Major General Stanhope S. Spears
THE ADJUTANT GENERAL OF SOUTH CAROLINA (1995-Present)
Major General Stanhope S. Spears is Adjutant General of South Carolina. He leads
and directs the 10,500-member South Carolina Army and Air National Guard. His responsibilities
as Adjutant General also include supervising State Operations consisting of Budget
and Finance, the Department of Information Technology, Construction and Facilities
Management Office, State Human Resources, the Youth Challenge Programs, the SC State
Guard, the Emergency Management Division, Starbase, SC Homeland Defense/AmeriCorps,
Distance Learning, McCrady Dining Facility, McCrady Billeting Operations, and Federal-State
Cooperative Agreements. He serves on the Board of Visitors for the Citadel, the
military college of South Carolina. He is also a member of the Advisory Board for
communities in Schools for South Carolina.
General Spears is the senior Adjutant General in the United States and the several
territories.
Spears was born and raised in York County, South Carolina. He is a graduate of Clover
High School and the University of South Carolina (USC). Spears played on the football
team while attending USC. After graduating from USC in 1959 with a B.S. degree in
Business administration, Spears enlisted in the South Carolina Air National Guard
(SCANG). He served two years in the SCANG before his acceptance into the Palmetto
Military Academy (PMA), the South Carolina Army National Guard Officer Candidate
School. Upon graduation from PMA in 1962, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant
in the Army National Guard. He served as a traditional Guard member for the next
32 years, achieving the rank of Brigadier General and assignment as Assistant Adjutant
General.
Maj. Gen Spears's career progression began when he commanded the 4th Battalion,
118th Infantry in May, 1983. He later directed the National Guard's NCO and Officer
Candidate Schools before commanding Troop Command from October 1991 until April
1994. He served nine months as Assistant Adjutant General for the South Carolina
Army National Guard, prior to taking office as Adjutant General.
Maj. Gen. Spears's military education includes: Armor Officer Basic Course, 1964;
Armor Officer Advanced Course, 1971; Command and General Staff College, 1976; and
National Defense University, Reserve Components National Security Course, 1978.
After completing a tour as a member of the Army Reserve Forces Policy Committee,
Spears was appointed by the Secretary of Defense to the prestigious Reserve Forces
Policy Board. The Reserve Forces Policy Board is the principal and independent policy
advisor to the Secretary of Defense on matters relating to the Reserve Components.
Maj. Gen. Spears's awards and decorations include: The Order of the Palmetto, the
State's highest civilian non-military honor, presented by the Governor of South
Carolina; Distinguished Service Medal; Legion of Merit Medal; United States Meritorious
Service Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; Army Reserve Components
Achievement Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal; National Defense Service Medal; and
Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.
In his business career, Spears was an executive with Marsh-McLennan, Inc., the world's
largest insurance brokerage firm from which he retired after 27 years of service.
Prior to
being elected Adjutant General, he was employed by Willis Corroon Corporation.
Spears was elected Adjutant General in the statewide General Election Nov. 8, 1994.
He was sworn into office with the rank of Major General Jan. 11, 1995. Spears is
the state's fifth Adjutant General since 1926 and is the nation's only elected Adjutant
General.
Spears is married to the former Dorothy Parlier of Gastonia, North Carolina. They
have two sons, Stan Jr. and Alester. Maj. Gen. Spears and his wife reside in Columbia.