SR654: SR654 Carden, Lieutenant General Thomas M.; recognize

This resolution from the Georgia Senate recognizes and congratulates Lieutenant General Thomas M. Carden, a Georgia native and constituent of Senate District 12, for more than three decades of military service in the Georgia Army National Guard and the United States Army. It recounts his career, including deployments to Iraq and Bosnia, his service as The Adjutant General of Georgia from 2019 to 2024, his role as Deputy Commander of United States Northern Command, and his January 2026 confirmation by the United States Senate as Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau, a four-star general position. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It formally states the Senate's recognition and directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide a copy of the resolution to Lieutenant General Carden.

• Formally recognizes and congratulates Lieutenant General Thomas M. Carden on behalf of the Georgia Senate for his military career and recent promotion.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Lieutenant General Carden.
• Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory change since it is a commemorative resolution rather than legislation.

The resolution directly names Lieutenant General Thomas M. Carden, a Georgia National Guard officer. It has no legal effect on other Georgians, agencies, or institutions beyond honoring him.

This resolution carries symbolic rather than legal weight. It creates an official Senate record honoring a Georgian's military career and his historic promotion, but it does not alter any rights, funding, or obligations for Georgia residents or agencies.

• The whereas clauses detail Carden's career, including his 1989 commissioning, deployments to Iraq and Bosnia, and service as Deputy Commander of the NATO Multinational Division Southeast.
• One clause notes he served as The Adjutant General of Georgia from 2019 to 2024, overseeing the Georgia National Guard's disaster and emergency response.
• Another clause describes his January 2026 confirmation as the 12th Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau, the first officer to hold that role at four-star rank.
• The resolved clause states the Senate's recognition and congratulations and extends well wishes.
• A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute a copy of the resolution to Carden.

1. 2026-02-02Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
2. 2026-01-29Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Freddie Sims (D, SD-012)Primary sponsor
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)

• military honors
• National Guard
• Georgia Senate resolution
• veterans