Gov. Evers Appoints Brigadier General Matthew Strub to Lead the Wisconsin National Guard

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced Interim Adjutant General Brig. Gen. David May is retiring from military service and that the governor has selected Brig. Gen. Matthew Strub as the next adjutant general of the Wisconsin National Guard. The governor’s appointment fills the vacancy created by the forthcoming retirement of Interim Adjutant General May, who had agreed to serve in the position as interim adjutant general until his retirement from military service this April.

“I want to thank Interim Adjutant General May for his leadership and his willingness to continue serving the Wisconsin National Guard and our state over the past year. During a time of great uncertainty, May has consistently answered my call to serve, and I could not be more grateful for him and his nearly three decades of service to our state and country,” said Gov. Evers. “May is a distinguished public servant who has been a key part of our administration’s work and response to crises here at home and abroad. While we will miss his dedication and his fierce advocacy for the men and women in our National Guard, I am honored to have served as his commander in chief, and I wish him and his family the very best in his well-deserved retirement. We join Wisconsinites and Americans in thanking him for his decades of selfless service.”

“It has been an honor to serve Gov. Evers and the selfless and dedicated professional soldiers, airmen, and civilians of the Wisconsin National Guard and to finish my nearly 30-year career of service as the adjutant general,” said Wisconsin National Guard Interim Adjutant General David May, who has served as the interim adjutant general since May 2024. “I know that I am leaving the Wisconsin Army and Air National Guard in good hands with Brig. Gen. Strub, who will be a decidedly strong leader for the Guard with an unwavering commitment to state and country.”

Gov. Evers today also announced he is promoting Brig. Gen. Strub to the rank of major general.

“From his time in the State Patrol to his service with the Wisconsin National Guard, Brig. Gen. Strub has dedicated his career to serving our state and country, and I look forward to his continued work and service as he leads the professional soldiers, airmen, and civilians of the National Guard in this role as adjutant general,” said Gov. Evers.

Brig. Gen. Strub began his military career in 1986 when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve as a helicopter mechanic, and while enrolled at the University of Minnesota, he participated in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, being commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1990. In addition to serving for 11 years in the Wisconsin State Patrol, in 1995, Brig. Gen. Strub joined the Wisconsin Army National Guard and shifted to full-time in 2005. Over the past two decades, Brig. Gen. Strub has commanded both Wisconsin Army National Guard Aviation Flight Facilities, was the deputy chief of staff for Aviation and Safety, deputy chief of staff for Personnel, and the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s chief of staff. He currently serves as the deputy adjutant general of the Wisconsin Army National Guard, a position he has held since 2022. Since March 2023, he has also served as the deputy commanding general of the Army National Guard–United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence.

Brig. Gen. Strub has been federally mobilized for four year-long tours during his military career. Two of his mobilizations were for MEDEVAC mission support stateside, and two were for combat service in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was selected to lead an active-duty brigade in Afghanistan, which is unusual for a Guard member. He has also responded during domestic operations, including following Hurricane Katrina and flooding of the Red River in North Dakota.

“I am honored and grateful for the trust placed in me by Gov. Evers to serve as the next adjutant general of the Wisconsin National Guard,” said. Brig. Gen. Strub. “I look forward to being a trusted partner with state and federal agencies, as well as our civilian partners, to ensure Wisconsinites are safe, secure, and live in an environment where every family can prosper.”

In addition to his bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota, Brig. Gen. Strub has completed a master’s degree in quality systems management and process improvement, as well as a master’s degree in strategic studies from the United States Army War College. He lives in Washington County with his wife, Tina, and has six adult children and eight grandchildren. His official National Guard biography is available here. A photo of Brig. Gen. Strub is available here.

Gen. Strub’s appointment is effect April 18, and he will serve a five-year term as the head of the Wisconsin National Guard and the Department of Military Affairs. Concurrent with his appointment as adjutant general, Brig. Gen. Strub will be promoted to the rank of major general in the State of Wisconsin.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.