(MSC News)--Kansas is getting a new top military leader at a time when the National Guard is balancing overseas missions with emergency response at home. 

According to a release, Governor Laura Kelly has appointed Brigadier General Paul W. Schneider to become the Adjutant General of Kansas. The opening comes with the upcoming retirement of Major General Michael Venerdi.

The Adjutant General oversees the Kansas Army and Air National Guard—more than 7,000 soldiers and airmen—and also serves as the governor’s homeland security advisor and the state’s director of emergency management. The Governor’s Office says Venerdi took command as the 38th adjutant general during a Transfer of Authority ceremony on April 1st, 2023, and has led the agency for the past three years.

Schneider steps up from his current role as director of the joint staff for the Kansas National Guard, a position he’s held since April 15th, 2023. The release highlights his previous leadership work serving as the Kansas Army National Guard’s Director of Personnel/G1 and as chief of staff, along with multiple decorations tied to deployments including Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Spartan Shield. Among the awards listed are the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star Medal.

The Governor’s Office also notes Schneider’s education includes a journalism and mass communications degree from Kansas State University, a master’s in information technology management from Webster University, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College—along with completion of several advanced military schools, including the Command and General Staff College and the Army War College.

Schneider will serve immediately in an acting status while awaiting confirmation by the Kansas Senate.