Montana Adjutant General's Office Records, 1912-1915

The Montana Adjutant General's Office was established in 1885. The adjutant general was to distribute orders of the commander-in-chief (the governor); report annually to the governor and the President of the United States on the state of the Montana militia, its arms, ammunition, etc.; and report annually to the state auditor on his expenditures. In 1919 the Montana National Guard was reorganized under the Adjutant General's Office. In the 1919 session laws, the adjutant general was given the responsibility to appoint and remove civilian employees of his department; keep a roster of all officers of the state militia; purchase, issue, keep, and preserve the state's military property; attest all commissions; make regulations concerning the adjutant general's duties; keep on file reports and records pertaining to the state militia; etc. The 1947 session laws added the responsibility for the organization and administration of the Montana Home Guard.