Major General Lisa J. Hou, D.O.

Maj. Gen. Lisa J. Hou, D.O., is the Adjutant General of New Jersey and Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

General Hou commands the more than 8,400 Soldiers and Airmen of the New Jersey National Guard. She leads, directs, and manages the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in the execution of federal and state missions. In addition, she manages all state veterans’ programs, commissions, and facilities in New Jersey.

Prior to being selected by Governor Philip Murphy on October 18, 2020, General Hou served as the Assistant Commissioner for Operations, Deputy Adjutant General (DAG) for New Jersey.

In 2018 she became the first Joint Surgeon of the New Jersey National Guard, overseeing medical readiness and medical personnel statewide.

Previously, Dr. Hou served in the dual roles of commander of the Medical Command and the State Surgeon. In those capacities, she was responsible for the medical and dental readiness of more than 6,000 soldiers.

Since 2013, Dr. Hou has also served as the Region II representative for the National Guard Bureau (NGB) Medical Advisory Group and, from 2018 to 2020, she served as the Chair of the Army National Guard Credentials Certification and Privileging Preparation Board.

In August 2020, she became the Chair of the nationwide Army National Guard Medical Advisory Group.

In 2011, Dr. Hou served in Afghanistan as the Field Surgeon for Charlie Company, 700th Brigade Support Battalion, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. She was the sole medical provider on an Afghanistan National Army base and was responsible for providing routine and advanced emergency medical care in the combat theater for more than 600 coalition soldiers, contractors, and foreign nationals.

From 2005 to 2006, she served in Iraq as the Senior Field Surgeon for Echo Company, 50th Main Support Battalion, 42nd Infantry Division, where she performed routine and advanced emergency medical care for coalition soldiers and Iraqi civilians and maintained medical readiness for mass casualty trauma.

Dr. Hou joined the New Jersey National Guard in 1994 while a medical student at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, NJ. She received her doctoral degree in Osteopathic Medicine in 1996.

She also earned a Master’s in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College in 2019 and a Master of Business Administration from the Rutgers School of Business – Camden in 2022.

Note: Photo pending update