BG Mitch Johnson

Appointed Adjutant General of NDNG 9/15/2024

Air Force Brig. Gen. Mitchell Johnson has been selected to serve as the next adjutant general of the North Dakota National Guard and director of the N.D. Department of Emergency Services, effective Sept. 15, 2024. (U.S. Air Force)

(Tribune News Service) — Brig. Gen. Mitchell Johnson will be the next leader of North Dakota’s National Guard, Gov. Doug Burgum announced on Thursday.

Johnson, who most recently served as commander of the Fargo-based 119th Wing of the state’s Air National Guard, will serve as the Guard’s next adjutant general as well as director of the Department of Emergency Services. He’s succeeding Maj. Gen. Alan Dohrmann and will begin the role on Sept. 15.

Johnson led the 119th Wing from March 2021 to this past January, overseeing around 1,200 personnel. He previously served as vice commander of the wing for more than two years, and has served in a variety of other command and flying roles in North Dakota, Florida, Oklahoma and Arkansas since 1998.

He’s an alumnus of Michigan Tech University and University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, and has graduated from Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, and the Air War College. Johnson has also logged more than 5,000 flight hours, including more than 1,000 in combat, and has served overseas in six deployments. He said in a statement that his selection for the role is a “tremendous honor” and he looks forward to serving the state.

Dohrmann, Johnson’s predecessor, is bringing his four-decade military career to a close later this year. In April, he announced his intent to retire on Sept. 30. He was first appointed by then-Gov. Jack Dalrymple to lead the state’s National Guard in December 2015, then reappointed by Burgum in 2018. He helped lead the state’s response to protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2016 and 2017, and supported the state’s Department of Health and Human Services and local public health agencies amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Burgum praised Johnson in the statement, saying that the state’s National Guard will “continue to play an important role in national security” under his leadership while also supporting North Dakota residents.

“Johnson has demonstrated exceptional leadership during his 12 years of active duty in the Air Force and 15 years in the National Guard, and he will serve our state and its citizens incredibly well as the 22nd adjutant general in North Dakota history,” the governor said.

The state’s National Guard has approximately 4,200 service members, and facilities in 13 communities.

(c)2024 The Bismarck Tribune (Bismarck, N.D.)

Brigadier General Mitchell Johnson assumed duties as adjutant general for the North Dakota National Guard in September 2024. As adjutant general, General Johnson commands more than 4,100 North Dakota Soldiers and Airmen and supervises approximately 1,325 full-time federal and state employees. He also serves as the Director of Emergency Services consisting of two Divisions: the Division of Homeland Security, and the Division of State Radio Communications.

Prior to his current assignment, General Johnson served as the North Dakota National Guard Chief of Staff Air from May to August of 2024 and Deputy Chief of Staff February to April 2024. From March 2021 to January 2024, he served as 119th Wing Commander. General Johnson was commissioned in May 1997 through ROTC at Michigan Tech, Houghton, Mich. He was selected for an Air Force Institute of Technology Civilian Institution Program and earned his master’s degree in 1998. Upon completion of pilot training, General Johnson served in multiple flying assignments in AMC, AETC and AFSOC during his 12 years on active duty. He has commanded at the wing, group, and squadron level, and flown tactical airlift, special operations attack and remotely piloted aircraft worldwide. General Johnson has served overseas on six different deployments. He is a native of Central Minnesota.

EDUCATION:
1997 Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Mich.
1998 Master of Science, Aerospace Engineering, AFIT Civilian Institution, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2003 Squadron Officer School, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2016 Air War College, by correspondence

ASSIGNMENTS:
1. June 1997 – June 1998, AFIT Civilian Institution Program, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2. June 1998 – September 1999, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla.
3. September 1999 – January 2002, C-130 Pilot, Chief of Flying Safety, 50 Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
4. January 2002 – June 2005, T-37 IP, Flight Commander, Wing SATAF Officer, Vance AFB, Okla.
5. June 2005 – February 2009, AC-130U Aircraft Commander, Chief of Plans, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
6. February 2009 – February 2010, MQ-1 Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, Hector IAP, Fargo, N.D.
7. February 2010 – November 2011, Operations Officer, 119th Operations Support Squadron, Hector IAP, Fargo, N.D.
8. November 2011 – May 2012, Commander, 177th Airlift Squadron, Hector IAP, Fargo, N.D. 
9. May 2012 – October 2014, Commander, 119th Operations Support Squadron, Hector IAP, Fargo, N.D.
10. November 2014 – March 2016, Commander, 178th Reconnaissance Squadron, Hector IAP, Fargo, N.D.
11. March 2016 – August 2018, Commander, 119th Operations Group, Hector IAP, Fargo, N.D.
12. August 2018 – March 2021, Vice Commander, 119th Wing, Hector IAP, Fargo, N.D.
13. March 2021 – January 2024, Commander, 119th Wing, Hector IAP, Fargo, N.D.
14. February 2024 – April 2024, Deputy Chief of Staff, Air, JFHQ, Fargo, N.D.
15. May 2024 – August 2024: Chief of Staff, Air, JFHQ, Fargo, N.D.

FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 5,500, including more than 1,100 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: C-21, C-130 E/H3, MQ-1, MQ-9

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal