Brigadier General Richard J. Hayes, Jr. assumed duties as Director of Joint Staff, Illinois National Guard in August 2012. In this assignment, he is responsible for developing and coordinating all policies, programs and plans in Joint Matters that affect Illinois' 13,000 Army and Air National Guard personnel. He is responsible for the integration and coordination of National Guard capabilities in support of Homeland Defense and Defense Support to Civil Authorities operations to include the operational control of 3,000 dedicated Army and Air personnel. General Hayes provides the communication and coordination channels with all State, Federal and intergovernmental agencies in matters of domestic operations, domestic programs, Anti-terrorism/Force Protection security operations, military support to civil authorities, international affairs, intergovernmental and interagency cooperation and strategic development to include 37 state agencies, 22 federal government agencies and organizations and 23 international government and international military commands.

General Hayes was commissioned in 1987 from the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Kansas as a Field Artillery Officer. He was honor graduate at both the Field Artillery Officer Basic and Advanced Courses. He participated in Hurricane Katrina and Rita Relief Operations and Operation Joint Guardian. General Hayes most recent assignments were Deputy Commander Maneuver, Task Force Falcon, Operation Joint Guardian, Director of Operations (J3) Illinois National Guard, and Commander, 129th Regional Training Institute.

As of Feb 2013

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