Gen. Collins retiring; Bryant appoints Boyles
Maj. Gen. Augustus "Leon" Collins is retiring as adjutant general of Mississippi, and Gov. Phil Bryant said he is appointing Brig. Gen. Janson D. Boyles to take his place Sept. 1.
Bryant appointed Collins, a Booneville native, as adjutant general in 2012, shortly after Bryant became governor. Collins, who has served in the military for 35 years, has overseen the Mississippi Military Department and served as commander of the Mississippi Army and Air National Guard.
"I can truly say that I've had the best job in the world," Collins said Tuesday in a written release. "Being able to work with the best soldiers, airmen and civilians this country has to offer has been a rewarding experience that will never be forgotten."
Collins in 1977 joined the Mississippi Army National Guard and served as a private with Company B, 1st Battalion, 198th Armor Regiment. He completed officer candidate school in 1980 and has served in command and staff positions. He served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and commanded the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team during Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2004 to 2006. He was promoted to brigadier general in 2005 in Iraq, the first African-American to hold general officer rank in the history of the Mississippi National Guard.
Bryant praised Collins as a great leader and "a soldier's soldier."
Boyles has 34 years of commissioned military services starting in 1982 and in 2005 served as the executive officer for the 168th Engineer Group in the Mississippi National Guard during Hurricane Katrina recovery and rebuilding.
In 2009, Boyles served in Afghanistan and has served since 2015 in Kosovo as chief of staff of KFOR Forces for a NATO division deployed as part of Operation Joint Guardian.
Boyles, a Jackson native, graduated from Mississippi State University where he received a bachelor's degree in engineering. In 2005 he received his master's degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College.
Bryant said Boyles is "unequivocally the best officer to serve as adjutant general."
Bryant's office said details for a retirement ceremony for Collins have not been set, but will be forthcoming.
Contact Geoff Pender at 601-961-7266 or gpender@jackson.gannett.com. Follow @GeoffPender on Twitter.
