(NASHVILLE)  Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced the appointment of Brigadier General Warner A. Ross II as Adjutant General of Tennessee and Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Military, effective January 21, 2023. Ross succeeds Major General Jeff Holmes, who will retire after 43 years of military service.

“General Holmes has dedicated his career to protecting our state and nation, and I commend his leadership of the brave men and women in the Tennessee National Guard,” said Lee. “General Ross brings decades of military defense experience to his respective role, and I appreciate his continued service to Tennessee.”

Ross currently serves as the Assistant Adjutant General, Army for the Tennessee National Guard. Ross has 32 years of military service and received his commission from Officer Candidate School after beginning his career as an infantry rifleman at Fort Benning, Georgia, in 1990. Ross gained significant leadership experience while assigned to Infantry, Field Artillery and Cavalry branches across the Tennessee Army National Guard, and his most recent assignment was as Commander of the 194th Engineer Brigade.

Ross earned his Master in Strategic Studies at the Army War College, Master of Education at Freed-Hardeman University and Bachelor of Business Administration at the University of Mississippi.

He received his commission from Officer Candidate School after beginning his career as a infantry rifleman at Fort Benning, GA in 1990. He spent his early years learning and developing his leadership while assigned to Infantry, Field Artillery and Cavalry branches across the Tennessee Army National Guard. His most recent assignment was as Commander of the 194th Engineer Brigade.

His military education includes One Station Unit Training for 11B-Infantry (OSUT) Infantry Officer Basic Course, Artillery Officer Advanced Course, Intermediate Level Education Course, Infantry Pre-Command Course, Engineer Pre-Command Course and Senior Officer Legal Orientation Course. He holds a Masters in Strategic Studies from the Army War College, a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Mississippi and a Masters of Education from Freed-Hardeman University.