Daniel R. Hokanson

Daniel Robert Hokanson (born 27 June 1963) is a retired United States Army general who last served as the 29th chief of the National Guard Bureau. He previously served as the 21st director of the Army National Guard. His previous military assignments include serving as vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, deputy commander of United States Northern Command, adjutant general of the Oregon National Guard, and commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Just Cause.

Early life Daniel Robert Hokanson was born in Happy Camp, California on 27 June 1963, the son of Bob and Diann (Kieffer) Hokanson. He graduated from Happy Camp High School in 1980, and attended the College of the Siskiyous before being accepted to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

Military career Hokanson graduated from West Point in 1986 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 28 May, in the Aviation branch. During his time at West Point and the period immediately afterwards he completed: Level C Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) Course; Aviation Officer Basic Course; Air Assault School; and Initial Entry Rotary Wing Flight Training (Aeroscout). He is also a graduate of the United States Army Airborne School.

Hokanson then served for several years as an aviator with the 7th Infantry Division at Fort Ord, California, including deployment to Panama for Operation Just Cause in 1989–90. In 1991 he completed the Aviation Officer Advanced Course and AH-64 (Apache) Combat Aircraft Qualification Course. He subsequently served with 1st Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment at Fort Hood, including command of the battalion's Company B, and then served as a project engineer for the Aircraft Armament Test Division at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.

Army National Guard Hokanson left the Regular Army in July 1995 and was a member of the Army Reserve Control Group until October.

Hokanson then began his career as a member of the Army National Guard, assigned initially as aide-de-camp in the office of Oregon's adjutant general. His later assignments included: operations officer, 641st Medical Battalion (Helicopter Evacuation); aviation operations officer, Oregon Army National Guard; plans analyst, Program Analysis and Evaluation Division, National Guard Bureau; executive officer, 641st Medical Battalion (Evacuation Helicopter), Oregon Army National Guard; deputy director, Army Aviation, Oregon Army National Guard; commander, 641st Medical Battalion (Helicopter Evacuation), Oregon Army National Guard; chief of staff, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix V, Afghanistan; deputy commander, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard; and commander, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, including deployment as part of Multi-National Corps – Iraq.

General officer

In 2010 Hokanson was promoted to brigadier general. His assignments as a general officer included: deputy director, Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5), North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command; and director, Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5), National Guard Bureau. Hokanson was promoted to major general in May 2013. From August 2013 to July 2015 he served as adjutant general of the Oregon Military Department. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper presides as Hokanson is promoted to general and takes over as 29th chief of the National Guard Bureau during ceremonies at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., 3 August 2020. In June 2015, Hokanson was nominated by the president, for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general in the reserve active-duty, while serving as the deputy commander of United States Northern Command and as vice commander of U.S. Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command, at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.

Hokanson's nomination for appointment as the 11th vice chief of the National Guard Bureau was confirmed by the United States Senate on 15 September 2016. He assumed office in November 2016.

Director of the Army National Guard In March 2019, the president nominated Hokanson to succeed Timothy J. Kadavy as director of the Army National Guard. Hokanson assumed his new duties in a ceremony on 21 June 2019. In June 2020, the adjutant general of Minnesota, Jon A. Jensen was nominated to succeed him as Army Guard director.

Chief of the National Guard Bureau In May 2020, Hokanson was nominated for appointment to the rank of general and assignment as chief of the National Guard Bureau. He was confirmed by the Senate on 20 July 2020

Awards and decorations

Assignments

July 1986 – July 1987, Student, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (Level C – Fort Bragg); Aviation Officer Basic Course; Air Assault School; Initial Entry Rotary Wing Flight Training (Aeroscout); Fort Rucker, Alabama July 1987 – March 1988, Executive Officer, Troop B, 2nd Squadron (RECON), 9th Cavalry, 7th Infantry Division (LIGHT), Fort Ord, California March 1988 – May 1989, Scout Platoon Leader, Troop B, 2nd Squadron (RECON), 9th Cavalry, 7th Infantry Division (LIGHT), Fort Ord, California and the Republic of Panama May 1989 – August 1990, Flight Operations Officer and 3rd Infantry Brigade Aviation Liaison Officer, 2nd Squadron (RECON), 9th Cavalry, 7th Infantry Division (LIGHT), Fort Ord, California and the Republic of Panama October 1990 – June 1991, Student, Aviation Officer Advanced Course and AH-64 Combat Aircraft Qualification Course, Fort Rucker, Alabama June 1991 – October 1992, Assistant S3, 1st Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment (Attack), Apache Training Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas October 1992 – June 1994, Commander, Company B, 1st Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment (Attack), XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina June 1994 – April 1995 Project Engineer, Aircraft Armament Test Division, Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona July 1995 – October 1995, Army Reserve Control Group (Ready Reserve) October 1995 – September 1996, Aide-de-Camp, Office of The Adjutant General, Oregon National Guard, Salem, Oregon October 1996 – September 1997, Operations Officer, 641st Medical Battalion (EVAC), Oregon Army National Guard, Salem, Oregon October 1997 – December 1998, Aviation Operations Officer, Oregon Army National Guard, Salem, Oregon December 1998 – June 1999, Student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California July 1999 – July 2000, Plans Analyst, Program Analysis and Evaluation Division, National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia July 2000 – June 2001, Student, College of Naval Command and Staff, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island June 2001 – June 2002, Executive Officer, 641st Medical Battalion (EVAC), Oregon Army National Guard, Salem, Oregon June 2002 – June 2004, deputy director, Army Aviation, Headquarters State Area Command, Oregon Army National Guard, Salem, Oregon July 2004 – June 2005, Commander, 641st Medical Battalion (EVAC), Oregon Army National Guard, Salem, Oregon July 2005 – July 2006, Student, Senior Service College Fellowship, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts August 2006 – July 2007, Chief of Staff, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix V, Afghanistan July 2007 – March 2008, Deputy Commander, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard, Portland, Oregon March 2008 – July 2010, Commander, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Multi-National Corps – Iraq, and Oregon Army National Guard, Portland, Oregon August 2010 – August 2012, deputy director, J5, North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado August 2012 – July 2013, Director, Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5), National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia August 2013 – July 2015, The Adjutant General, Oregon, Joint Force Headquarters, Oregon National Guard, Salem, Oregon August 2015 – September 2016, Deputy Commander, U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado September 2016 – June 2019, Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia June 2019 – August 2020, Director of the Army National Guard, Arlington, Virginia August 2020 – August 2024, Chief, National Guard Bureau, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia

Education Hokanson is a 1986 graduate of the United States Military Academy, and received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering (aerospace).

In 2000 he completed a Master of Arts in international security and civil-military relations at the Naval Postgraduate School. In 2001 he graduated from the Naval War College with a Master of Arts in national security and strategic studies. Hokanson completed the Senior Service College National Security Fellowship Program at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 2006. In 2011 he completed the CAPSTONE leadership course at the National Defense University.

Aviation qualifications In addition to completion of the Aviation Officer Basic and Advanced Courses and Initial Entry Rotary Wing Flight Training (Aeroscout), Hokanson's aviation qualifications include:

Rating: Command Pilot Flight Hours: More than 2600 (over 50 combat hours) Aircraft Flown: AH-64, OH-58, TH-55, UH-1, UH-60 Pilot wings from: Fort Rucker, Alabama

Effective dates of promotion

Family life Hokanson and his wife Kelly have three children. All three Hokanson children pursued careers in the military.