Major General James H. Lipscomb III was appointed the Adjutant General of Mississippi on July 6, 2000. As Adjutant General, he serves as a member of the Governor's Cabinet and Commander of the Military Department of Mississippi, which includes the Army National Guard, Air National Guard and the Mississippi State Guard. The Adjutant General is charged with the responsibility to organize, train and equip the more than 13,000 citizen soldiers and airmen of the Mississippi National Guard to perform its federal and state missions. His duties include administration and management of personnel, fiscal and legislative matters pertaining to the military department and maintaining readiness of the force.
The General began his military career when he enlisted in the 1st Battalion, 114th Field Artillery, in 1961. He served on initial active duty training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in 1961. He completed the Mississippi Army National Guard Military Academy (OCS) and was commissioned as a second lieutenant, Field Artillery, in 1964. He served in positions of forward observer, executive officer, battalion staff officer, battery commander, and S-3, in the 1st Battalion, 114th Field Artillery. Later, he transferred to Headquarters, 631st Field Artillery Brigade as communications-electronics staff officer. His command experience includes 1st Battalion, 114th Field Artillery, 631st Field Artillery Brigade and State Area Command.
General Lipscomb served as the Assistant Adjutant General prior to his transfer to the United States Army Reserve. He graduated from Mississippi State University in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science, College of Business and Industry.