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MAJOR GENERAL VAN MCCARTY

The Adjutant General

Major General Van McCarty serves as the 29th Adjutant General for South Carolina and head of the South Carolina Military Department.  He administers the affairs of the South Carolina Army and Air National Guard, the Emergency Management Division, the State Guard, and the Youth ChalleNGe Academy. The Governor, by law, is the Commander-in-Chief. The Adjutant General holds the rank of Major General (MG).

A native of South Carolina, McCarty attended The Citadel graduating n 1982 with a United States Army Reserve commission in the Field Artillery. During more than 36 years of service, he has commanded units at every echelon, from Battery to Brigade.  McCarty’s previous command assignments include Battery Commander, Alpha Battery, 4th Battalion, 178th Field Artillery, Battalion Commander, 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery (Operation Iraqi Freedom), Regional Police Advisory Commander (Operation Enduring Freedom), 218th Enhanced Separate Brigade; Commander 59th Troop Command, Assistant Adjutant Army, and Deputy Adjutant General.

McCarty holds a Bachelor of Science degree from The Citadel and completed the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Academy at Quantico, Virginia, serving twenty-four years in the Law Enforcement Division with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. McCarty’s Military Education includes The Field Artillery Officer Basic and Advanced courses, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Air Defense Artillery Transition Course, Joint Task Force Commander Course, U.S. Army Senior Service College, CAPSTONE and the Advanced Army Strategic Education Program.

McCarty’s awards and decorations include: Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, with One Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster; Meritorious Service Medal, with One Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Commendation Medal, with Four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters; Army Achievement Medal, with One Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, with One Silver Oak Leaf Cluster, and Two Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster; National Defense Service Medal, with Bronze Star; Afghanistan Campaign Medal, with Bronze Star; Iraqi Campaign Medal, with Bronze Star; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal, with Silver Hour Glass Device, with M Device Second Award; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon with Second Award; NATO Medal; the SC Meritorious Service Medal; SC Active State Service Medal with one Silver Star; SC Achievement Ribbon; SC Mobilization Ribbon.

McCarty and his wife Susan have one daughter, Madelynn and four sons, Matthew, Micah, Mackenzie, and Major.

Education

  • 1982 The Citadel, Bachelor of Science, Education, Charleston, South Carolina
  • 2010 Air Defense Artillery Reclassification Course, Fort Sill, Oklahoma
  • 2011 United States Army Senior Service College Fellowship, Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia
  • 2012 Joint Task Force Commander Course, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • 2012 Senior Reserve Component Officer Course, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
  • 2014 CAPSTONE, National Defense University, Ft McNair, Washington DC

Awards

  • Bronze Star Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
  • Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
  • Army Commendation (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
  • Army Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
  • Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
  • National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
  • Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
  • Iraqi Campaign Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
  • Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
  • Humanitarian Service Medal
  • Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Silver Hourglass, M Device and Numeral 2)
  • Army Service Ribbon
  • Overseas Service Ribbon (with Numeral 2)
  • North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal
  • South Carolina Meritorious Service Medal
  • South Carolina Achievement Ribbon
  • South Carolina Active State Service Medal (with 1 Silver Star Device)
  • South Carolina Mobilization Ribbon (with Numeral 1; Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
  • South Carolina Governor’s Unit Citation

Assignments

  • December 1982 – June 1983, Fire Support Team Chief, 1st Battalion, 35th Field Artillery, Fort Stewart, Georgia
  • June 1983 – September 1984, Assistant Executive Officer, (FDO), Battery B, 1st Battalion, 35th Field Artillery, Fort Stewart, Georgia
  • September 1984 – July 1985, Executive Officer, (FDO), Battery B, 1st Battalion, 35th Field Artillery, Fort Stewart, Georgia
  • July 1985 – November 1986, United States Army Reserve Control Group, Saint Louis, Missouri
  • November 1986 – June 1987, Forward Observer, Battery A, 4th Battalion, 178th Field Artillery, Andrews, South Carolina
  • July 1987 – May 1988, Executive Officer, Battery A, 4th Battalion, 178th Field Artillery, Andrews, South Carolina
  • May 1988 – October 1991, Battery Commander, Battery A, 4th Battalion, 178th Field Artillery, Andrews, South Carolina
  • November 1991 – August 1993, Assistant S3, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Battalion, 178th Field Artillery, Georgetown, South Carolina
  • September 1993 – November 1993, Counterfire Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 151st Field Artillery Brigade, Sumter, South Carolina
  • November 1993 – November 1995, Line Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 151st Field Artillery Brigade, Sumter, South Carolina
  • December 1995 – June 1997, Fire Control Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 151st Field Artillery Brigade, Sumter, South Carolina
  • July 1997 – June 2000, S3, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Battalion, 178th Field Artillery, Georgetown, South Carolina
  • July 2000 – June 2001, Operations Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 151st Field Artillery Brigade, Sumter, South Carolina
  • July 2001 – November 2001, Fire Support Officer, Detachment 1, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery, Clinton, South Carolina
  • December 2001 – December 2002, Fire Support Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery, Greer, South Carolina
  • January 2003 – July 2004, Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery, Greer, South Carolina
  • July 2004 – October 2005, Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery (Forward), Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq
  • October 2005 – January 2006, Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery, Greer, South Carolina
  • February 2006 – March 2006, S3, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 151st Field Artillery Brigade, Sumter, South Carolina
  • March 2006 – April 2006, Plans, Operations and Training Officer, 59th Troop Command, West Columbia, South Carolina
  • May 2006 – September 2006, Logistics Officer, 59th Troop Command, West Columbia, South Carolina
  • October 2006 – January 2007, Plans, Operations and Training Officer, 59th Troop Command, West Columbia, South Carolina
  • January 2007 – March 2007, Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 151st Field Artillery Brigade, Sumter, South Carolina
  • March 2007 – March 2008, Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 151st Field Artillery Brigade Forward 6, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan
  • March 2008 – June 2008, Deputy Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 151st Field Artillery Brigade, Sumter, South Carolina
  • June 2008 – February 2010, Deputy Commander, 59th Troop Command, West Columbia, South Carolina
  • March 2010 – September 2011 Air Defense Artillery Officer, 263rd Army Air Missile Defense Command, Anderson, South Carolina
  • September 2011 – January 2012, Director, Joint Staff, Joint Force Headquarters, South Carolina National Guard, Columbia, South Carolina
  • February 2012 – December 2013, Commander, 59th Troop Command, South Carolina Army National Guard, Columbia, South Carolina
  • December 2013, Assistant Adjutant General – Army, South Carolina National Guard, Columbia, South Carolina
  • February 2019, Adjutant General for South Carolina

Memberships

  • South Carolina National Guard Association
  • Federal Bureau of Investigations National Academy Associates
  • South Carolina Wildlife Law Enforcement Officers Association

Other

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

  • Second Lieutenant 14 May 1982
  • First Lieutenant 7 November 1986
  • Captain 18 May 1988
  • Major 15 July 1997
  • Lieutenant Colonel 30 April 2003
  • Colonel 28 June 2007
  • Brigadier General 10 August 2012
  • Major General 3 February 2017

Leadership