Maj. Gen. Gus Hargett enlisted in the Tennessee Army National Guard on Aug. 31, 1962. He retired Thursday after 47 years as a Tennessee guardsman.
His work has taken him across Tennessee and away to duty in Italy, Germany, Texas and Ohio. Maj. Gen. Hargett spoke to the Times Free Press recently, reflecting on nearly half a century with the Guard and on next steps for both his and the Guard’s future.
Q: Why did you join the Tennessee Army National Guard?
A: My dad was in the Guard. Eleven of us went to basic training together and stayed together in the first few years. In my third year, they started lobbying all the guys to go to OCS (Officer Candidate School). I said, ‘Guys, I’m only going to stay in six years.’ They said I should make the best of it.
Q: How different is the Tennessee Guard now as compared to 1962?