Col. Yvonne Mays has been selected to serve as the next adjutant general and commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the state announced Thursday.
Gov. Phil Murphy said he intends to nominate Mays to succeed Maj. Gen. Lisa Hou, who has accepted a new assignment as the director of the Office of the Joint Surgeon General, National Guard Bureau, effective July 1.
On July 1, Mays will serve as acting adjutant general and acting commissioner of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, pending confirmation by the Senate.
Mays will be the first Black woman to lead the New Jersey National Guard in the state’s history.
Mays enlisted in the Air Force in 1983, beginning a long, decorated career in the armed forces. Prior to commissioning, while on active duty, Mays participated in numerous operations, including Operation Just Cause, and deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm. Following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, she provided active-duty support to Operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom.
Mays most recently served as the deputy adjutant general of New Jersey, the assistant adjutant general, and chief of staff of the New Jersey Air National Guard. As deputy adjutant general, she acted as the principal adviser to the adjutant general and commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs on all matters concerning military readiness, mobilizations, homeland security, defense support to civil authorities, human resources, logistics, training and financial management.
As assistant adjutant general of the New Jersey Air National Guard, she commanded two flying wings performing fighter and air refueling missions, as well as oversaw the development and training of over 2,400 airmen.
Murphy praised Mays’ career.
“Col. Mays’ depth of experience over 40 years in service to our state and nation, and her firsthand knowledge of the day-to-day operations of the New Jersey National Guard and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, make her an exceptional candidate for this position,” he said. “I am confident that she will continue to support our efforts to serve our Garden State heroes.”
Mays appreciates the opportunity.
“This is a time of transformation for the New Jersey National Guard and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and we are ready to meet the challenge,” she said. “Together, we will continue the critical work of defending our state and nation and supporting Garden State heroes through robust state-delivered veterans benefits, programs and services.”
Murphy had praise for Hou.
“Leading her teams through some of the most demanding times in our history, Maj. Gen. Hou demonstrated an unwavering and unrelenting commitment to serving the people of New Jersey,” he said. “I am deeply grateful for her years of service.”
Since Hou assumed her duties in October 2020, more than 3,400 soldiers and 1,400 airmen have deployed overseas or mobilized domestically, including to support New Jersey testing sites and vaccine distributions during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hou also led the successful effort to establish a veterans service office in each of the state’s 21 counties.
Currently, approximately 1,500 New Jersey Army National Guard soldiers are deployed to the Middle East. More than 200 soldiers and airmen are mobilized to support domestic missions ranging from cybersecurity to securing America’s Southwest border.
“This has been the honor of my professional life,” Hou said. “I am proud of the dedicated service of the soldiers and airmen of the New Jersey National Guard and the devoted civilian staff of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.”
