COLCHESTER, Vt. -
The Vermont National Guard has a new leader.
Brigadier General Steven Cray was elected adjutant general by the Vt. Legislature last week. Friday, the Guard conducted a change of command ceremony, transferring authority to Cray from Maj. Gen. Thomas Drew, who held the job on an interim basis since last summer.
"When we really started talking about being adjutant general, my family said, if that's what you really want to do, 'cause they know that it's in here (gestures to heart). They know that serving in the Vermont National Guard, and at that time, the Air Guard, is in here (gestures). And I still carry that today and I will continue to carry that... as long as I'm your adjutant general," Cray said.
The job of adjutant general comes with an automatic promotion to the military rank of major general.