Milton Reckord Milton Atchison Reckord ( December 28 , 1879 – September 8 , 1975 ) was an important figure in the history of the National Guard of the United States . He also served as Adjutant General of the State of Maryland Early life and family . Reckord was born to John and Lydia ( Zimmerman ) Reckord at their home in Harford County , Maryland . He commenced work at his father ' s milling plant in 1896 upon his graduation from Bel Air High School . He was married to Bessie Payne Roe from 1910 until her death in 1943 , and had one daughter with her , Gladys Atchison Reckord . Military career . Reckord expressed desire to serve in the military , but , at the request of his mother , delayed entry into service until he turned 21 . He enlisted in Company D , 1st Maryland Infantry , Maryland National Guard on February 15 , 1901 , and would eventually rise to command the same company when he was commissioned as a captain in December 1904 . As a major , in 1916 , Reckord was given command of the 2nd Battalion , 1st Maryland Infantry , which deployed to the Mexican border and served in the Mexican Expedition commanded by Gen . John J . Pershing . When the 29th Infantry Division was created on the eve of World War I in 1917 , Reckord was given command of one of its regiments , the 115th Infantry , which saw combat during the Meuse - Argonne Offensive . In 1920 , he was appointed Adjutant General of the Maryland National Guard and , in 1934 , while still serving as Maryland ' s Adjutant General , he assumed command of the 29th Infantry Division . During the years between the First and Second World War , Reckord was a leading advocate for increasing the role of the National Guard in the United States ' national defensive strategy . From 1923 to 1925 , he served as president of the National Guard Association of the United States . In 1933 , he authored legislation that permanently gave National Guard personnel status as both state and federal troops . Reckord was mobilized for World War II with the 29th Infantry Division in February 1941 and took a leave of absence from his post as Maryland ' s Adjutant General . Deemed by the Army to be too old to command a division in combat , he was relieved of command and assigned as the commander of the III Corps Area . He later deployed overseas and was named Theater Provost Marshal , European Theater of Operations . After World War II , Reckord returned to his post as the Adjutant General of Maryland . He was promoted to Lieutenant General by Governor J . Millard Tawes in 1961 , and continued to serve as Adjutant General until his retirement in 1966 . Legacy . The Reckord Trophy is a prize awarded annually to the Army National Guard battalion ( s ) that achieves the highest standards of training and readiness . The Reckord Trophy is one of the highest peacetime awards given to National Guard units . Reckord Armory , a recreation and athletics building on the campus of the University of Maryland , College Park , was named for Milton Reckord in 1961 . There is also a National Guard facility in the town of Bel Air , in Harford County , Maryland known as Reckord Armory . It is now a Recreational facility . Awards and medals . Lieutenant general Reckford´s decorations list include following awards and medals :