Major General (Retired) Paul D. Monroe, Jr., a native of Berkeley, California was sworn in as the 42 Adjutant General of the California National Guard on April 28, 1999. A gubernatorial appointee, confirmed by the state senate, he served as the principle military advisor to the Governor on all matters involving the 22,900 Army and Air National Guard members of the California Nat ional Guard. As the Adjutant General, he served as Director of California’s Military Department, and lead the largest, most tasked National Guard force in the United States, with an authorized strength of 18,000 Army National Guard and 4,900 Air National Guard members.

     Paul Monroe is a retired two star Major General, having served over 46 years in the United States Army and the California Army National Guard. He is a distinguished and decorated Army Officer, who has performed in a variety of high level command and staff positions during his career. He has served in Infantry, Signal, and Military Police Organizations. He has commanded at every level from Platoon through Company, Battalion, and Brigade, cumulating in his final assignment as Commander of t he California National Guard. His military awards include the Distinguish Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, and various other personal and unit decorations. The Ukraine Minister of Defense commended him for his role in developing the NATO partnership program between Ukraine and the California National Guard.

     During his career, Mr. Monroe has gained vast experience in the area of security management, oversight and development of military facilities, management of Military Department real estate, and the supervision of installations and airfields. He has served as the Military Department’s Government Affairs Officer, Director of Facility Engineering, and the Director of the Public Affairs Office.
Mr. Monroe holds a degree in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco. He graduated with the distinction from the Infantry Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia; and with highest distinction form the Signal Officer Basic Course at Fort Gordon Georgia. He also graduated from the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, the Command and General Staff College, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and the Army War College.

     Mr. Monroe has served on Boards of Directors of several nonprofit organizations that support the needs of veterans and the public in general. He served for two years on the Executive Session for Domestic Preparedness, at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Since his retirement Mr. Monroe has served as a consultant to leadership and management companies, and to a military environmental organization. He is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants and the American Management Association.

     Mr. Monroe resides in Berkeley, CA with his wife, Laura, a retired elementary school principal. They have two children, L.Karen Monroe and Major Paul D. Monroe III, and four grandchildren.