Maj. Gen. Pete Hronek has been selected to serve as the Montana Adjutant General and lead the Department of Military Affairs under Governor-elect Greg Gianforte.

Hronek previously served as commander of the 120th Airlift Wing of the Montana Air National Guard in Great Falls.

He’s been the assistant adjutant general from 2018 to 2019 and chief of staff for the Montana National Guard from 2015 to 2018, according to Gianforte’s office.

Hronek also worked at the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C.

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Hronek will replace Adjutant General Matt Quinn, who will assume the role of executive director of Gianforte’s COVID-19 task force.

“I am honored to be the next adjutant general for the great state of Montana, and am excited to lead and serve the soldiers, airmen, Department of Military Affairs team to meet the needs of our state and nation. I believe my breadth of experience and enthusiasm will help the Governor-elect Gianforte’s vision become a reality. I am humbled by his confidence in me and I am ready to be the next adjutant general,” Hronek said in a release.

Hronek currently serves as Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, Air Education and Training Command, where he assists in formulating policies and programs that impact the nearly 110,000 members of the Air National Guard, according to a release from Gianforte’s office.

Hronek was commissioned in 1985 at the ANG Academy of Military Science in 1985 and began his service as a fighter pilot with the 120th Fighter Interceptor Group. He has served three tours in Southeast Asia and has more than 4,000 flight hours in the T-37, T-38, F-106, F-16 ADF, F-16C, F-15C and C-130H.

Hronek served as wing commander at the 120th for six years and led the wing through two major aircraft conversions, from the F-16C Fighting Falcon to the F-15C Eagle and then to the C-130H Hercules currently flown.