CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The first female to become a general officer for the West Virginia Army National Guard in the history of the Mountain State is now saying goodbye after 30 years of service.

A retirement ceremony was held for Brigadier General Michaelle Munger at the state Culture Center Friday where National Guard and Army members, military and elected officials came together to wish her farewell.

Brig. Gen. Munger assumed her current duties as Special Assistant to the Adjutant General of West Virginia on October 1, 2021. A couple months later, she was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General on December 2, 2021, making her the first woman to become a general officer for the West Virginia National Guard.

Munger said it was a promotion that was a particular highlight in her 30 years of service.

“That has been such an honor, because I feel like it has given some of our female soldiers hope that there’s opportunity, that they can do it,” Munger told MetroNews at Friday’s ceremony.

Munger has served in every component of the U.S. Army throughout the course of her career.

After serving 10 years in active Army, she then went on to complete two years in the Army Reserves before entering her final 15 years in the West Virginia National Guard.

Munger said it’s bittersweet to be coming to the end of her career, and also a little overwhelming to be leaving the structure the military has taught her.

“It’s a little surreal,” Munger said. “I think operating and maturing through the military for 30 years, sometimes I feel like leaving is stepping into a world of chaos, because I understand the structure and how the military operates.”

In 1994, Munger was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps, serving in various roles, including working for the National Guard Bureau and serving at the Pentagon.

As the Special Assistant to the Adjutant General, Munger assists the Adjutant General in special projects such as the Joint Diversity Executive Council which seeks to create an organizational culture where diversity is valued.

She is also currently employed as a civilian as a Senior Environmental Scientist out of Gloucester, Virginia.

Munger told MetroNews that there has been a distinct difference within each of the roles she has served.

The most comparable differences she said has been between serving in active duty and serving in the National Guard here in West Virginia. Munger said where the active Army is so large, it was never as personal as coming to the Guard was for her.

“It’s a family, a lot of folks have entered together, they served almost their entire careers together, and there’s just a bond that’s super incredible to witness,” she said.

She said it was also amazing to experience just how the Guard supports their communities. In her time during the Guard, Munger said her work included helping with flood duties and mine rescues.

Also in 1994, through the Reserve Officer Training Course at Christopher Newport University in Newport, Virginia, Munger earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and a minor in Spanish. She then went on to earn her first Master of Science in Environmental Studies from California State University-Fullerton in Fullerton, California.

In addition, Munger completed the Joint Advanced Warfighting School (JAWS) at National Defense University, Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA, where she also earned her second Master of Science in Campaign Planning and Strategy.

Munger said her biggest take-away of serving in the military for as long as she has is not only the structure that it taught her, but also the relations she has built with other members and leaders over the years.

“As long as I’ve been in, the people are what make it the best, and leadership is timeless, not matter through the ages and the changes of technology and personnel, everybody craves leaders, and I’m going to miss that aspect of hopefully being a great leader and an example,” Munger said.

Munger leaves her years of military service with a number of awards and decorations, some of which include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal and Meritorious Service Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Superior Unit Award, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Army Staff Identification Badge and the recipient of the Military Order of St. Christopher Award, among several others.

Upon her retirement, Munger said she now plans to devote her time to her husband of 25-years, a Navy SEAL, their two children and family.