ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 12, 2011) – Governor Martin O'Malley today promoted James A. Adkins to the rank of major general in a private ceremony in the Governor's office under the historic portrait of General John Stricker. Maj. Gen. Adkins has served as adjutant general of Maryland since 2008 and also served as the state's Secretary of Veterans Affairs until 2009.
“This is an outstanding personal achievement for Maj. Gen. Adkins,” said Governor O'Malley. “His professional insight and strategic intuition have served Maryland well these last few years, and this promotion is well deserved.”
As the state's 28th adjutant general since 1794, General Adkins is responsible for formulating, developing and coordinating all policies, programs and plans for seven thousand men and women who make up the state of Maryland Military Department. The Military Department includes the Maryland Army National Guard, Maryland Air National Guard, Maryland Emergency Management Agency and the Maryland Defense Force. The Department employs more than 7,100 full-time and traditional Guard members and civilian state employees, contributing more than $353 million annually to Maryland’s economy.
The Maryland National Guard is tasked at both the federal level by the President of the United States and at the state level by the Governor to defend our country and state. Since 9/11, almost 9,000 Maryland Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen have been called to serve on active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and a wide range of natural disaster recovery efforts.
In 1993 the Maryland National Guard joined with Estonia in the State Partnership Program. The SPP was launched in Europe as part of the initial outreach by the United States to new democracies in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The partnership program emphasizes civil and military cooperation with civil control of a professional military.
Maryland has a key role in this international initiative to foster democracy, encourage market economies and promote regional cooperation and stability. In 2003, Maryland was selected to partner with Bosnia and Herzegovina, in part because of the state's previous success with Estonia.
The Maryland National Guard now has approximately 200 Soldiers and Airmen deployed overseas in a variety of theaters including Afghanistan, Iraq, Djibouti and others. Within the next six months, it will have up to 1,000
Service members deployed in peacekeeping, combat and support roles--the most it has had deployed since World War II.
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