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South Carolina Adjutant General
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| South Carolina Adjutant General | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $168,059 |
| 2024 FY Budget: | $120,997,932 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | South Carolina Constitution, Article VI, Section 7 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
| Van McCarty | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | None; office becomes appointed |
| Last election: | November 4, 2014 |
| Other South Carolina Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Comptroller • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
The Adjutant General of South Carolina is an appointed executive position in the South Carolina state government. The Adjutant General serves as head of the Military Department of the state and is in charge of the South Carolina Army and Air National Guard, Emergency Management Division, the State Guard, Youth Challenge, and AmeriCorps.
Current officeholder
The current officeholder is Van McCarty. On January 17, 2019, Gov. Henry McMaster (R) named him as his pick for adjutant general, pending confirmation by the South Carolina State Senate. McCarty's confirmation hearing before the Senate Family and Veterans' Services Committee was held on February 5, 2019.[1][2][3][4]
Authority
The South Carolina Adjutant General's authority is established in Article VI, Section 7 of the state constitution.
Article VI, Section 7:
| There shall be elected by the qualified voters of the State a Secretary of State, an Attorney General, a Treasurer, a Superintendent of Education, Comptroller General, Commissioner of Agriculture, and an Adjutant General who shall hold their respective offices for a term of four years, coterminous with that of the Governor. The duties and compensation of such offices shall be prescribed by law and their compensation shall be neither increased nor diminished during the period for which they shall have been elected.
Beginning upon the expiration of the term of the Adjutant General serving in office on the date of the ratification of the provisions of this paragraph, the Adjutant General must be appointed by the Governor, upon the advice and consent of the Senate. The appointed Adjutant General shall serve for a term not coterminous with the Governor and may be removed only for cause. The General Assembly shall provide by law for the term, duties, compensation, and qualifications for office, the procedures by which the appointment is made, and the procedures by which the Adjutant General may be removed from office.[5] |
Qualifications
The South Carolina Code of Laws lays out the qualifications for the Adjutant General in SECTION 25-1-320:
| (B) The person appointed PreviousAdjutantNext General by the Governor must possess, at a minimum, the following qualifications:
(1) be a qualified elector of this State; (2) be in an active National Guard status at the time of the appointment, except as provided in subsection (E); (3) be a graduate of the Army War College, the Air War College, or the military education level equivalent; (4) have ten or more years of federally recognized commissioned service in the South Carolina National Guard, at least five years of which must have been at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (O-5) or higher; (5) have command experience at the battalion or squadron level or higher; and (6) hold the rank of Colonel (O-6) or higher and possess the necessary qualifications to serve as a federally recognized general officer.[6] |
- Qualified elector in South Carolina
- Active in the National Guard.
- Graduate of a military college or possess an equivalent military education.
- Ten years in the South Carolina National Guard, at least five of which have been as a Lieutenant Colonel or higher.
- Command experience at the battalion or squadron level, if not higher.
- Hold the rank of Colonel and possess qualifications to serve as a general officer.
Elections
Prior to 2014, at which time voters approved a constitutional amendment making Adjutant General an appointed position, Article VI, Section 7 of the state constitution stipulated that the Adjutant General be elected every four years to a term of four years. The Adjutant General, like South Carolina's other executive officials, was elected in mid-term elections.
2014
Republican incumbent Robert E. Livingston, Jr. won election without opposition on November 4, 2014.
Vacancies
The South Carolina Code of Laws lays out the process of filling a vacancy for this office in SECTION 25-1-340:
| If the Office of the Adjutant General is vacated because of the death, resignation, removal, or retirement of the Adjutant General prior to the normal expiration of his term of Office, the Governor shall appoint with the advice and consent of the Senate an officer of the active South Carolina National Guard, who meets the eligibility requirements provided in Section 25-1-320 to fill out the unexpired term of the former incumbent. In the event a vacancy should occur in the Office of Adjutant General at a time when the Senate is not in session, the Governor temporarily may fill the vacancy pursuant to Section 1-3-210. The appointee, upon being duly qualified, is subject to all the duties and liabilities incident to the office and receives the compensation provided by law for the Adjutant General during his term of service.[7] |
Duties
The Adjutant General is the commander of the military forces within the South Carolina Military Department. In that capacity, the Adjutant General assists the Governor in carrying out the role of Commander in Chief.
The South Carolina Code of Laws lays out the specific duties of the office in SECTION 25-1-350, including the following:
- Keeping a roster of all active, reserve, and retired officers of the South Carolina National Guard and submitting to the Governor and General Assembly the annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of South Carolina.
- Appointing civilian employees in the Military Department.
Divisions
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for information that describes the divisions (if any exist) of a state executive office. That information for the South Carolina Adjutant General has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
State budget
- See also: South Carolina state budget and finances
The budget for the Adjutant General's office in Fiscal Year 2024 was $120,997,932.[8]
Compensation
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $168,059, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2019
In 2019, the adjutant general received a salary of $92,007, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2018
In 2019, the adjutant general received a salary of $92,007, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2017
In 2017, the adjutant general received a salary of $92,007, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2016
In 2016, the adjutant general received a salary of $92,007, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2015
In 2015, the adjutant general received a salary of $92,007, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2014
In 2014, the adjutant general received a salary of $92,007, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2013
The adjutant general was paid $92,007 in 2013.[16]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the South Carolina Adjutant General has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
- Robert E. Livingston, Jr. (2010-2019)
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for South + Carolina + Adjutant + General
Contact info
Military Department of SC State Operations
1 National Guard Road
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 299-4200
See also
| South Carolina | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ DVIDS, "South Carolina Adjutant General Change of Command," February 16, 2019
- ↑ WISTV, "Governor names McCarty new South Carolina adjutant general," January 17, 2019
- ↑ South Carolina Senate Family and Veterans' Services Committee, "Confirmation Hearing: Adjutant General: Major General Roy Van McCarty," accessed February 6, 2019
- ↑ South Carolina National Guard, "MAJOR GENERAL VAN MCCARTY," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ South Carolina Legislature, "South Carolina Constitution," accessed January 21, 2021
- ↑ South Carolina Code of Laws, "TITLE 25. MILITARY, CIVIL DEFENSE AND VETERANS AFFAIRS," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ South Carolina Code of Laws, "TITLE 25. MILITARY, CIVIL DEFENSE AND VETERANS AFFAIRS," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ South Carolina Legislature, "Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Appropriations Bill H. 4300," accessed December 6, 2023
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ South Carolina State House, "State budget 2021-2022," accessed September 28, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 28, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 28, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 28, 2014
- ↑ The State, "SC Salary Database," accessed August 15, 2013
