Governor Walz Names New National Guard Commander
St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Minnesota National Guard has a new leader.
Governor Tim Walz today announced the appointment of Brigadier General Shawn Manke as the new Adjutant General of the State National Guard. He succeeds Major General Jon Jensen, who was recently promoted to serve as the top commander of the entire U.S. Army National Guard.
“In recent months, the Minnesota National Guard has been called to serve our state in unprecedented ways, and we are grateful for General Jensen’s service and steady leadership,” said Governor Walz. “Having served in the Minnesota National Guard for 24 years before becoming Governor, I know General Manke’s experience commanding Soldiers, concern for National Guard members’ well-being, and dedication to public service have prepared him to be an effective Adjutant General. I look forward to working with General Manke to serve the people of Minnesota.”
General Manke is from Cambridge and has most recently served as the Assistant Division Commander of the Rosemount based 34th Infantry Division. He has held leadership positions in the Minnesota Guard since 2003 and has served in overseas deployments with the National Guard to Kosovo and Iraq.