Major General Gus L. Hargett, Jr. is the 74th Adjutant General of Tennessee. General Hargett was appointed to the state's top military position in 2002, and reappointed by Governor Phil Bredesen in 2003. He is responsible for the supervision of the Military Department of Tennessee that includes the Army National Guard, the Air National Guard, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, and the Tennessee State Guard.

General Hargett enlisted in the Tennessee Army National Guard August 31, 1962, serving as an enlisted infantry soldier. Upon completion of Officer Candidate School (Tennessee Military Academy), he was commissioned an infantry officer on August 6, 1966.

General Hargett has served in various staff and leadership assignments within the Tennessee Army National Guard and the National Guard Bureau to include assignments as the Assistant Adjutant General, Army; Chief, Mobilization Plans with the III US Corps; Chief, Plans Division Fifth US Army; and Chief, Overseas Deployment Training, HQ, US Army Europe; during Desert Shield / Desert Storm served as Chief Operations/Exercise Division, National Guard Bureau; War College Fellowship, Ohio State, and served a six-year term as a member of Army Reserve Forces Policy Committee. He has the distinction of being the first National Guard officer to attend the resident NATO Defense College in Rome, Italy. In 2004, General Hargett completed a 2-year term as the Chairman of the Board, National Guard Association of the United States. He currently serves as a member of the Department of Defense, Reserve Forces Policy Board.

Born October 30, 1946, in Cooperstown, New York, but considers Lakewood, California, to be his hometown. Married to Dr. M. Rhea Seddon of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Four children. He enjoys home built aircraft, formula one air racing, running and surfing during his free time. His mother, Mrs. Paul A. Gibson, resides in Seal Beach, California. His father is deceased. Her father, Mr. Edward C. Seddon, resides in Murfreesboro; her mother is deceased.

Graduated from Huntington High School, Huntington, New York, in 1964; received an associate degree in engineering science from Suffolk County Community College in 1966, and a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from California Polytechnic State University in 1969.

Awarded the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) "Louis Bleriot Medal" (1992), and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) "Freedom of Flight" Award (1989). Established world records for "Altitude in Horizontal Flight," Airplane Class C1A in 1991, and "Time to Climb to 9000 Meters" in 1994. Military awards include: the Defense Superior Service Medal; the Distinguished Flying Cross; 3 Air Medals; the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V"; a Navy Unit Commendation; Meritorious Unit Commendation; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; and Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Gibson entered active duty with the Navy in 1969. He received primary and basic flight training at Naval Air Stations Saufley Field and Pensacola, Florida, and Meridian, Mississippi, and completed advanced flight training at the Naval Air Station at Kingsville, Texas.

While assigned to Fighter Squadrons 111 and 1, during the period April 1972 to September 1975, he saw duty aboard the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) and the USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) -- flying combat missions in Southeast Asia. He is a graduate of the Naval Fighter Weapons School, "Topgun." Gibson returned to the United States and an assignment as an F-14A instructor pilot with Fighter Squadron 124. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, Patuxent River, Maryland, in June 1977, and later became involved in the test and evaluation of F-14A aircraft while assigned to the Naval Air Test Center's Strike Aircraft Test Directorate.

His flight experience includes over 6,000 hours in over 50 types of civil and military aircraft. He holds airline transport pilot, multi-engine, and instrument ratings, and has held a private pilot rating since age 17. Gibson has also completed over 300 carrier landings.

Now the Democratic Floor Leader in the Tennessee Senate, Roy has authored numerous laws enabling health care, attacking crime, helping victims, protecting children, empowering whistleblowers and defending freedoms, while for 20 years attending every legislative session except the day his youngest son was being born.