Myles Deering Myles Lynn Deering ( born 1953 ) is an Army National Guard major general who currently serves as the Adjutant General of Oklahoma . General Deering was appointed by Governor of Oklahoma Brad Henry in 2009 following the promotion of Harry M . Wyatt III to the position of Director , Air National Guard . On December 10 , 2010 , Governor - elect Mary Fallin announced that she would retain General Deering in his position as Adjutant General . As Adjutant General , General Deering is the highest - ranking member of the Oklahoma National Guard . He is responsible for managing the affairs of the Oklahoma Military Department and for advising the Governor , who is the Commander - in - Chief of the Guard . Additionally , Governor Henry has appointed General Deering to serve as the Secretary of the Military in the Governor ' s Cabinet . Military career . Myles Deering enlisted in the United States Army Reserve in October 1971 . In 1974 , he transferred into the Texas Army National Guard and entered the Officer Candidate School program . He received his commission as a second lieutenant in 1976 in the 36th Infantry Brigade . Lieutenant Deering then transferred to the Oklahoma Army National Guard ' s 45th Infantry Brigade in 1977 . In March 1980 he was promoted to the rank of Captain and assumed command of the Combat Support Company , 1st Battalion , 180th Infantry Regiment . By December 1981 , Captain Deering was assigned to the 45th Infantry Brigade ' s headquarters where he served as an intelligence assistant . In 1983 , Deering became the commander of Command C , 1st Battalion , 180th Infantry Regiment based in Holdenville , Oklahoma . In May 1986 , Captain Deering moved to the 700th Support Battalion in Oklahoma City where he served as that Battalion ' s Executive Officer . He was promoted to major in February 1988 . After brief assigned to the headquarters of the 45th Infantry Brigade , Major Deering returned to the 700th Support Battalion in 1992 and assumed command of that unit with his promotion to lieutenant colonel . In June 1995 , Colonel Deering became the Executive Officer for the 45th Infantry Brigade . Colonel Deering was selected to serve as the Secretary to the General Staff at Headquarters of the Oklahoma National Guard . He would then be assigned to serve as the Director of the Human Resources Directorate within the Headquarters . He was promoted to full colonel in July 1999 . Colonel Deering would become the Director for Plans , Operations , and Training for the Oklahoma Army National Guard . In that position , Colonel Deering was responsibility for all operations and training within the Army Guard . He would next serve as Chief of the Joint Staff for the Joint Force Headquarters in May 2003 . By December 2004 , Colonel Deering was reassigned to 45th Infantry Brigade and assumed command of the entire brigade as a brigadier general and was promoted in February 2005 . Within months of assuming command of the 45th Infantry Brigade , General Deering was deployed to New Orleans as Commander of the Oklahoma National Guard ’ s Joint Task Force following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita . Upon his arrival , he assumed command over 15 , 500 Army , National Guard , and Marine personnel providing disaster relief operations and support . In October 2007 , General Deering and the 45th Infantry Brigade were deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . He served as the Commander , Joint Area Support Group - Central for Multi - National Force - Iraq . He returned in November 2008 and was promoted to major general on November 13 , 2008 , with his assignment as Director , Manpower and Personnel ( J - 1 ) at the National Guard Bureau in the Pentagon in Washington , D . C . . He was appointed as The Ajutant General of the Oklahoma National Guard in February 2009 . Henry Administration . On February 3 , 2009 , Governor of Oklahoma Brad Henry appointed General Deering to become the Adjutant General of Oklahoma . In that position , Deering is responsible for the operations and has command over all aspects of the Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard . Fallin Administration . On December 10 , 2010 , Governor - elect Mary Fallin announced that she would retain General Deering under her Administration in both of his positions as Secretary of the Military and as Adjutant General . Personal life . Deering received a Bachelors of Business Administration in Management from the University of Oklahoma in 1980 . He also received a Master of Science in Natural and Applied Sciences from Oklahoma State University in 1996 and a Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College in 2000 .