BOISE — Under Boise’s hot morning sun, dozens of uniformed National Guardsmen stood in formation to recognize the new leader of Idaho’s citizen soldiers and airmen.
Gov. Brad Little, commander in chief of the Idaho National Guard, oversaw the Change of Command ceremony Tuesday morning at Gowen Field. Maj. Gen. Timothy Donnellan will now serve as Idaho’s 26th adjutant general, replacing Maj. Gen. Michael Garshak, who is retiring.
Little on Tuesday thanked Garshak, who has served in the position since 2017, for overseeing “remarkable levels of readiness,” overseas combat deployments, and “unprecedented emergency response.”
The governor said Donnellan’s “extensive leadership, and proven experience and commitment to the wellbeing of Idahoans and the defense of our nation make him an exceptional choice as the next adjutant general and commander of the Idaho National Guard.”
“I have full confidence that he will lead the Idaho Military Division with integrity and steadfast dedication to excellence,” Little said.
Donnellan was commander of the Idaho Air National Guard — a component of the Idaho Military Division — and assistant adjutant general — air. He joined the Air Force in 1992 and has been a member of the Idaho Air National Guard since 2002, according to a press release from the governor’s office. He served on active duty as a security forces officer, air liaison officer and an instructor pilot.
In his new position, Donnellan will oversee nearly 4,500 citizen soldiers and airmen in the Idaho Army and Air National Guard. He will also be in the governor’s cabinet as director of the Idaho Military Division, which includes the Office of Emergency Management.
“We will be ready when Idaho calls,” Donnellan said, “whether that’s a wildland fire fight, a cyber attack, earthquakes, mountain rescue or another pandemic. We won’t wait for that date to prepare.”
He said he’ll continue the commitment to the three main objectives of the Idaho National Guard: maintain combat readiness for war, develop and strengthen homeland security and emergency response preparedness, and to build and foster partnerships throughout the state, nationally and internationally.
He said he would look to build on existing partnerships for ensuring cybersecurity with the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office, and grow opportunities with tribal nations, Idaho Office of Information Technology, Idaho National Laboratories and any entity working to keep the state “cyber secure.”
Donnellan will continue to oversee huge facility upgrades, including a new medical training facility that broke ground at Gowen Field in 2023 and new barracks at the Idaho Youth Challenge Academy in Pierce, Idaho, which broke ground in April. As part of a nationwide effort to modernize facilities, he will also continue to oversee the reduction in the number of armories in Idaho and replacement of them with larger, more modern facilities.
He also mentioned the planned transition from the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft to F-16s, which is expected to begin in 2027. There has not been an environmental impact study on the effect of bringing in the louder aircraft done yet. A spokesman said Gowen Field would focus on limiting noise impact, BoiseDev reported.
Above all, Donnellan said, his focus would be on the Guard members and their families.
“Our soldiers, our airmen, and state employees will always top the list because no matter how modern the tank, the airplane, helicopter, or widget of the day, our people can never be replaced,” he said. “Our commitment to every member of the Idaho Military Division is that you are the mission and all efforts must go to supporting you as you accomplish what is asked of you.”
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