By 1LT Johnathan Winston, Texas State Guard
AUSTIN, Texas – Colonel John Adams has retired after 16 years of service to the Texas State Guard and 45 total years of uniformed service. His retirement ceremony took place on October 24, 2020 at Camp Mabry.
Adams most recently served as the Texas State Guard’s senior personnel officer from 2016 to 2020, and he is recognized as one of the most important figures in the Guard’s ongoing transformation and professionalization.
Maj. Gen. Robert Bodisch, Commanding General of the Texas State Guard, praised Adams’ service to Texas and the United States during his speech at the ceremony.
Bodisch used the words “leadership, integrity, and dedication” to describe Adams, a man whom he said fits the definition of being a “real hero” after a lengthy and storied career.
Adams’ uniformed service began in 1966, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army. Adams served on a 19 month combat tour in Vietnam. During his tour, he received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart, among other awards.
Adams then returned to Texas, completed studies at Sam Houston State University, and resumed his Army service as a Second Lieutenant in 1973. He went on to serve as an active duty helicopter pilot, followed by multiple senior level staff and leadership positions in the Army Reserve.
In October 2000, Adams volunteered for service as the military assistant to the political advisor for the commander of Allied forces in Kosovo.
His dedication and thoroughness were evident throughout the assignment- culminating in successful negotiations to win the release of six Serbian hostages.
Adams brought his pedigree for excellence into the Texas State Guard, which he joined in 2004 after leaving the Army Reserve.
Whether he was planning and coordinating deployments for hurricanes, or streamlining awards and promotions, Adams was known to members of the TXSG community as the consummate professional- and as an individual who inspired confidence and respect.
“You have served your state and your country well and we owe you a huge debt of gratitude,” Bodisch said in his closing remarks. “You might retire, but you will always be part of the family.”
More information about joining the TXSG can be found at https://tmd.texas.gov/state-guard.