 18,000 soldiers and airmen to support the global war on terrorism since September 11, 2001,” Bredesen said. “He has been a trusted advisor to me and a true leader for Tennessee. He will be sorely missed.”

 

General Hargett enlisted in the Tennessee Army National Guard on August 31, 1962, as an infantry soldier, and has served in various National Guard staff and leadership assignments within Tennessee and around the world. During Desert Shield/Desert Storm he served as Chief of the Operations/Exercise Division for the National Guard Bureau. He completed his War College Fellowship at The Ohio State University.

 

General Hargett has the distinction of being the first National Guard officer to attend the resident NATO Defense College in Rome, Italy. He served the Tennessee National Guard as the Assistant Adjutant General, Army from 1994 through 2002 before being appointed the Adjutant General. In 2004, General Hargett completed a two-year term as the Chairman of the Board of the National Guard Association of the United States. He served a six-year term as a member of the Army Reserve Forces Policy Committee and recently completed a two-year term as a member of the Department of Defense, Reserve Forces Policy Board.

 

“My tenure as Adjutant General has been the most rewarding period of a nearly 47-year military career,” Hargett said. “The opportunity to command, train, mentor and serve with so many outstanding and professional men and women, has been humbling, enjoyable and deeply satisfying. I am also deeply honored to have had the opportunity to serve in the cabinet of Governor Bredesen, who has been an outstanding leader, decision maker, negotiator and commander in chief. Words cannot express the pride I feel over the success we have achieved over the past seven years for our soldiers, airmen and the state of Tennessee.”

 

Major General Hargett will become president of the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) in Washington, D.C. on January 1, 2010. NGAUS provides the National Guard with unified representation before the U.S. Congress, seeking modern equipment, training, missions and personnel benefits for the Army and Air National Guard.