53rd Adjutant General of Texas

MAJ GEN THOMAS SUELZER SELECTED AS THE 53RD ADJUTANT GENERAL OF TEXAS

Major General Thomas M. Suelzer

53rd Adjutant General of Texas

Governor Greg Abbott appointed Major General Thomas M. Suelzer as the 53rd Adjutant General of Texas, effective, March 14, 2022. The Adjutant General is commander of the Soldiers and Airmen of the Texas Military Department and reports directly to the Governor in matters pertaining to the Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard, and Texas State Guard. General Suelzer replaced Major General Tracy R. Norris, whose appointment expired February 1, 2022.

“General Norris faithfully served the Texas Military Department with dignity, as Adjutant General beginning in January 2019, as Assistant Adjutant General in 2016, and over her decades of service,” said Governor Abbott. “I thank General Norris for her exceptional service to the State of Texas and am honored to appoint her successor, Major General Thomas Suelzer, as the Adjutant General of Texas. General Suelzer brings a wealth of military experience to this new role, and I am confident that he will uphold the integrity of the Texas Military Department and exemplify servant leadership throughout every aspect of this position.”

Maj Gen Thomas M. Suelzer previously served as the Deputy Adjutant General-Air for the Texas National Guard at Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas. In this position, he served as the principal advisor to the Texas Adjutant General on Air National Guard issues and was responsible for the management and direction of policies, plans, and programs affecting three Wings and more than 3,200 Air National Guard personnel throughout the State of Texas. General Suelzer also served as a Director, Joint Air Component Coordination Element for United States Indo-Pacific Command. General Suelzer graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science. He completed Undergraduate Pilot Training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona and went on to serve in various operational and staff assignments during his ten years of Active-Duty service and seven years in the Air Force Reserve.

General Suelzer joined the Texas Air National Guard in 2007 where he served as Deputy Director of Operations for Domestic Operations. He also became a leader in the Homeland Response Force enterprise as Chief of Staff for the 71st Troop Command (JTF-71) and later the 136th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (JTF-136). He went on to serve as the Texas Air National Guard Director of Operations and the Commander of the 136th Airlift Wing. He has served on two Texas Southwest Border missions and was the military Dual Status Commander for COVID-19 response in Texas. Prior to his appointment as Deputy Adjutant General-Air, General Suelzer was the Director, Joint Staff for the Texas National Guard at Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas. H

GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT, third from left, speaks in Weslaco in early April. With him on the front row are The Adjutant General of Texas Maj Gen Thomas Suelzer, Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw and Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd at far right. (Photo courtesy of the Office of the Governor)