Adjutant General

Major General Glenn K. Rieth was confirmed by the New Jersey State Senate as the 30th Adjutant General of New Jersey on March 4, 2002. General Rieth commands more than 8,300 Soldiers and Airmen of the New Jersey Army and Air National Guard. He directs, controls, and manages the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in the execution of federal and state missions. In addition, he manages all state veterans’ programs, commissions, and facilities in New Jersey.

During General Rieth’s tenure, the New Jersey National Guard has deployed over 7,000 Soldiers and Airmen in support of the Global War on Terrorism. By 2009, that number will rise to over 12,000 with the deployment of the largest New Jersey unit to be sent overseas since World War II. All the while, the Army and Air National Guard continue to take part in the Transformation which is bringing new expeditionary missions and units – along with frontline equipment and vehicles – to the Jersey Guard. Both the Army and Air National Guard in New Jersey are over 100% strength, a record achievement at any time…even more remarkable in this age of increased operational tempo.

Under General Rieth’s leadership, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs has expanded its support for the state’s 600,000 veterans. A Nursing Task Force was established in 2003 to address the critical need to hire and retain nursing staff at the state’s long-term care facilities for veterans. The Vineland Veterans Memorial Home opened an entire new wing in 2006, while all three Memorial Homes in the state continue to exceed 96% occupancy rates. Brigadier General Doyle Memorial Veterans Cemetery remains the busiest state-run cemetery of its kind in the nation. Veterans Haven, which provides transitional housing for homeless veterans, is moving ahead with an expansion that will double its occupancy rate. And finally, a fitting memorial to New Jersey’s World War II veterans is being constructed across from the Statehouse in Trenton.

Major General Rieth earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from The Citadel-Military College of South Carolina where he was the Distinguished Military Graduate. He received his commission as a Second Lieutenant through the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps and began his military career in 1980. He earned his pilot’s wings at Fort Rucker, Alabama in July 1981. Prior to being appointed as The Adjutant General of New Jersey, General Rieth was the Director of the State Army Aviation Office for the New Jersey Army National Guard.

His technical military education includes the Armor Officer Basic Course (1980), several United States Army rotary-wing and fixed-wing multi-engine qualification and instructor pilot courses from 1981 to 1985. He attended the Aviation Officer Advanced course in 1988 and the United States Air Force Joint Air/Ground Operations School in 1990.

General Rieth’s professional military education includes graduation from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in 1991 and the United States Army War College in 1999.

Nationwide, his assignments include duty at Fort Rucker, Alabama and Fort Bliss, Texas. General Rieth was commander of the Aero Recon (UH-1), Air Cavalry Troop, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bliss from June 1984 to June 1985.

In his home state of New Jersey, General Rieth has been a flight instructor, operations officer, air operations officer, and commander at the Army Aviation Support Facility located at the Trenton-Mercer Airport at various times from 1985 to 1995. From March 1990 to October 1992, he was an air operations officer at Somerset, NJ. In 1995, he became the New Jersey Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Commander – based out of Fort Dix, NJ – until 1999. Just prior to his selection as the Adjutant General of New Jersey in March 2002, General Rieth was the Director of the State Army Aviation Office, based out of the Trenton-Mercer Airport.

As an aviator, General Rieth has achieved ratings of Instructor Pilot and Pilot-in-Command, attained a Master Army Aviator Badge, and has over 3,000 hours of combined flight time in the AH-1 Cobra, UH-1 Iroquois (Huey), T-42 Cochise, and U-8 Seminole.

General Rieth’s major awards and decorations include: the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Aviation Order of Saint Michael, Parachutist Badge (Airborne), the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal and New Jersey Medal of Honor.