Williams to Receive Command of Kansas Army National Guard March 1

Brig. Gen. Carlin Williams will be sworn as assistant adjutant general – Army and commander of the Kansas Army National Guard in a change of command ceremony Saturday, March 1, 2025, at 10 a.m., at the Museum of the Kansas National Guard, 125 SE Airport Drive, Topeka.

“The leadership of the Kansas National Guard invested in me over my career, providing opportunities and entrusting me with leadership in organizations both here and abroad,” said Williams. “I am committed to the organization and will leverage my experience to mentor the next generation, lead the organization within our dynamic and complex world, and continue to ensure we have a manned force ready to respond to the state and nation.”

Williams will succeed Brig. Gen. Anthony Mohatt, who is retiring.

“As I take off this uniform, I do so with full confidence that the Kansas Army National Guard remains in the best hands,” said Mohatt. “The Soldiers serving today are among the finest our state and nation have ever produced. They will carry the torch forward, defining victory, meeting our nation’s challenges, and upholding the values we hold dear. I leave with a deep sense of fulfillment, knowing that I have given my all to this profession, to this state, and to this country. I will always be a Soldier at heart, and while my role may change, my dedication to service will not. I will find new ways to contribute, new ways to support those who continue to wear the uniform, and new ways to honor the legacy of those who came before us. The guardians of the plains will continue to make Kansas Proud!”

Williams began his military service in 1996 in the Army Reserves as a combat medic. He commissioned as an infantry officer through Army ROTC at Texas Christian University in May 2001. He is a graduate of Infantry Officer Basic Course, Engineer Officer Advanced Course, Command and General Staff College, Advanced Operations Course, and Air War College.

On active duty, he served in the 82nd Airborne Division as a platoon leader, company executive officer and battalion adjutant and company commander in the 48th Infantry Regiment. He joined the Kansas Army National Guard in 2007. He served numerous positions with the 35th Infantry Division; operations officer, then commander of the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment; the executive officer of 4-6th Calvary Kansas Agribusiness Development Team; operations officer, then commander of the 635th Regional Support Group; and J3 Director of Operations for the Kansas National Guard. He has five deployments, including three to Afghanistan, one to Iraq, and one to Kuwait.

Williams’ notable awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Citation, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Parachutist Badge, and Ranger Tab.

Williams holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Christian University, a master’s in public administration from Webster University, and a master’s in strategic studies from Air University. In is civilian career, he works in healthcare information technology and holds a Project Management Institute PMP Certification.

Mohatt became assistance adjutant general – Army Aug. 6, 2016. His previous assignments include deputy commanding general – operations, 35th Infantry Division; commander, 69th Troop Command; S-2/S-3 (Operations), 69th Troop Command; commander, 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment; executive officer, 2nd Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment; and assistant G3 (Plans), 35th Infantry Division. He has also served in numerous positions at the battalion and company level.

Mohatt is a 1990 graduate of the Officer Candidate School at the Kansas Military Academy. His military education includes the Armor Officer Basic Course and Armor Officer Advance Courses at Fort Knox, Kentucky; Combined Arms and Services Staff School; Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Army Advance War Fighting Course; Tactical Commander Decision Course and the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

Mohatt’s awards and recognition include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, Iraq Campaign Medal with two Service Stars, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Humanitarian Service Medal with Bronze Service Star.

His civilian education includes a double Bachelor of Science from Kansas University, a Master of Arts from Wichita State University, and master’s degrees from the Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College.

After a 29-year civilian law enforcement career, Mohatt retired in December 2021, last serving as the Special Agent-in-Charge for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, Investigations, Midwest Region in Chicago, Illinois. He returned to Wichita, Kansas, to assume the role as the president and chief executive officer for Gades Sales Company, a woman-owned and veteran-managed intelligent traffic solution company that has been serving communities in a seven-state area for over 80 years.