Henry Names New Adjutant General

Governor Henry today appointed Army National Guard Major General Myles Deering to serve as the state’s top military officer.

As Oklahoma Adjutant General, Deering will serve as military advisor to the governor and commander of the Oklahoma Air and Army National Guard.

He succeeds Lt. General Harry “Bud” Wyatt III, who was recently promoted to serve as the director of the Air National Guard at the Pentagon in Washington, DC.

“During his lengthy military career, Gen. Deering has distinguished himself as a dedicated solider and a seasoned leader capable of handling any and all challenges that come his way,” said Henry. “Oklahoma will be in good hands with Gen. Deering as its top military officer.”

From December 2004 to November 2008, Deering served as commander of Oklahoma’s famed 45th Infantry Brigade. He led the 45th in recent deployments to Iraq and in 2005 served as task force commander of 15,000 National Guard, Reserve and Active Duty troops in New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Deering, 56, was recently assigned as the Director of Manpower and Personnel at the National Guard Bureau in Washington, DC, but will be reassigned back to Oklahoma in order to serve as Oklahoma’s State Adjutant General.

“It is a great honor to serve my home state and my country as adjutant general,” said Deering. “I appreciate the governor’s confidence in me, and I look forward to serving in this new role.”

Deering’s military career has spanned almost four decades.

He entered the service in 1971 and was commissioned as an infantry officer upon completing Officer Candidate School.

He has held numerous leadership positions in the Oklahoma Army National Guard and has earned numerous medals and citations, including the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Army Commendation Medal.

A native of Ada, Deering holds a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. He has also earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma and a master’s degree in Natural and Applied Science from Oklahoma State University.

He is a 1970 graduate of Ada High School. Deering and his wife, Pam, reside in Norman. Pam is the Assistant Superintendent of Fiscal Services for the Midwest City-Del City Public Schools. Their son, Daniel, is a former Oklahoma National Guard member who served in Bosnia and Iraq.