Governor Spencer Cox has officially appointed Colonel Michael D. Kjar as the new adjutant general of the Utah National Guard, taking over from Major General Daniel D. Boyack, who will transition to a national-level position as the National Guard Advisor to the Commander of U.S. Northern Command. Colonel Kjar has an extensive military background with over 30 years of service, beginning his career in the Wyoming Army National Guard in 1995 and later commissioning as a field artillery officer in the Utah Army National Guard in 2003. He is a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and has held various leadership positions, including Commander of the Recruiting and Retention Battalion and Chief of Staff of the Utah Army National Guard. Under Major General Boyack's leadership, the Utah National Guard achieved significant personnel readiness, with the Air National Guard end strength rising from 94% to 106% and the Army National Guard from 95% to 105%. Kjar's formal change of command ceremony is scheduled for August 3 at Roland Wright ANG Base.