Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs

Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs
Agency overview
FormedAugust 1, 1967; 57 years ago (1967-08-01)
JurisdictionWisconsin
Headquarters2400 Wright St. Madison, Wisconsin
Employees556.5 (2021)
Annual budget$283,263,900 (2021)[1]
Agency executives
Websitedma.wi.gov

The Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs (DMA) is an agency of the Wisconsin state government responsible for maintaining Wisconsin's armed military force and responding to state or national emergencies. The department oversees the Wisconsin Army National Guard, the Wisconsin Air National Guard, Wisconsin Emergency Management, and, when organized, the Wisconsin State Defense Force.

The department headquarters are located at 2400 Wright Street, in Madison, on the grounds of the Dane County Regional Airport. The commander-in-chief of the department is the Governor of Wisconsin, but the department is overseen by an adjutant general appointed by the governor. The current commander-in-chief is Tony Evers, the current interim adjutant general is Brigadier General David W. May.[2]

History

The Department of Military Affairs was created by the 1967 Wisconsin government reorganization act, sponsored by governor Warren P. Knowles (1967 Wisconsin Act 75). At the time, the agency was established to unify command of National Guard and the state Armory Board. In 1989, the division of Emergency Management (also known as Wisconsin Emergency Management) was transferred to the Department of Military Affairs from the Department of Administration.[3]

Adjutant generals of Wisconsin

# General Took office Left office Notes
1 William Rudolph Smith July 20, 1839 April 1, 1851 Appointed by Henry Dodge.
Reappointed by James Duane Doty, Nathaniel P. Tallmadge, Henry Dodge.
Reappointed by Nelson Dewey.
2 William A. Barstow April 1, 1851 April 1, 1852 Appointed by Nelson Dewey.
3 William L. Utley April 1, 1852 April 1, 1854 Appointed by Leonard J. Farwell.
4 John McManman April 1, 1854 April 1, 1856 Appointed by William A. Barstow.
5 Amasa Cobb April 1, 1856 April 1, 1860 Appointed by Coles Bashford.
6 James A. Swain April 1, 1860 April 25, 1861 Appointed by Alexander Randall.
Resigned to accept commission in Union Army.
7 William L. Utley April 25, 1861 January 7, 1862 Appointed by Alexander Randall.
Resigned to accept commission as colonel of the 22nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment.
8 Augustus Gaylord January 7, 1862 April 30, 1866 Appointed by Louis P. Harvey.
9 James Kerr Proudfit April 30, 1866 March 28, 1868 Appointed by Lucius Fairchild.
10 Edwin E. Bryant March 28, 1868 January 2, 1872 Appointed by Lucius Fairchild.
11 Robert Monteith January 2, 1872 April 11, 1874 Appointed by Cadwallader C. Washburn.
12 Alfred C. Parkinson April 11, 1874 January 11, 1876 Appointed by William Robert Taylor.
13 George A. Hannaford January 11, 1876 May 9, 1876 Appointed by Harrison Ludington.
14 Edwin E. Bryant May 9, 1876 January 2, 1882 Appointed by Harrison Ludington.
Reappointed by William E. Smith.
15 Chandler P. Chapman January 2, 1882 January 7, 1889 Appointed by Jeremiah M. Rusk.
16 George W. Burchard January 7, 1889 January 5, 1891 Appointed by William D. Hoard.
17 Joseph Doe January 5, 1891 December 15, 1893 Appointed by George Wilbur Peck.
18 Otto H. Falk December 15, 1893 January 7, 1895 Appointed by George Wilbur Peck.
19 Charles King January 7, 1895 January 4, 1897 Appointed by William H. Upham.
20 Charles R. Boardman January 4, 1897 September 30, 1913 Appointed by Edward Scofield.
Reappointed by Robert M. La Follette.
Reappointed by James O. Davidson.
Reappointed by Francis E. McGovern.
21 Orlando Holway October 1, 1913 February 3, 1923 Appointed by Francis E. McGovern.
Reappointed by Emanuel L. Philipp.
Reappointed by John J. Blaine.
Died in office.
- John G. Salsman February 3, 1923 June 1, 1923 Acting adjutant general.
22 Ralph M. Immell June 1, 1923 May 11, 1946 Appointed by John J. Blaine.
Reappointed by Fred R. Zimmerman.
Reappointed by Walter J. Kohler Sr.
Reappointed by Philip La Follette.
Reappointed by Albert G. Schmedeman.
Reappointed by Philip La Follette.
Reappointed by Julius P. Heil.
Reappointed by Walter Samuel Goodland.
Took leave from office to serve overseas in World War II.
- Alvin A. Kuechenmeister October 10, 1942 September 25, 1946 Acting adjutant general while Immell was overseas.
23 John F. Mullen September 25, 1946 July 31, 1950 Appointed by Walter Samuel Goodland.
Reappointed by Oscar Rennebohm.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Executive Branch" (PDF). Wisconsin Blue Book 2023–2024 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. 2023. pp. 209–211. ISBN 978-1-7333817-1-0. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  2. ^ "Leadership". Wisconsin National Guard. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  3. ^ Pohlman, Julie; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2015). "Executive Branch" (PDF). State of Wisconsin 2015–2016 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 433–441. ISBN 978-0-9752820-7-6. Retrieved January 12, 2024.


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