Governor-elect Bill Lee on Thursday announced that former State Rep. Courtney Rogers will head up the Department of Veterans Services for when his new administration begins next month.
Rogers was one of two appointments Lee announced to his cabinet on Thursday- one for the Department of Veterans Services and one for the Department of Military.
The appointments are:
– Lt. Col. (Ret.) Courtney Rogers, former State Rep. (R-TN-45) – head of the Department of Veterans Services
– Maj. Gen. Jeff Holmes – adjutant general of the Department of Military
“We are pleased to add two experienced military leaders to our cabinet today,” Lee said in a statement. “Our veterans and active duty personnel will be in good hands with these appointments and I look forward to working with them.”
Rogers, of Sumner County, serves as the Director of Recruiting and Retention for the Tennessee State Guard, the all-volunteer arm of the Tennessee Military Department, Lee said in a statement.
Rogers served 28 years in the Air Force and Tennessee Air National Guard.
She also was a Tennessee State Representative for the 45th District for three terms from 2012 to 2018 until deciding not to run for re-election, Ballotpedia said. Rogers received a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in administration from Central Michigan University.
Rogers was on the State House’s Civil Justice committee and was vice chair of the Transportation committee, Ballotpedia said.
She also was a member of the Tennessee Legislative Veterans Caucus whose work included tax breaks for veterans who were 100 percent disabled.
Holmes, who lives in Rutherford County, serves as Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. First Army which provides training and readiness oversight to reserve units deploying around the world, Lee said in a statement.
He previously served as Deputy Adjutant General of the Tennessee National Guard and commanded Tennessee National Guard units at all levels.
A registered architect, Holmes was Deputy Chief of Engineers at the Pentagon.
Holmes enlisted as an Armor Crewman in 1979 and was commissioned Field Artillery from Tennessee Military Academy Officer Candidate School in 1984, according to his biography by the Tennessee Department of Military. He commanded the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment during its deployment to Iraq in 2010, and as the Commander of 3rd Squadron, 278th ACR in Operation Iraqi Freedom III in 2004-2005.
He graduated in 1985 from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in architecture, and is a 2008 graduate of the United States Army War College with a master’s degree in strategic studies.
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
Photo “Courtney Rogers” by Courtney Rogers; “Maj. Gen. Jeff Holmes” by tn.gov.
