Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau
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 United States 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 | |
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Seal of the National Guard Bureau | |
Flag of the Vice Chief | |
National Guard Bureau | |
Abbreviation | VCNGB |
Member of | United States National Guard |
Reports to | Chief of the National Guard Bureau |
Nominator | President |
Appointer | Senate |
Term length | 4 years, renewable |
Constituting instrument | 10 U.S.C. § 10505 |
Formation | 5 October 1994 |
Website | Official 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 is appointed as a lieutenant general in the Army or Air Force, serving as a reserve officer on active duty.
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.
List of Vice Chiefs since 2012
No. | Vice Chief | Term | Service branch | |||
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Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | ||
10 | Lieutenant General Joseph L. Lengyel (born 1959) | 18 August 2012 | 3 August 2016 | 3 years, 351 days | U.S. Air Force | |
11 | Lieutenant General Daniel R. Hokanson (born 1963) | November 2016 | 24 June 2019 | ~2 years, 235 days | U.S. Army | |
12 | Lieutenant General Marc H. Sasseville[2] (born 1963) | August 2020 | Incumbent | ~178 days | U.S. Air Force |
References
- 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.
- 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.