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"Texans Defending Texas"
MEDIA ADVISORY
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FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLIC RELEASE:
Adjutant General Announces Texas Army National Guard Leadership Change
CAMP MABRY, Texas (June 5, 2013) - Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols, The Adjutant General of Texas, announces the retirement of Maj. Gen. Joyce L. Stevens, Assistant Adjutant General for Army (ATAG) and Commander of the Texas Army National Guard, effective July 14, 2013. Stevens, a resident of Tomball, Texas, will retire with more than 32 years of service to the state and nation, including a tour of a duty in Afghanistan.
"It's been a privilege to work with Maj. Gen. Stevens," Nichols said. "She has had an exceptional career serving Texas and the nation - and her acccomplishments will be celebrated for years to come. We wish her a continued success as she tranistions into the next phase of her life."
Gov. Rick Perry has appointed Brig. Gen. William L. "Len" Smith, a resident of Austin, Texas, to succeed Stevens. Smith is a graduate of Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University - San Marcos), where he earned his initial commission thruough the Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1986. Smith has held several significant duty positions with the Texas Army National Guard, including service in Kosovo and Iraq.
The ATAG is the state's senior Army Guard official appointed by the governor and leads the Texas Army Natonal Guard, which currently has more than 19,00 service members - the largest Army Guard in the nation. The ATAG supervides the operations training, readiness and resource allocation for both state and federal missions, and serves as the principal advisor to The Adjutnant General on all matters concerning the Texas Army National Guard.
"I look forward to working with Brig. Gen. Smith in his new role," Nichols said. "He is an outstanding Army Guard leader, and has been instrumental in helping manage our state and federal requirements as Domestoc Operations Commander for the Texas Military Forces."
For additional information, please visit Maj. Gen. Nichols' offical Facebook page:
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The mission of the Texas Military Forces (TXMF) is to provide the Governor and the President with ready and trained forces in support of the citizens of Texas and State and Federal civil/military authorities at home and abroad.
The Texas Military Forces are commanded by the Adjutant General of Texas, the state's senior military official appointed by the governor, and is comprised of the Texas Military Department (formerly the Adjutant General's Department), the Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG), the Texas Air National Guard (TXANG), the Texas State Guard (TXSG) and the Domestic Operations Command (DOMOPS).
Texas Military Forces Public Affairs
P.O. Box 5218, Building 10
Camp Mabry (Austin), Texas 78703