Please join us for lunch!

For our meeting Monday, September 18th, 2023, we welcome
Major General Van McCarty The Adjutant General, South Carolina.

Thomas K. Stringfellow

Major General Van McCarty serves as the 29th Adjutant General for South Carolina and head of the South Carolina Military Department. He administers the affairs of the South Carolina Army and Air National Guard, the Emergency Management Division, the State Guard, and the Youth Challenge Academy. The Governor, by law, is the Commander-in-Chief. The Adjutant General holds the rank of Major General (MG).

A native of South Carolina, McCarty attended The Citadel graduating n 1982 with a United States Army Reserve commission in the Field Artillery. During more than 36 years of service, he has commanded units at every echelon, from Battery to Brigade. McCarty’s previous command assignments include Battery Commander, Alpha Battery, 4th Battalion, 178th Field Artillery, Battalion Commander, 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery (Operation Iraqi Freedom), Regional Police Advisory Commander (Operation Enduring Freedom), 218th Enhanced Separate Brigade; Commander 59th Troop Command, Assistant Adjutant Army, and Deputy Adjutant General.

McCarty holds a Bachelor of Science degree from The Citadel and completed the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Academy at Quantico, Virginia, serving twenty-four years in the Law Enforcement Division with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. McCarty’s Military Education includes The Field Artillery Officer Basic and Advanced courses, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Air Defense Artillery Transition Course, Joint Task Force Commander Course, U.S. Army Senior Service College, CAPSTONE and the Advanced Army Strategic Education Program.

McCarty’s awards and decorations include: Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, with One Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster; Meritorious Service Medal, with One Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Commendation Medal, with Four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters; Army Achievement Medal, with One Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, with One Silver Oak Leaf Cluster, and Two Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster; National Defense Service Medal, with Bronze Star; Afghanistan Campaign Medal, with Bronze Star; Iraqi Campaign Medal, with Bronze Star; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal, with Silver Hour Glass Device, with M Device Second Award; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon with Second Award; NATO Medal; the SC Meritorious Service Medal; SC Active State Service Medal with one Silver Star; SC Achievement Ribbon; SC Mobilization Ribbon.

McCarty and his wife Susan have one daughter, Madelynn and four sons, Matthew, Micah, Mackenzie, and Major.

Education

  • 1982 The Citadel, Bachelor of Science, Education, Charleston, South Carolina
  • 2010 Air Defense Artillery Reclassification Course, Fort Sill, Oklahoma
  • 2011 United States Army Senior Service College Fellowship, Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia
  • 2012 Joint Task Force Commander Course, Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • 2012 Senior Reserve Component Officer Course, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
  • 2014 CAPSTONE, National Defense University, Ft McNair, Washington DC

Awards

  • Bronze Star Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
  • Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
  • Army Commendation (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters)
  • Army Achievement Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
  • Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
  • National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
  • Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
  • Iraqi Campaign Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star)
  • Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
  • Humanitarian Service Medal
  • Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Silver Hourglass, M Device and Numeral 2)
  • Army Service Ribbon
  • Overseas Service Ribbon (with Numeral 2)
  • North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal
  • South Carolina Meritorious Service Medal
  • South Carolina Achievement Ribbon
  • South Carolina Active State Service Medal (with 1 Silver Star Device)
  • South Carolina Mobilization Ribbon (with Numeral 1; Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)
  • South Carolina Governor’s Unit Citation

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