Perdue names Col. Lusk as N.C. National Guard commander

Col. Gregory Lusk, an Iraqi war veteran, will lead the North Carolina National Guard starting Oct. 1, Gov. Bev Perdue announced Thursday.

As adjutant general, Lust will oversee nearly 12,000 citizen soldiers and airmen of the N.C. Army and Air National Guard, according to a press release. He will also advise the governor on military issues. Lusk will replace outgoing Adjutant Gen. William Ingram, who has been in charge of the Guard since 2001.

“Col. Lusk has commanded our largest National Guard unit on tours of duty to Iraq and has served with honor and distinction throughout his career,” Perdue said in a statement. “Whether it’s helping respond to hurricanes here in North Carolina or defending our country’s freedoms, the National Guard plays a vital role in our domestic and international security. Col. Lusk is a strong leader and will carry on that proud tradition of being a citizen soldier.”

Lusk has been a member of the NCSB since 1979 and served two tours of duty in Iraq, where he commanded the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, the state’s largest guard unit. During his most recent tour, Lusk’s brigade partnered with Iraqi Security Forces to carry out “combined security operations and civil capacity improvement,” the release noted.

Lusk holds a a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from N.C. State University and a masters of science in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College.