HONOLULU (KHON2) — Governor Josh Green, M.D., revealed Friday that Maj. Gen. Kenneth S. Hara will retire before the year ends.
Hara serves as the Adjutant General for the state of Hawaii, Commander of the Hawaii National Guard, and Director of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.
He will step down as TAG on Oct. 1, 2024, and retire from military service on Nov. 1, 2024, after 40-years of service.
Governor Green has designated Brig. Gen. Stephen F. Logan, the current Deputy Adjutant General for the state and commander of the Hawaii Army National Guard, as the next TAG.
Throughout his entire career, Maj. Gen. Hara led by example, providing a steady hand through some of the most challenging times in the history of our state and nation. I can say with confidence that the state of Hawaiʻi is better because of Maj. Gen. Hara’s dedicated service, commitment, and sacrifices. I wish him all the best in retirement
Governor Green
He added that he is thrilled Hara is leaving the Hawaii National Guard under Logan’s care as he is a key component and his appointment marks another historic milestone in a storied military career.
As TAG, Brig. Gen. Logan will oversee the Hawaii National Guard and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, managing daily operations and leading approximately 5,600 Army and Air National Guard members, including roughly 2,100 full-time federal and state employees.
Brig. Gen. Logan’s appointment requires confirmation by the Hawaii state Senate.
The official Change of Responsibility ceremony will be conducted by the state of Hawaii Department of Defense on Oct. 1, 2024.
I am grateful and proud to have served with the extraordinary members of the state of Hawaii, Department of Defense, who accomplished every assigned state and federal mission during extremely challenging times and I have full faith and confidence in Brig. Gen. Steve Logan and know that he will successfully lead the department into the future
Maj. Gen. Hara
Maj. Gen. Hara, a veteran of three combat deployments, held the position of TAG since December 2019.
He served as the state’s incident commander during the COVID-19 pandemic response from 2020 to 2023 and again during the Maui wildfire response in 2023.
Brig. Gen. Logan, a combat veteran with service in Afghanistan, has been DAG since December 2019 and Commander of the Hawaii Army National Guard since October 2021. He most recently led the Hawaii National Guard’s Joint Task Force 50 in response to the 2023 Maui wildfire disaster.
I’m truly honored and humbled to be selected as the Adjutant General for the state of Hawaiʻi, and extremely proud to be a member of Governor Green’s Cabinet. I also want to thank the dedicated efforts of the many great leaders who’ve held this post before me, most notably Maj. Gen. Hara for his decisive leadership through these challenging times.
Brig. Gen. Logan
Brig. Gen. Logan, a native of Oahu, enlisted in the Hawaii Army National Guard during high school and later became a commissioned officer.
He served as a pilot for nearly 30-years and has over 40-years of military service. Before his current role, Logan served in the Honolulu Police Department, retiring as a Metropolitan Police Lieutenant in 2004.
The successor to Brig. Gen. Logan will be announced in the coming months.