48-203. Commander in chief; chief of staff; rank; qualifications; compensation; aides-de-camp. The governor shall be commander in chief of the militia and shall have supreme command of the military forces of the state while in the service of the state or until they are ordered or accepted into the services of the United States. While the military forces are in the service of the state, the governor, subject to the provisions of federal law, may muster out any national guard organization of the state, discharge any enlisted person who is a member of the state national guard organization or cause any commissioned officer to be summoned and discharged if the officer persists in willfully neglecting the duties of the officer's office or fails to properly account for public property or money in the officer's possession as an officer. The resignation of officers of the national guard shall be accepted by the governor's order before they are discharged from military service of the state.

No armed military force from another state or territory shall be permitted to enter the state without the governor's permission unless the military force is part of the United States army or is acting under the authority of the United States. No independent military organization, except a corps of cadets at an educational institution, shall be permitted to bear arms without first securing permission from the commander in chief. The governor shall appoint, subject to confirmation by the senate as provided in K.S.A. 75-4315b, one adjutant general with the rank of major general, who shall be chief of staff. Except as provided by K.S.A. 46-2601, and amendments thereto, no person appointed as adjutant general shall exercise any power, duty or function as adjutant general until confirmed by the senate. The person appointed shall have served at least five years as a commissioned officer in the Kansas national guard and shall have been an officer in the armed forces of the United States. The adjutant general shall receive an annual salary fixed by the governor. The governor may promote, subject to confirmation by the senate as provided in K.S.A. 75-4315b, any adjutant general who has served at least 15 consecutive years as adjutant general in Kansas to the rank of lieutenant general.

The governor may also detail 12 aides-de-camp from among the officers of the Kansas national guard or the Kansas state guard, or appoint such aides-de-camp from among Kansas ex-service personnel, or reserve personnel of the United States army, air force, navy or marine corps, each with the simulated rank of lieutenant colonel in the Kansas national guard. While serving as aides-de-camp, such personnel may wear either the uniform and insignia of any military service to which they are entitled or the uniform and insignia of lieutenant colonel of the Kansas national guard.

The term of office of officers appointed pursuant to this section shall be during the pleasure of the governor appointing them and until their successors are appointed and confirmed.

History: L. 1901, ch. 255, § 3; L. 1903, ch. 359, § 1, (3); L. 1905, ch. 303, § 1, (3); L. 1907, ch. 248, § 1, (3); L. 1921, ch. 206, § 3; R.S. 1923, 48-203; L. 1931, ch. 223, § 1; L. 1933, ch. 286, § 14; L. 1937, ch. 329, § 5; L. 1943, ch. 274, § 1; L. 1947, ch. 416, § 2; L. 1949, ch. 297, § 1; L. 1953, ch. 259, § 1; L. 1957, ch. 307, § 1; L. 1961, ch. 258, § 1; L. 1969, ch. 267, § 1; L. 1970, ch. 208, § 1; L. 1982, ch. 347, § 21; L. 2008, ch. 121, § 6; July 1.