Army Maj. Gen. Laura Clellan, the adjutant general of the Colorado National Guard, listens to a briefing in relation to Vulcan Guard Bolt 6, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, March 28, 2024. The space-focused exercise, now in its sixth iteration, is a National Guard-led event that seeks to integrate operations, intelligence, satellite communications and cyber personnel from across all seven Guard space states and NATO partners, incorporating several diverse space weapons systems in a realistic threat-based scenario. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Erich B. Smith)

This story was first publishes at Colorado Newsline.

BUCKLEY SPACE FORCE BASE | The head of Colorado’s National Guard is retiring after five years in the post, Gov. Jared Polis announced Thursday.

Maj. Gen. Laura Clellan will end her nearly four-decade military service with a retirement ceremony in October.

“Serving as the Adjutant General of Colorado has been the greatest honor of my career, a privilege beyond words, and the highlight of my time in uniform,” Clellan said in a statement. “Leading the Soldiers and Airmen of the Colorado National Guard, the state employees of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and volunteers of the Civil Air Patrol, has been nothing short of extraordinary. Over the past five years, I have witnessed extraordinary accomplishments made possible only by the unwavering commitment to service demonstrated by every member of this remarkable organization.”

Aboard a Colorado National Guard helicopter, Laura Clellan, adjutant general of Colorado, center, with Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, left, join Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, during a flyover tour of Boulder County neighborhoods destroyed by wildfires the previous day. Tens of thousands of Coloradans driven from their neighborhoods by a wind-whipped wildfire anxiously waited to learn what was left standing of their lives as authorities reported more than 500 homes were feared destroyed. (Hart Van Denburg/Colorado Public Radio via AP, Pool)

Clellan is the first woman and openly LGBTQ person to lead the Colorado National Guard.

The state listed the job posting for Clellan’s replacement on Thursday, with an annual salary of about $230,000. Polis is in charge of appointing the cabinet-level position.

“Through wildfires and floods, a pandemic and unprecedented times, General Clellan led the Colorado National Guard with dignity, supporting Coloradans and our communities through turbulent times,” Polis said in a statement.

During her military career, Clellan was deployed five times overseas and was awarded a Bronze Star Medal. She joined the Colorado National Guard in 1998. In 2023, the U.S. Senate promoted her to the rank of Major General.

The Colorado National Guard comprises part-time citizen soldiers and airmen who mostly respond to natural disasters and other emergencies. Most recently, Polis mobilized the force to help respond to the Elk and Lee fires near Meeker.

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2 Comments

  1. Thank you, Maj. Gen. Clellan for your many years of service to Colorado and our nation. You have led with honor and grace. Best wishes for your next adventure!

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