By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Missouri Adjutant General, Charles Hausman, says he enjoyed returning home to honor those who served in the Vietnam War.
Hausman, a Major General, gave the keynote address at the Vietnam War Commemoration pinning ceremony in St. Joseph, his hometown.
“Anytime we can have a homecoming that’s nice, but then to come home and to recognize these people, that’s extra special, because this again is the generation that were our teachers, that really raised us as we were growing up in St. Joseph,” Hausman tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post in an interview following the ceremony. “So, yes, it’s extra special to be able to come here.”
Hausman initially got into the military to pay for school. He says he never thought he would become the leader of the Missouri National Guard, but opportunities kept coming his way.
Hausman enlisted in the Army Reserve in 1988, joined the Missouri National Guard in 1989, transferred to Aviation in 1993. Hausman deployed three times, including during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Hausman leads the Missouri Guard since being promoted as Adjutant General earlier this year. Hausman says recruiting has gone well, but the Guard is always in need of people.
“But we are always out there looking for talent. We have a lot of great opportunities. And so, for the future of the Missouri National Guard, really focusing on people has been our biggest priority when I started,” Hausman says. “And making sure that we’re keeping the organization very healthy and that we are continually looking for growth opportunities.”
Hausman says the National Guard must convince young people they have an opportunity in the Guard for education and training they simply can’t get anywhere else.
“And then, as we call it, career broadening, getting the right people into the right positions so that they will then be better prepared for additional responsibilities in the future if that’s what they choose to do.”
Even through retirement.
Hausman says the Guard has a duty to make sure members get all the retirement benefits for which they qualify.
Gov. Mike Kehoe promoted Hausman to National Guard Adjutant General, giving him the rank of Major General January 8th. He took command on February 1st.
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