Donald Burdick Donald Burdick ( born November 6 , 1934 ) is a retired United States Army Major General who served as Director of the Army National Guard . Early life and civilian career . Donald Burdick ( no middle name ) was born in Queens , New York on November 6 , 1934 . He graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science in 1956 , and a Master of Science degree in Animal Nutrition in 1958 . He received his Ph . D . in Biochemistry from The Pennsylvania State University in 1962 . Upon completing his education , Burdick embarked on a 28 - year federal civil service career as a research chemist and agronomist , which included research , teaching , and supervisory positions with the United States Department of Agriculture , the University of Kentucky , and the University of Georgia . Military career . Burdick ’ s 38 - year military career began in 1956 , when he received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Rutgers . Qualified first in Armor and later in Field Artillery , he later transferred to the Army National Guard and became a Platoon Leader with the New Jersey Army National Guard ’ s 103rd Armor Group . He subsequently served in various command and staff positions from troop through brigade level in National Guard units in Pennsylvania , Kentucky , and Georgia . From 1981 to 1983 , Burdick commanded the 118th Field Artillery Brigade . Known as the “ Chatham Artillery , ” this organization is one of the oldest standing militia units in the nation , with origins dating from 1751 . The Chatham Artillery fired a 26 - gun salute for President George Washington when he visited Savannah , Georgia in 1792 , landed on Omaha Beach shortly after D - Day during World War II , and more recently served in the War in Iraq . In 1983 , Governor Joe Frank Harris appointed Burdick as Georgia ’ s Assistant Adjutant General – Army , and he was promoted to Brigadier General . In 1986 , Secretary of the Army John O . Marsh nominated Burdick for promotion to Major General and assignment as Director of the Army National Guard . As Director , he was a member of the Army Staff , and was responsible for plans , programs and policies pertaining to Army National Guard units in the 54 states and territories . His service as Director included overseeing the mobilization of Army National Guard units during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm , as well as the fielding of the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank and the Multiple Launch Rocket System to National Guard units . He served until 1991 , when he returned to Georgia . Burdick concluded his National Guard career by serving from 1991 to 1994 as a Special Assistant to the Adjutant General of the Georgia National Guard and the first director of the Georgia Youth ChalleNGe program . Georgia was one of the original ten states to pilot this community - based , National Guard - sponsored program , which trains , leads , and mentors at - risk youth in a caring yet disciplined environment , encouraging them to overcome the obstacles they face to becoming successful and productive adults . Military education . Burdick is a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College and the United States Army War College ( class of 1981 ) . He was the first officer from the Georgia Army National Guard to attend the Army War College in residence . Awards and decorations . Burdick ’ s awards include the Distinguished Service Medal , Legion of Merit , Meritorious Service Medal , Army Commendation Medal , Air Force Commendation Medal , Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal ( with two Oak Leaf Cluster s ) , and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal ( with Gold Hourglass Device ) . Additional awards . In 1989 , Burdick received an Honorary Doctorate from Vincennes University . In 1995 Burdick received a state promotion to Lieutenant General in recognition of his long service and outstanding performance of duty . Retirement . In retirement Burdick resides in Hartwell , Georgia , where he has been active in community affairs . In the late 1990s , he led a local campaign to save a popular state park from closure due to state - wide budget cuts . He was subsequently elected to a five - year term as a member of the Hart County Board of Commissioners . He later served a three - year appointed term as a member and chairman of the county ’ s Board of Tax Assessors . He is active in civic and service organizations , including the Sons of the American Revolution , where he served as a local chapter president in 2013 , and the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War . Burdick is also a participant in the Mission Readiness initiative , an effort to improve the physical , mental and emotional readiness of high school graduates in the United States , so that they are better prepared to enter college , the workforce or the military . As an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints , Burdick has served in a variety of lay clergy positions , and he and his wife spent the first two years of their retirement as church education system missionaries in Georgia and South Carolina . Family . Burdick traces his lineage back to the first Burdick in North America , Robert Burdick , who immigrated to Rhode Island from England in 1651 . Included within that lineage are a father and son who served in the American Revolution and another ancestor who fought in the Battle of Fredericksburg during the American Civil War . Burdick ’ s older brother served on active duty at the end of World War II , and completed his career in the National Guard as a Chief Warrant Officer 3 . Burdick is married to the former Nancy Ann Stover from New Brunswick , New Jersey and they are the parents of two sons , David and Daniel and two daughters , Susan and Amy , and grandparents of ten . Burdick ’ s two sons followed him as citizen soldiers . One served in the Utah Army National Guard and for seven years on active duty in Oklahoma and Germany . The other served for several years as an Apache helicopter pilot on active duty and with the Utah Army National Guard .