Hou Nominated as Commissioner of NJ Department of Military and Veterans Affairs On May 4, 2021
Gov. Phil Murphy announced his nomination of Colonel Dr. Lisa Hou as Adjutant General and Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMAVA). Colonel Hou, who has served in the position since October 2020 in an interim capacity, will be the first Asian American and first female Adjutant General in the state’s history.
“Colonel Hou took the reins of the New Jersey National Guard and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in the midst of this once-in-a-lifetime pandemic,” said Governor Murphy. “Since day one, she has demonstrated that she is the right person for the job, from overseeing the deployment of our National Guard to our vaccination sites, to taking immediate action to keep our veterans safe, to sending National Guard members to our nation’s capital to defend our democracy. I know that Colonel Hou will
Whether it was service throughout her more than 30-year career in the military or through her many community involvements, retired Lt. Col. Terry Owens always has emphasized care for others.
A newly elected member of the Radcliff City Council, Owens has been active in several community organizations since moving to the Fort Knox area in 2007.
Originally from Newport News, Virginia, Owens earned a bachelorâs degree in biology in 1987 and a masterâs degree in elementary education in 1990 from Hampton University. Also in 1987, Owens joined the U.S. Army Reserves as a combat medic in the 18th Field Hospital in Norfolk, a decision that foreshadowed a long career in military leadership.