Next Indiana National Guard leader named
INDIANAPOLIS (INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE) — Gov.-elect Mike Braun on Tuesday announced plans to appoint Brig. Gen. Lawrence “Larry” Muennich as Indiana’s Adjutant General, who leads the Indiana National Guard and its 12,000 members.
Braun — a businessman — touted his pick’s military and business experience.
In a news release, he said Muennich’s “unique combination of military leadership and private sector executive experience makes him exceptionally qualified to lead our National Guard. His proven track record of strategic leadership, both in uniform and in business, will be invaluable as we work to strengthen Indiana’s military readiness and emergency response capabilities.”
Muennich is currently the guard’s assistant adjutant general, according to his guard biography.
He spent two years in the nation’s capital, with brief stints at the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the National Guard Bureau, according to his LinkedIn. Muennich previously worked about 19 years in various roles at General Electric and GE Appliances, and about four years helping manage Lowe’s and Target stores.
Muennich balanced that private sector career with nearly 29 years of service for Indiana’s Army National Guard. His military career includes command of the 38th Combat Aviation Brigade and operational deployments to Iraq, Kosovo, Kuwait and Bosnia. He’s also a senior army aviator with over 1,500 flight hours, according to the release.
He has master’s degrees from the U.S. Air Force War College and Bellarmine University, and a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University, according to his LinkedIn. And he’s a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and the Order of St. Michael from the Army Aviation Association of America, according to the news release.
Muennich said he was “honored to be selected,” adding, “The Indiana National Guard has a proud tradition of serving both our state and nation, and I look forward to working alongside our dedicated soldiers and airmen to ensure we remain ready to respond whenever called upon.”
Maj. Gen. R. Dale Lyles, the guard’s current leader, will retire from that leadership role in January.