Title 32National GuardRelease 119-73

§314 Adjutants general

Title 32 › Chapter CHAPTER 3— - PERSONNEL › § 314

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Every State, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands must have an adjutant general. That person must carry out the duties set by the local laws. The President picks the D.C. adjutant general and decides the rank and qualifications. The President can name a retired officer from the Regular Army or the Regular Air Force for that job if recommended, and that officer gets the basic pay and allowances for the rank. Adjutants general and National Guard officers must send the reports the Secretary of the Army or the Secretary of the Air Force asks for to that Secretary or the person they choose.

Full Legal Text

Title 32, §314

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(a)There shall be an adjutant general in each State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. He shall perform the duties prescribed by the laws of that jurisdiction.
(b)The President shall appoint the adjutant general of the District of Columbia and prescribe his grade and qualifications.
(c)The President may detail as adjutant general of the District of Columbia any retired commissioned officer of the Regular Army or the Regular Air Force recommended for that detail by the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard. An officer detailed under this subsection is entitled to the basic pay and allowances of his grade.
(d)The adjutant general of each State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands, and officers of the National Guard, shall make such returns and reports as the Secretary of the Army or the Secretary of the Air Force may prescribe, and shall make those returns and reports to the Secretary concerned or to any officer designated by him.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 314(a)314(b)314(c)314(d)32:11.32:12.10:998.32:13.32:14.Jan. 21, 1903, ch. 196, § 12, 32 Stat. 776.
June 6, 1900, ch. 811, 31 Stat. 671.
June 3, 1916, ch. 134, § 66, 39 Stat. 199. In subsection (a), the word “appointed” is omitted, since the position is not filled by appointment in some cases. The Act of
January 21, 1903, ch. 196, § 12 (last 48 words of 1st sentence) are not contained in 32:11. They are also omitted from the revised section as covered by subsection (d) of this section. In subsection (b), the word “grade” is substituted for the word “rank”. The words “To be eligible for appointment as * * * a person must be” are substituted for the words “each * * * shall be”. The words “of that jurisdiction” are substituted for the words “of the Territory for which he is appointed”. In subsection (c), the word “Regular” is inserted as an implication of 10:998 (last 2 words). The words “commanding general” are substituted for the words “brigadier general commanding”, since the commanding general might hold another grade. The words “basic pay” are substituted for the words “active service pay” to conform to section 201 of the Career Compensation Act of 1949, 63 Stat. 805 (37 U.S.C. 232). The word “grade” is substituted for the word “rank”. In subsection (d), the words “at such times and in such form” are omitted as covered by the words “such returns and reports as the Secretary * * * may prescribe”.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2006—Subsecs. (a), (d). Pub. L. 109–163 substituted “State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands” for “State and Territory, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia”. 1991—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–190 struck out “each Territory and” before “the District of Columbia” in first sentence, and struck out at end “To be eligible for appointment as adjutant general of a Territory, a person must be a citizen of that jurisdiction.” 1990—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101–510 struck out at end “Each Secretary shall send with his annual report to Congress an abstract of the returns and reports of the adjutants general and such comments as he considers necessary for the information of Congress.” 1988—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100–456, § 1234(b)(1), struck out “the Canal Zone,” after “Puerto Rico,”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–456, § 1234(b)(5), struck out “, the Canal Zone,” after “each Territory” and “or the Canal Zone” after “a Territory”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 100–456, § 1234(b)(1), struck out “the Canal Zone,” after “Puerto Rico,”. 1958—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 85–894 struck out “Puerto Rico” in two places.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

32 U.S.C. § 314

Title 32National Guard

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73