Janeen L. Birckhead | |
|---|---|
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| Branch | U.S. Army |
| Service years | 1991–present |
| Rank |  Major general |
| Commands | Maryland Military Department |
| Alma mater | Hampton University (BA) University of Maryland University College (MA) United States Army War College (MSS) |
Janeen L.Birckhead is a U.S. military officer serving as theadjutant general of Maryland since April 2023. She is amajor general of theMaryland Army National Guard. She was previously a senior advisor in the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration and the assistant adjutant general from June 2018 to April 2023.
Birckhead was born toFannie Mae (née Ward) and Lewis Birckhead.[1][2] Her mother, a local politician, was the first African American elected to a countywide office inWorcester County, Maryland and the first to serve as a mayor on theEastern Shore of Maryland.[3] Birckhead was raised inSnow Hill, Maryland where she attended Snow Hill Elementary, Middle, andHigh School.[4][3] Starting at the age of 14, she began working at afast-food restaurant inOcean City, Maryland during the summers.[5] She was on the basketball cheerleading squad at her high school and was a member of its4-H club.[5]
In 1991, she completed a B.A. in political science atHampton University where she was a member of theReserve Officers' Training Corps.[6] She earned a M.A. in management from theUniversity of Maryland University College and a M.S.S. in strategic studies at theUnited States Army War College.[6]
Birckhead joined theUnited States Army as asecond lieutenant on May 12, 1991.[6] From June to November that year, she attended chemical school atFort McClellan.[6] She then served as a chemical officer in the 419th Chemical Detachment in Washington, D.C. until May 1993.[6] She was then transferred to 29th Rear Area Operations Center until August 1995.[6] From 1995 to 1996, she was the aide-de-camp toJames F. Fretterd, the Adjutant General in Baltimore Maryland.[6]
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From April 2017 to May 2018, Birckhead served as the director of legislative affairs of theMaryland National Guard.[7] She served as the assistant adjutant general from June 2018 to April 2023.[6] She had a dual-hatted assignment from March 2020 to May 2023 as the deputy commanding general-reserve affairs of the United States Army War College.[6] During her tenure, Birckhead assisted theHogan administration with addressing equity issues in distribution of theCOVID-19 vaccine in Maryland,[8] and was selected by theD.C. National Guard to be the Task Force Capitol Grounds Commander for thepresidential inauguration of Joe Biden.[9][10] She was also a senior advisor in the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration in the within theBureau of Indian Affairs.[3] In March 2023, Birckhead was inducted into theMaryland Women's Hall of Fame.[11]
In April 2023, Birckhead was promoted tomajor general and named by governorWes Moore as the 31stadjutant general of Maryland.[6] She heads theMaryland Military Department. She is the only Black woman leading a state military.[12]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.