Brigadier General John A. Conley is now the Arizona Adjutant General

Brigadier General John Conley is the Adjutant General of Arizona and Director of the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, at Joint Force Headquarters, Papago Park Military Reservation, Phoenix, Arizona. He is responsible for leading Arizona’s Army and Air National Guard, Joint Programs, and the Division of Emergency Management. Brigadier General John Conley oversees an 8,300-member department, of which 2,400 are fulltime federal military and civilian personnel, and 600 are fulltime state employees.

Brigadier General Conley earned his commission as a Second Lieutenant through Army ROTC, Northeastern University, Boston, MA in June 1992. After graduating from the University of Arizona College of Law, Brigadier General Conley attended the Army Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course in Charlottesville, VA in 1996. He served on active duty as Legal Assistance attorney and later Trial Counsel at Camp Humphreys Army Airfield, Korea. He was assigned as Trial Counsel and later Labor Counselor at Wiesbaden Army Airfield, Germany. After leaving active duty, Brigadier General Conley served as Executive Officer and later Officer in Charge of the largest Army Reserve legal support team in Arizona. In March 2011, Brigadier General Conley transferred to the Arizona Air National Guard. He was the senior legal advisor to both the Air Component Commander, Arizona Air National Guard, and The Adjutant General, Arizona. He directed all Air and Army Judge Advocates, DEMA civilian counsel, and paralegals in the performance of their duties. Brigadier General Conley oversaw Air and Army military justice, operational law, civil law, fiscal law, cyber law, and ethics functions at all command levels. Prior to his current position, Brigadier General Conley served as the Director of Administrative Services, DEMA, Phoenix, Arizona where he managed a broad spectrum of personnel, finance, and mission support functions for the Arizona National Guard and Division of Emergency Management.

In his civilian capacity, Brigadier General Conley is a shareholder-attorney whose practice focuses on commercial litigation and employment law in the healthcare industry. He represents physicians, physician groups, and healthcare entities in a variety of complex litigation matters.

EDUCATION

• 1992    Bachelor of Science, Northeastern University, cum laude, Boston, Mass.
• 1995    Juris Doctorate, University of Arizona College of Law, Tucson, Ariz.
• 1996    139th Judge Advocate Officer Basic Course, TJAGLCS, Charlottesville, Va.
• 2006    Judge Advocate Reserve Officer Advanced Course, TJAGLCS, Charlottesville, Va, by correspondence
• 2012    Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
• 2016    Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
• 2016    Air Force Cyber Law Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Ala.
• 2024    Senior Leader Orientation Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
• 2024    National Security Management Course, Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
• 2024    General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass

ASSIGNMENTS

1.  April 1996 – September 1996, Legal Assistance Attorney, 23rd Area Support Group, U.S. Forces Korea
2. September 1996 – May 1997, Trial Counsel, 23rd Area Support Group, U.S. Forces Korea
3. May 1997 – July 1999, Trial Counsel, V Corps, U.S. Army Europe
4. July 1999 – May 2000, Labor Counselor, V Corps, U.S. Army Europe
5. June 2003 – June 2005, Executive Officer, 75th Legal Support Organization, Team 3, Phoenix, Ariz.
6. June 2005 – March 2011, Officer in Charge, 75th Legal Support Organization, Team 3, Phoenix, Ariz.
7. March 2011 – January 2016, Staff Judge Advocate, 161st Air Refueling Wing, Phoenix, Ariz.
8. February 2015 – January 2017, AMC-West JAG Council Liaison, Goldwater Air National Guard Base, Ariz.
9. January 2016 – September 2019, Legal Advisor, Joint Task Force Ariz.
10. January 2016 – January 2023, Staff Judge Advocate, Arizona Air National Guard, Ariz.
11. January 2017 – December 2020, Chair, ANG JA Working Group on Full-Time JAGs and Paralegals, Goldwater Air National Guard Base, Ariz.
12. October 2017 – January 2023, State Judge Advocate, Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, Ariz.
13. October 2017 – present, Member, TAG Council State Strategic Engagement Working Group, Papago Park Military Reservation, Ariz.
14. April 2019 – present, Member, NGB Duty Status Reform Working Group, Papago Park Military Reservation, Ariz.
15. January 2023 – May 2025, Director of Administrative Services, Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, Papago Park Military Reservation, Ariz.
16. May 2025 – present, The Adjutant General, Arizona and Director, Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, Papago Park Military Reservation, Ariz.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

• Meritorious Service Medal (with Third Oak Leaf Cluster)
• Air Force Commendation Medal
• Army Commendation Medal
• Army Achievement Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster)
• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with Oak Leaf Cluster)

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

(Current as of June 2025)