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Van McCarty named new leader of South Carolina's military

McCarty, who's been in the military for over 36 years, will now be South Carolina's new adjutant general.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has named a new leader for the state's military forces, and the first ever to be appointed to the position. 

Thursday, McMaster introduced Maj. Gen. Van McCarty as his pick to succeed Maj. Gen. Bob Livingston as the state's Adjutant  General.

Livingston is retiring from duty after serving as the state's top officer since 2011. He's the last elected adjutant general, because of a law change in 2014 that made the position appointed beginning in 2018.

McCarty is a 1982 graduate of The Citadel. He's been serving as the deputy adjutant general in recent years.

Over his career, he's served in multiple commanding units, and has helped lead the response to natural disasters in the state.

"Our business is important, and there's nothing I can do that's more important that I do than to make sure [the military] is trained, equipped, and ready," McCarty said.

The adjutant general oversees the state's Army National Guard, Air National Guard, volunteer State Guard and the state's Emergency Management Division.

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