Chapter 5913 | Adjutant General

Section 5913.01 | Adjutant general is commander and administrative head of organized militia - duties.

• Effective: July 4, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) The adjutant general is the commander and administrative head of the Ohio organized militia, as described in section 5923.01 of the Revised Code. The adjutant general shall:

(1) Be provided offices and shall keep them open during usual business hours;

(2) Manage the recruitment of individuals for service in the Ohio organized militia;

(3) Have and maintain custody of all military records, correspondence, and other documents of the Ohio organized militia;

(4) Superintend the preparation of all returns and reports required by the United States from the state on military matters;

(5) Keep a roster of all officers of the Ohio organized militia, including retired officers;

(6) Whenever necessary, cause the military provisions of the Revised Code and the orders, regulations, pamphlets, circulars, and memorandums of the adjutant general's department to be printed and distributed to the organizations of the Ohio organized militia;

(7) Prepare and issue all necessary Ohio organized militia forms and attest to all commissions issued to officers of the Ohio organized militia;

(8) Have a seal, and all copies of orders, records, and papers in the adjutant general's office certified and authenticated with that seal shall be competent evidence in like manner as if the originals were produced. All orders issued from the adjutant general's office shall bear a duplicate of the seal.

(9) Keep and preserve the arms, ordnance, equipment, and all other military property belonging to the state or issued to the state by the federal government and issue any regulations necessary to keep, preserve, and repair the property as conditions demand;

(10) Issue adjutant general's property to the units of the Ohio organized militia as the necessity of the service or organizational or allowance tables requires;

(11) Submit an annual report to the governor at such time as the governor requires of the transaction of the adjutant general's department, setting forth the strength and condition of the Ohio organized militia and other matters that the adjutant general chooses;

(12) Designate members of the Ohio national guard, who are participating in duties related to remotely piloted aircraft, including, but not limited to, pilots, sensor operators, and mission intelligence personnel, duties related to special forces operations, or duties related to cybersecurity, as designated public service workers under section 149.43 of the Revised Code;

(13) Command the joint force headquarters of the Ohio national guard.

(B) The adjutant general shall issue and distribute all orders issued in the name of the governor as the commander in chief of the Ohio organized militia and perform the duties that the governor directs and other duties prescribed by law.

(C) The adjutant general may enter into cooperative agreements, contractual arrangements, or agreements for the acceptance of grants with the United States or any agency or department of the United States, other states, any department or political subdivision of this state, or any person or body politic, to accomplish the purposes of the adjutant general's department. The adjutant general shall cooperate with, and not infringe upon, the rights of other state departments, divisions, boards, commissions, and agencies, political subdivisions, and other public officials and public and private agencies when the interests of the adjutant general's department and those other entities overlap. The funds made available by the United States for the exclusive use of the department shall be expended only by the department and only for the purposes for which the federal funds were appropriated. In accepting federal funds, the department agrees to abide by the terms and conditions of the grant or cooperative agreement and further agrees to expend the federal funds in accordance with the laws and regulations of the United States.

Last updated August 8, 2023 at 10:35 AM

Section 5913.011 | Securing social security benefits for employees of the Ohio national guard.

• Effective: September 17, 2010
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 449 - 128th General Assembly

The adjutant general of Ohio is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with the federal social security administration for the purpose of securing social security benefits, under the national social security act, for those employees of the Ohio national guard who are paid from federal funds, and for whom the federal congress appropriates funds to cover employer's share of social security payments.

Section 5913.02 | Governor's military staff.

• Effective: September 17, 2010
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 449 - 128th General Assembly

The military staff of the governor may consist of any of the following:

(A) An adjutant general in the grade of major general, who shall perform the duties of quartermaster general;

(B) An assistant adjutant general for army in the grade of major general;

(C) An assistant adjutant general for air in the grade of major general;

(D) An assistant quartermaster general in the grade of colonel or brigadier general or any retired officer who has appropriate qualifications for the position, as determined by the adjutant general and the governor.

All persons named in divisions (A) to (D) of this section shall be appointed by the governor and shall hold office during the governor's pleasure.

Section 5913.021 | Qualifications of officers.

• Effective: September 17, 2010
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 449 - 128th General Assembly

(A) The adjutant general at the time of appointment shall be a federally recognized officer in the Ohio national guard in the grade of colonel or above.

(B) The assistant adjutant general for army at the time of appointment shall be a federally recognized officer in the Ohio army national guard in the grade of colonel or above.

(C) The assistant adjutant general for air at the time of appointment shall be a federally recognized officer in the Ohio air national guard in the grade of colonel or above.

(D) The assistant quartermaster general at the time of appointment shall be a federally recognized officer in the Ohio army national guard in the grade of colonel or brigadier general, or any retired officer who has appropriate qualifications for the position, as determined by the adjutant general and the governor.

(E) The adjutant general, the assistant adjutant general for army, the assistant adjutant general for air, and the assistant quartermaster general at the time of appointment shall each have not less than ten years' commissioned service in the armed forces of the United States, not less than five years of that service being in the Ohio national guard, and shall at all times during their tenure of office be federally recognized officers of the Ohio national guard.

(F) The provisions of this section relative to federal recognition shall be suspended during any period of emergency when the majority of the units of the Ohio national guard are in the federal service. In that event, retired officers of the Ohio national guard shall be eligible to serve as adjutant general, assistant adjutant general for army, assistant adjutant general for air, and assistant quartermaster general for the duration of such emergency or until a majority of the units of the Ohio national guard are released from federal service.

Section 5913.03 | Bonds of officers.

• Effective: September 18, 1997
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 130 - 122nd General Assembly

The adjutant general shall give bond in the sum of thirty thousand dollars to the state conditioned upon the faithful performance of the adjutant general's official duties; the assistant adjutant general for army and the assistant adjutant general for air shall give bond in the sum of ten thousand dollars; and the assistant quartermaster general shall give bond in the sum of twenty thousand dollars. If a surety bond is given, the premiums shall be paid out of funds appropriated for the surety bond. These bonds shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state. All other bonds given by the various officers of the Ohio organized militia shall be filed and recorded in the office of the adjutant general.

Section 5913.05 | Assistant adjutants general - duties.

• Effective: September 18, 1997
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 130 - 122nd General Assembly

(A) The assistant adjutants general shall serve in the office of the adjutant general and aid the adjutant general by performing the duties that the adjutant general assigns them.

(B) In the absence or disability of the adjutant general, the senior assistant adjutant general shall perform the duties of the adjutant general.

(C) In the absence or disability of the adjutant general and the senior assistant adjutant general, the junior assistant adjutant general shall perform the duties of the adjutant general.

Section 5913.051 | Assistant to state area commander for readiness and training for army.

• Effective: October 16, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 128th General Assembly

(A) The adjutant general may appoint an assistant adjutant general - army. This assistant shall be a brigadier general and shall aid the adjutant general by performing duties that the adjutant general assigns that include the areas of readiness, mobilization, and homeland defense preparedness. This assistant shall not be a full-time state employee or a member of the governor's military staff, but shall serve in that capacity only during federally recognized training, special duty periods, mobilization periods, or state active duty, and shall at the time of appointment be in the rank of colonel or above but otherwise meet the qualifications established by the department of defense/army for general officer qualification.

(B) The adjutant general may appoint an assistant adjutant general - airforce. This assistant shall be a brigadier general and shall aid the adjutant general by performing duties that the adjutant general assigns that include the areas of readiness, mobilization, and homeland defense preparedness. This assistant shall not be a full-time state employee or a member of the governor's military staff, but shall serve in that capacity only during federally recognized training, special duty periods, mobilization periods, or state active duty, and shall at the time of appointment be in the rank of colonel or above but otherwise meet the qualifications established by the department of defense/air force for general officer qualification.

Section 5913.06 | Assistant quartermaster general.

• Effective: September 18, 1997
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 130 - 122nd General Assembly

(A) The assistant quartermaster general, under direction of the adjutant general as quartermaster general, shall have charge of all state military property and property of the adjutant general's department belonging to the state.

(B) The assistant quartermaster general shall keep an accurate account of state military property and property of the adjutant general's department and prepare reports as the adjutant general directs.

(C) The assistant quartermaster general shall perform other duties assigned by the adjutant general.

(D) In the absence or disability of the adjutant general and the assistant adjutants general, the assistant quartermaster general shall perform the duties of the adjutant general.

Section 5913.07 | Retired officers list.

• Effective: September 18, 1997
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 130 - 122nd General Assembly

(A) Any person who has served as a member of the Ohio organized militia or of the armed forces of the United States, or both, for a period of twenty years, eight years of which have been served as a commissioned officer of the Ohio organized militia, at the person's request and upon approval of the adjutant general, may be placed upon the retired list, which shall be kept in the office of the adjutant general.

(B) Retired officers shall receive no compensation from the state for their services except as provided in this section, but may on all occasions of ceremony wear the uniform of their rank.

(C) The adjutant general may assign or detail retired officers upon duty and when so assigned or detailed, they shall receive the same pay and allowances as officers on the active list of the element of the Ohio organized militia assigned, detailed, or employed under like condition.

Section 5913.08 | Direction over property - employees.

• Effective: September 18, 1997
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 130 - 122nd General Assembly

The adjutant general has general direction over military and other adjutant general's department property belonging to the state. The adjutant general may employ employees as necessary to carry out the duties of the adjutant general's department.

Section 5913.09 | Custodian of military property of state.

• Effective: October 16, 2009
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 128th General Assembly

(A) The adjutant general is the custodian of all military and other adjutant general's department property, both real and personal, belonging to the state.

(B) The adjutant general may make changes and improvements to military and other adjutant general's department property as the needs of the state and federal government and the exigencies of the service require. All improvements made upon that property belonging to the state, from moneys received either all or in part from the state or federal government, or both, become the property of the state, except as may be provided in an agreement and corresponding regulations by which the United States contributes to the cost of an improvement.

(C)(1) In accordance with applicable state and federal law and regulations, the adjutant general, with the approval of the governor, may acquire by purchase lease, license, or otherwise, real and personal property necessary for the purposes of the department.

(2) In accordance with applicable state and federal law and regulations, the adjutant general, with the approval of the attorney general, may enter into contracts for the construction, repair, renovation, maintenance, and operation of military or other adjutant general's department property.

(3) In accordance with applicable state and federal law and regulations, the adjutant general, with the approval of the governor, may lease or exchange all or part of any military or other adjutant general's department property or grant easements or licenses, if the lease, exchange, easement, or license is advantageous to the state.

(4) All real property of the adjutant general's department shall be sold in accordance with section 5911.10 of the Revised Code.

(D)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, all income from any military or other adjutant general's department property of the state, not made a portion of the company, troop, battery, detachment, squadron, or other organization funds by regulations, shall be credited to the funds for the operation and maintenance of the Ohio organized militia, as the adjutant general directs, in accordance with applicable state and federal law and regulations and the agreements by which the United States contributes to the cost of operation and maintenance of the Ohio national guard.

(2) There is hereby created in the state treasury the camp Perry/buckeye inn operations fund. The fund shall consist of all amounts received as revenue from the rental of facilities located at the camp Perry training site in Ottawa county and the buckeye inn at Rickenbacker air national guard base in Franklin county, and all amounts received from the use of the camp Perry training site and its facilities, including shooting ranges. The moneys in the fund shall be used to support the facility operations of the camp Perry clubhouse and the buckeye inn. Investment earnings of the fund shall be credited to the general revenue fund.

Section 5913.10 | Protection and safety regulations.

• Effective: September 18, 1997
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 130 - 122nd General Assembly

(A) The adjutant general may prescribe and enforce regulations for the property referred to in section 5913.09 of the Revised Code, as the adjutant general deems necessary for protection and safety.

(B) In prescribing regulations under division (A) of this section, the adjutant general need not comply with Chapter 111. or 119. of the Revised Code.

Section 5913.11 | Ohio military medal of distinction.

• Effective: March 22, 2013
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 532 - 129th General Assembly

(A) There is hereby created the Ohio military medal of distinction. The adjutant general shall design the medal and coordinate an eligibility establishment program. An individual is eligible for the medal if the individual was killed on or after September 10, 2001, while doing one of the following:

(1) Engaging in an action against an enemy of the United States;

(2) Engaging in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force;

(3) Serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party; or

(4) Serving in a combat zone designated by presidential order.

(B) To receive the Ohio military medal of distinction, an individual shall be at least one of the following at the time the member was killed:

(1) A national guard member who is a resident of this state;

(2) An Ohio national guard member;

(3) A United States military reserves member who is a resident of this state;

(4) A United States armed forces member who is a resident of this state.

(C)(1) At least once per year, the adjutant general shall provide a list of eligible medal recipients to the department of veterans services and the governor. The adjutant general shall prepare a medal for each eligible medal recipient. The medal shall be presented to the recipient's primary next of kin, as designated by the recipient. If the recipient has not designated a primary next of kin or if the designated primary next of kin is deceased, the primary next of kin shall be determined under the rules of the United States department of defense.

(2) The governor and the general assembly annually shall hold a joint ceremony to recognize the medal recipients for the prior year and to present each medal to the recipient's primary next of kin, as determined under division (C)(1) of this section.

(D)(1) If a parent of the medal recipient is the primary next of kin, as determined under division (C)(1) of this section, and the medal recipient's parents are not married to each other or are legally separated from each other, the medal recipient's other living parent may request a duplicate medal at no cost.

If neither of the medal recipient's parents is the primary next of kin, as determined under division (C)(1) of this section, the living parents of the medal recipient jointly may request a duplicate medal at no cost, except that if the parents of the medal recipient are not married to each other or are legally separated from each other, each living parent may request a duplicate medal at no cost.

If the medal recipient's spouse is not the primary next of kin, the spouse may request a duplicate medal at no cost.

The adjutant general shall prescribe a form by which a parent or spouse may request a duplicate medal under division (D)(1) of this section.

(2) A surviving spouse, a natural or adopted child who is at least eighteen years of age, a parent, a brother or sister, whether of the whole or the half blood, who is at least eighteen years of age, an aunt or uncle who is at least eighteen years of age, or a grandparent of a medal recipient may apply to the adjutant general, on a form prescribed by the adjutant general, to receive a duplicate medal. The applicant shall include with the application a fee in an amount to be determined by the adjutant general. The adjutant general shall set the fee at an amount no greater than the cost of producing the duplicate medal.

(E) There is hereby created in the state treasury the military medal of distinction fund. The fund shall consist of all fees collected from applicants for duplicate medals as well as appropriations made by the general assembly for purposes of the Ohio military medal of distinction program. The fund shall be used to pay for the production of medals. Investment earnings of the fund shall be credited to the fund.

Section 5913.17 | Unauthorized entry or disorderly conduct in encampment.

• Effective: September 18, 1997
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 130 - 122nd General Assembly

No person shall enter an encampment of the Ohio organized militia when forbidden to do so, or, having been permitted to enter the encampment, behave in a disorderly manner or shall resist a sentry or guard acting under orders to prevent that entry or disorderly conduct.

Section 5913.30 | Placement of memorial markers listing POWS/MIAS at highway rest areas.

• Effective: September 29, 1992
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 286 - 119th General Assembly

The chief of the division of soldiers' claims and veterans affairs may establish such committees as he considers necessary to enable the placement at appropriate improved roadside rest areas along highways of the interstate system or the primary system of memorial markers honoring those Ohio residents who are listed by the United States department of defense as a prisoner of war or missing in action from the Korean conflict or the Vietnam conflict.

The committee shall do the following:

(A) Compile a list of Ohio residents who are listed as prisoners of war or missing in action from the Korean conflict or the Vietnam conflict;

(B) Design a memorial marker that, subject to approval by the director of transportation, shall be used uniformly throughout the state at the appropriate rest areas;

(C) Coordinate its efforts with any veterans organization in this state that is incorporated and issued a charter by the congress of the United States or is recognized by the United States department of veterans affairs, or is an auxiliary organization of such a veterans organization;

(D) At the time a marker is installed at a roadside rest area, coordinate a dedication ceremony to honor the persons memorialized at the rest area.

Section 5913.99 | Penalty.

• Effective: July 22, 1994
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 448 - 120th General Assembly

Whoever violates section 5913.17 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.