In a ceremony held today at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia, Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, lauded the leadership and achievements of Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, outgoing Chief of the National Guard Bureau. The event marked Gen. Hokanson’s relinquishment of responsibility after a distinguished tenure.
“Gen. Hokanson’s tenure as the Chief of the National Guard Bureau has been marked by exceptional leadership and transformative accomplishments,” said Gen. Brown. “His visionary leadership has ensured that the National Guard remains a vital and respected component of our national defense today and well into the future.”
Gen. Brown highlighted that since 2020, Gen. Hokanson has spearheaded over 50 legislative initiatives centered on four principal priorities: people, readiness, modernization, and reform. Under Hokanson’s leadership, the National Guard achieved remarkable feats, including responses to historic wildfires and hurricanes in 2020 and various natural disasters in 2022.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Guard administered nearly 60 million vaccine doses, conducted 35 million tests, disinfected 71,000 facilities, supported over 1,000 food banks, and delivered more than 1 million meals to the American public.
Gen. Brown also acknowledged Hokanson’s role in overseeing multiple National Guard overseas mobilizations, notably the evacuation of Afghan civilians in 2021, marking the largest non-combatant evacuation operation in U.S. history.
“Gen. Hokanson epitomizes the spirit of a citizen soldier, as one who felt his duty to defend our country and uphold the freedoms we enjoy today,” Brown stated, praising Hokanson’s strategic vision, steadfast leadership, and tireless advocacy.
In his farewell remarks, Gen. Hokanson credited the accomplishments to the 440,000 soldiers and airmen of the National Guard. “These are not my accomplishments,” he said. “These are the accomplishments of our citizen warriors… earned through their service, their sacrifices, and those of their families.”
After 38 years of service, Gen. Hokanson concluded his career with a reflection on the National Guard’s values. “We are innovative and adaptable; we are prepared and professional; we are informed and experienced,” he stated. “We are well-trained, well-positioned, and well-led; and we will keep our promise to America because we are the National Guard: ‘Always ready, always there.'”
Today’s ceremony followed Hokanson’s formal retirement ceremony, held at the same location on Thursday.–News Desk