Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau

Summary

The vice chief of the National Guard Bureau (VCNGB) is the second highest-ranking officer of the National Guard Bureau, which is a joint activity of the United States Department of Defense. The vice chief is also the second in charge of the National Guard; which is a joint reserve component of the United States Army and the United States Air Force. The vice chief serves as the principal advisor to the chief of the National Guard Bureau and the secretary of defense, through the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on matters involving non-federalized National Guard forces and on other matters as determined by the United States Secretary of Defense. The vice chief also serves as the principal adviser to the secretary of the Army, the secretary of the Air Force, the chief of staff of the Army, and the chief of staff of the Air Force, on matters relating to federalized forces of the United States National Guard and its sub-components; the Army National Guard, and the Air National Guard.

Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau
Seal of the National Guard Bureau
Flag of the Vice Chief
Incumbent
Lt Gen Marc H. Sasseville, USAF
since August 2020
National Guard Bureau
AbbreviationVCNGB
Member ofUnited States National Guard
Joint Requirements Oversight Council
Reports toChief of the National Guard Bureau
NominatorPresident
AppointerSenate
Term length4 years, renewable
Constituting instrument10 U.S.C. § 10505
Formation5 October 1994
WebsiteOfficial Website

The vice chief position is a statutory office (10 U.S.C. § 10505) and is nominated for appointment by the president from any eligible National Guard officer holding the rank of major general or above, who has also served at least 10 years of federally recognized active duty in the National Guard. The nominee must have been recommended by their state governor and their service secretary, and must also meet the additional requirements for the position, as determined by the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The nominee must be confirmed via majority vote from the Senate. The vice chief serves a four-year term of office at the pleasure of the president. By statute, the vice chief serves as a reserve officer on active duty in the Army or the Air Force. The chief and vice chief cannot be from the same service. If an officer from the same service as the sitting vice chief is appointed to be the chief of the National Guard Bureau, the vice chief's term involuntarily ends when the new chief assumes office.

The position of vice chief was established via the 1995 National Defense Authorization Act as a two-star office. The 2005 National Defense Authorization Act renamed the position to director of the Joint Staff of the National Guard Bureau. The 2012 National Defense Authorization Act renamed the position back to vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, and elevated the office to a three-star general. While the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act removed the vice chief's statutory rank, the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act amended that and elevated the vice chief to a statutory rank of general.[1][2][3]

List of vice chiefs edit

No. Vice Chief Term Service branch
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau (1988–2004)
1
 
Major General
John B. Conaway
(born 1934)
July 1988February 1990~1 year, 215 days 
U.S. Air Force
2
 
Major General
William A. Navas Jr.
(born 1942)
July 1990August 1992~2 years, 31 days 
U.S. Army
3
 
Major General
Raymond F. Rees
(born 1944)
September 1992July 1994~1 year, 303 days 
U.S. Army
4
 
Major General
Russell C. Davis[4]
(born 1938)
December 1995August 1998~2 years, 243 days 
U.S. Air Force
5
 
Major General
Raymond F. Rees
(born 1944)
March 1999May 2003~4 years, 61 days 
U.S. Army
Director of the Joint Staff of the National Guard Bureau (2004–2011)
6
 
Major General
Paul J. Sullivan
November 20031 May 2005~1 year, 181 days 
U.S. Air Force
-
 
Major General
Ronald G. Young[5]
Acting
1 May 20058 January 2006221 days 
U.S. Army
7
 
Major General
Terry L. Scherling
8 January 2006January 2008~1 year, 358 days 
U.S. Air Force
8
 
Major General
William H. Etter
January 2008January 2009~1 year, 0 days 
U.S. Air Force
-
 
Major General
Peter M. Aylward
Acting
January 2009August 2009~212 days 
U.S. Army
-
 
Major General
Randy E. Manner
Acting
December 2010March 2011~90 days 
U.S. Army
9
 
Major General
Randy E. Manner
March 201131 December 2011~305 days 
U.S. Army
Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau (2011–present)
-
 
Major General
Randy E. Manner
Acting
31 December 2011[6]18 August 2012231 days 
U.S. Army
10
 
Lieutenant General
Joseph L. Lengyel
(born 1959)
18 August 20123 August 20163 years, 351 days 
U.S. Air Force
11
 
Lieutenant General
Daniel R. Hokanson
(born 1963)
November 201624 June 2019~2 years, 235 days 
U.S. Army
12
 
Lieutenant General
Marc H. Sasseville[7]
(born 1963)
August 2020Incumbent~3 years, 239 days 
U.S. Air Force

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "10 USC 10505: Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau". uscode.house.gov. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  2. ^ "H.R.2670 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024". Congress.gov. 2023-12-22. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  3. ^ Waldenberg, Samantha (2023-12-22). "Biden signs $886.3 billion defense policy bill into law | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 2023-12-23.
  4. ^ First holder to hold the Vice Chief position by statute.
  5. ^ "MG Ronald G. Young". Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  6. ^ refers to the date when the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 was signed into law, re-establishing the title of Vice Chief.
  7. ^ Timothy J. Kadavy was originally nominated by the president to succeed Hokanson as Vice Chief, but the Senate did not take action and the nomination expired. The Senate returned it to the president at the end of the 2019 congressional session. The position remained vacant until Sasseville assumed office.

External links edit

  • nationalguard.mil - Vice Chief, National Guard Bureau