MG Terry Nesbitt Succeeds LTG David Poythress as Adjutant General of Georgia

By Major William Carraway

Historian, Georgia Army National Guard

Lt. Gen. David Poythress, outgoing Adjutant General of Georgia, reviews troops with Governor Sonny Perdue; Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbitt,
incoming Adjutant General, and Brig. Gen. Larry Ross, commander, Land Component Command, Georgia Army National Guard and commander of
 troops for the change of command ceremony at Fort McPherson, Ga. Oct. 28, 2007. Georgia National Guard Archives.

Lieutenant General David Poythress relinquished the office of Adjutant General of Georgia to Maj. Gen. William T. Nesbitt during a ceremony at Fort McPherson October 28, 2007. Under Poythress’ leadership from 1999 to 2007, the Georgia National Guard:

·       Deployed nearly 10,000 Soldiers and Airmen to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo and other locations around the globe

·       Mobilized Guardsmen to the Mexican border in support of Operation Jump Start

·       Mobilized more than 5,000 personnel to support the G-Economic Summit in Sea Island, Ga. in 2004

·       Mobilized more than 2,000 Georgia National Guard personnel in the wake of Hurricane Katrina

·       Acquired the Naval Air Station Atlanta property which now serves as the Clay National Guard Center

Poythress, who led the Georgia Department of Defense since 1999, retired in November 2007 following a 44-year military career and entered private business as the chief executive officer of American United Bancorp, Inc.

Lt. Gen. David Poythress, Governor Sonny Perdue and Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbitt. Georgia National Guard Archives.

“Lt. Gen. Poythress has been a devoted, committed servant to our state,” said Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue at the ceremony marking the transition of responsibility.[1]

Perdue also praised Nesbitt, who had served as Georgia’s eleventh Assistant Adjutant General-Army. He was the first ATAG-A named to serve as a dual-status commander, the first ATAG-A promoted to major general and the first since Brig. Gen. Charlie Camp to be appointed to serve as Georgia’s Adjutant General.[2]

“General Nesbitt Brings with him a wealth of knowledge and more than forty years of military experience,” said Perdue. “He has demonstrated deep commitment to helping Georgia meet the challenges of the future.”[3]

Nesbitt served as Georgia’s Adjutant General for four years and retired in 2011. During his tenure, the Georgia Army National Guard added the 648^th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade and the 560^th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade to its force structure.[4] The Georgia National Guard Language Training Center opened its doors in June 2010[5] and the Georgia National Guard began construction of key facilities such as the Joint Force Headquarters facility at the Clay National Guard Center and regional readiness centers at Fort Benning and Cumming, Ga.[6] Georgia received the Region IV Homeland Response Force mission in 2010[7] and began a three-year commitment to the Afghanistan Agribusiness Development Team mission in 2011.[8]

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[1]“Governor appoints new TAG.” The Georgia Guardsman, Fall, 2007, 10.

 

[2] William Carraway. “ATAGs of the Ga. ARNG.” January 15, 2020. Georgia National Guard Archives.

[3]“Governor appoints new TAG.” The Georgia Guardsman, Fall, 2007, 10.

 

[4] “Army National Guard.” 2009 Annual Report of the Georgia National Guard. 2009, 8-9.

 

[5] “Language Training Center.” Georgia Department of Defense Annual Report, 2010. 2010, 41.

 

[6] “New National Guard Facilities come to Georgia.” Georgia Department of Defense Annual Report, 2010. 2010, 46.

 

[7] “78^th Homeland Response Force.” Georgia Department of Defense Annual Report, 2010. 2010, 17.

 

[8] “Agribusiness Development Teams.” Georgia Department of Defense Annual Report, 2011. 2011, 37.