Gen. Steven Nordhaus took command of the National Guard Bureau during a ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Virginia, replacing Gen. Daniel Hokanson, who retired in August.
Before assuming his new responsibility, Nordhaus received his fourth star, earning the general a seat at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the U.S. Air Force said Wednesday.
Navy Adm. Christopher Grady, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a 2022 Wash100 winner, presided over the turnover ceremony.
In his Tuesday acceptance speech, the new NGB chief vowed to focus on people, readiness, partnerships and modernization to ensure that the service remains postured for global competition and responsive in times of domestic crisis.
“Everything I do in this role will be in the service of our people so we can ensure mission success,” Nordhaus stressed.
Nordhaus most recently served as commander of the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and the 1st Air Force. He was responsible for planning and conducting air defense and air sovereignty operations in the continental United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
He also served as NGB’s director of operations and commander of the Air National Guard Readiness Center at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Earlier, the Air Force general was an executive assistant to Army Gen. Frank Grass, the 27th NGB chief.
Nordhaus is a command pilot with over 3,000 flight hours in various aircraft. He has flown combat missions in various operations, including Southern Watch, Vigilant Warrior, Northern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
The new NGB head will lead around 46,000 guardsmen spread across the U.S. and abroad to support homeland and international defense deployments.