ARLINGTON, Va. – Army Lt. Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson was nominated to serve as the next chief of the National Guard Bureau by President Donald J. Trump May 4.
If confirmed by the Senate, Hokanson would be promoted to four-star general and take a seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He would replace Air Force Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel, who has served as the 28th CNGB since August 2016.
“I am truly humbled and honored by the nomination to serve as the next Chief of the National Guard Bureau,” said Hokanson, the current Army National Guard director. “If confirmed, I look forward to building upon the outstanding legacy left by General Lengyel and the many other National Guard leaders who have served our states and nation with great distinction.”
Before taking the helm of the Army Guard in June, Hokanson served as NGB’s vice chief from November 2016.
“Lt. Gen. Hokanson is an outstanding leader who clearly understands the evolving and complex strategic environment we face at home and abroad,” said Lengyel. “His unmatched experience and accomplishments at the state and national levels will help ensure our Guard force is ready and able to implement the National Defense Strategy and remain a strong and trusted partner on the battlefield and during domestic responses.”
The CNGB is responsible for ensuring more than 450,000 Army and Air National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are ready and able to conduct their combat and homeland response missions. The CNGB also serves as a military adviser to the president, secretary of defense and National Security Council and is the Department of Defense’s official channel of communication to the governors and state adjutants general on all matters pertaining to the National Guard.
A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, Hokanson served on active duty as an Army aviator before joining the Oregon Guard in 1995. His combat deployments include Operations Just Cause, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Hokanson served as Oregon’s adjutant general from 2013 to 2015.
“It would be a privilege for Kelly and me to represent our National Guard Soldiers, Airmen and their families in this role,” Hokanson said. “If confirmed, we look forward to working every day to ensure the greatest National Guard force in history continues to serve our communities and nation.”