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General James Hoyer

General James Hoyer Headshot

Vice President for Economic Innovation at West Virginia University

Major General (retired) James A. Hoyer assumed the duties as the Adjutant General, West Virginia Joint Forces Headquarters-West Virginia on 1 February 2011 and retired from service 1 February 2021 after serving three Governors. As the Adjutant General for the state of West Virginia, he provided command guidance and vision to the West Virginia Army and Air National Guard for more than 6,500 Citizen Soldiers and Airmen. He also led the state’s Joint Interagency Task Force in response to multiple state emergencies and major security events to include national and world Scout Jamborees. In 2016, General Hoyer was appointed to lead the state’s recovery from the 2016 flood and in 2020 he was appointed to lead the West Virginia COVID Response Joint Interagency Task Force, which he continues to lead as a civilian.

General Hoyer received his undergraduate degree from the University of Charleston and was commissioned in 1983 through a joint Reserve Officer Training Corps program with West Virginia State University. He has a Masters Degree in Management and Public Administration from the West Virginia Graduate College, a Masters in Strategic Studies from the US Army War College and a Certificate in Identity Management from the Naval Post Graduate School.

General Hoyer began his military career in the West Virginia National Guard as a Cavalry Officer. He attended the Special Forces Officer Qualification course and spent over 14 years with the 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group. General Hoyer led the development of the West Virginia National Guard Counterdrug Task Force and the Joint Interagency Training and Education Center and its Center for National Response; a national level operational and training capability for critical infrastructure protection and consequence response. General Hoyer also served as Director, Joint Staff, West Virginia Joint Force Headquarters before his appointment as Adjutant General.

General Hoyer’s awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit and the West Virginia Distinguished Service Medal. In additional he has received the Officer’s Cross of Merit from the President of Poland and the Order of Merit from the Peruvian Army.

He currently serves as a Vice President for Economic Innovation for West Virginia University.