Major General Richard Hayes Jr Transcript.pdf

Meet Your Army, Major General Richard J. Hayes, Jr., Adjutant General, Illinois

In this program, MG Hayes discusses his career and his role as Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard. This program was hosted by Pritzker Military Museum & Library President & CEO Kenneth Clarke and was preceded by a reception to bid farewell to Mr. Clarke as hosts his final episode of Pritzker Military Presentsbefore his departure on February 2. 

Major General Richard J. Hayes Jr. is the 39th Adjutant General of the State of Illinois. He assumed the duties of the Adjutant General on June 8, 2015. He serves as a member of the Governor's Cabinet as the Director of the Illinois Department of Military Affairs and is the Governor's principal advisor on military matters. General Hayes is the senior officer in the chain-of-command for both the Illinois Army and Air National Guard. He is responsible for the operations of the Illinois National Guard and oversees approximately 13,000 men and women in uniform (2,200 full time) and 230 civilian employees in the Illinois Department of Military Affairs.

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 of both the Field Artillery Officer Basic and Advanced Courses. He has had operational assignments at battery, battalion, brigade, and division. He participated in Hurricane Katrina and Rita Relief Operations, and Operation Joint Guardian, Kosovo. General Hayes most recent assignments were Deputy Commander Maneuver - Task Force Falcon, Operation Joint Guardian Kosovo, Director of Operations (J3) Illinois National Guard, Commander, 129th Regional Training Institute, Director of the Joint Staff, and Assistant Adjutant General-Army.

Some of his military awards include; the Legion of Merit with one bronze oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters, and the Army Commendation Medal with one silver and one bronze oak leaf cluster; among many others. 

He holds a bachelor of arts in geography from the University of Kansas and masters of business administration from Touro University International.