§ 44-26 — Duties of the Adjutant General.

A. The Adjutant General shall be in control of the Military Department of the State of Oklahoma, subordinate only to the Governor. Within the limitations and under the provisions of law, he or she shall supervise and direct the Oklahoma National Guard within the service of the state and when under state control in all of its organization, training and other activities; shall receive and give effect to the orders of the Governor; and shall perform such other military and defense duties, not otherwise assigned by law, as the Governor may prescribe. The Adjutant General shall have the authority to arm members of the state military forces on military installations and other places under the control of the Military Department with weaponry as the Adjutant General deems necessary to adequately provide for the security of the facilities and their occupants. B. The Adjutant General, when absent from the state, may temporarily delegate any authority vested under this title and any such duties as an agency appointing authority to an Assistant Adjutant General, other state officer or employee within the Military Department of the State of Oklahoma. Such temporary delegations of authority pursuant to this subsection shall be accomplished in writing. The Adjutant General may also promulgate regulations providing for the delegation of any such authority. C. The Adjutant General shall develop, publish and maintain an organizational chart depicting the chain of command between the Adjutant General and the major commands of the Oklahoma National Guard. Besides the major commands defined in Section 801 of this title (Article 1), the Adjutant General, in his or her discretion, may designate other military units within the Oklahoma National Guard as major commands. D. The organizational chart required in subsection C of this section shall be updated no less than annually and shall include all enlisted and officer billets assigned to joint forces headquarters and shall depict all existing command relationships established by the Adjutant General within joint forces headquarters. The organizational chart required herein shall not be considered a military publication within the meaning of Section 801 of this title (Article 1). E. In accordance with all relevant requirements of the United States Army, the United States Air Force or the National Guard Bureau, the Adjutant General shall develop, publish and maintain an enlisted and officer rating scheme for all enlisted and officer billets assigned to joint forces headquarters. The rating scheme required herein shall not be considered a military publication within the meaning of Section 801 of this title (Article 1). F. Pursuant to the rules established by the Adjutant General, the Military Department of the State of Oklahoma is authorized to expend appropriated and nonappropriated funds to enhance recruiting and retention efforts for the Oklahoma National Guard. G. The Adjutant General may establish rules allowing the Military Department of the State of Oklahoma to accept donations and bequests to create a program for the benefit of members of the Oklahoma National Guard. H. The Adjutant General shall serve as the chief of all fire protection units operating under the Oklahoma Military Department and shall supervise and administer the fire protection units in accordance with the rules and procedures prescribed by the Military Department. I. The Adjutant General shall serve as the chief of all police units and officers appointed under the Oklahoma Military Department. The Adjutant General may appoint police officers in accordance with Section 230 of this title.

Legislative History

Added by Laws 1951, p. 115, art. 2, § 6, emerg. eff. May 16, 1951. Amended by Laws 1959, p. 195, § 3, emerg. eff. July 16, 1959; Laws 2011, c. 124, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2011; Laws 2016, c. 268, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2016; Laws 2020, c. 142, § 1, emerg. eff. May 21, 2020; Laws 2021, c. 12, § 3, emerg. eff. April 13, 2021; Laws 2025, c. 344, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 2025. NOTE: Laws 2016, c. 119, § 1 repealed by Laws 2017, c. 42, § 13.