Adjutant General outlines force size, missions and community programs for New Hampshire National Guard and Department of Military Affairs and Veteran Services

CONCORD — Major General David Michalaitis, the Adjutant General and commissioner of the Department of Military Affairs and Veteran Services, told the State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs committee that the New Hampshire National Guard and the department operate a mix of defense and community programs and that many Guard programs are federally funded.

Michalaitis said the New Hampshire National Guard totals roughly 3,000 personnel, split between air and army components, and that many units train on high-value systems. He noted the state27s air component operates a KC-46 refueling wing, one of a small number of modern refuelers in the Air National Guard and the only KC-46 unit in the country, and that the Guard fields Army assets including a HIMARS artillery unit.

He described the Guard27s dual mission: as the governor27s force for state emergencies and as the federal reserve that the Department of Defense can activate for overseas operations. Michalaitis said many Guard salaries, maintenance and capital investments are federally financed, and that equipment and operational funding are allocated through the National Guard Bureau and the Department of Defense.

Community programs and recruitment

Michalaitis outlined education and recruiting incentives he said attract new recruits: the state-provided tuition waiver for the University System of New Hampshire and community college system is the most frequently cited enlistment benefit, and many Guardsmen use that waiver while serving. He also described community outreach programs such as STARBASE, a DoD-funded STEM education program for fifth graders, and Innovative Readiness Training events that use military medical and dental teams to provide health services to local communities.

Readiness, recruiting and retention

The adjutant general told the committee the Air National Guard is fully staffed, while the Army National Guard had a vacancy rate around 10 percent at the time of testimony; he said recruiting is recovering after a post-COVID dip but retention of first-term enlistees remains the largest challenge. He described state-level retention bonuses and a policy that allows service members to transfer the state27s tuition waiver to a spouse as examples of efforts to retain troops.

Why it matters: Michalaitis framed the Guard as a state resource and a national force. Committee members pressed him about how state law changes could affect the Guard27s federal relationships, funding and the state27s ability to respond to emergencies.

Sources: Testimony of Major General David Michalaitis to the State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs Committee. No committee action on the briefing was recorded at the hearing.