Puerto Rico Adjutant General

Puerto Rico Adjutant General
Seal of the National Guard Bureau
Incumbent Brigadier General Isabelo Rivera since July 19, 2015; 18 months ago (2015-07-19)
Puerto Rico National Guard
Reports to	Commissioner of Safety and Public Protection
Nominator	Governor of Puerto Rico with advice and consent from the Senate
Appointer	Governor of Puerto Rico
Term length	indefinite
Deputy	Deputy Adjutant General

The Puerto Rico Adjutant General (Spanish: Ayudante General de Puerto Rico) is the Commander of the Puerto Rico National Guard. As the Adjutant General he is also the Senior Military Advisor to the Governor of Puerto Rico and oversees both State and Federal Missions of the Puerto Rico National Guard. He provides leadership and management in the implementation of all programs and policies affecting more than 10,500 citizen-soldiers and airmen, and civilian employees of the three components of the PR National Guard: Puerto Rico Army National Guard, Puerto Rico Air National Guard and Puerto Rico State Guard. It is the responsibility of the Adjutant General of the Commonwealth to share his reports with the Secretary of the Army or the Secretary of the Air Force.

The Adjutant General has a Deputy Adjutant General, who is the principal advisor assisting in the discharge of responsibilities in the areas of logistics, fiscal compliance, and personnel administration.

In 1906, a group of Puerto Ricans met with the United States appointed Governor of Puerto Rico Beekman Winthrop, and suggested the organization of a Puerto Rican National Guard. The petition failed because the U.S. Constitution prohibits the formation of any armed force within the United States and its territories without the authorization of Congress.

Puerto Ricans served in the "Porto Rico Regiment" (later renamed 65th Infantry Regiment) as part of the regular United States Army during World War I, many of which received their military training at Camp Las Casas in Santurce a sector of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Luis R. Esteves, the first Puerto Rican to graduate from the United States Military Academy, helped organize the 23rd Battalion, which would be composed of Puerto Ricans and be stationed in Panama during World War I.