Woonsocket Radio News Room

 

Governor McKee Announces Next Adjutant General and Commanding General of the Rhode Island National Guard 
 
 

Governor Dan McKee (left) is joined by Brigadier General Andrew J. Chevalier (center), Chevalier's family, Major General Christopher P. Callahan (right), and retired Major General Reginald A. Centracchio (far right).
 

 

PROVIDENCE, RI — Today, Governor Dan McKee announced Brigadier General Andrew J. Chevalier as the next Adjutant General of Rhode Island and Commanding General of the Rhode Island National Guard.

 

Brigadier General Chevalier is replacing Major General Christopher P. Callahan, who is retiring in January after decades of dedicated service to Rhode Island. 

 

“Brigadier General Chevalier is a well-rounded, proven leader with a track record of excellence in planning, management, and logistics,” said Governor Dan McKee. “His rise through the ranks has given him unique insight and perspective on how to best lead the National Guard. I am grateful to him and his family for their continued service, and I look forward to the years ahead for the Rhode Island National Guard.”

 

“I am truly honored to be selected as the 45th Rhode Island Adjutant General and look forward to serving with and commanding the incredible men and women of the Rhode Island National Guard,” said Brigadier General Chevalier.  “Major General Callahan is a remarkable leader, and his legacy will be remembered for years to come.”

 

Brigadier General Chevalier has more than 35 years of experience in the Rhode Island National Guard (RING) and currently serves as RING’s Director of the Joint Staff. He is responsible for overseeing the operations of more than 3,100 servicemembers. 

 

Brigadier General Chevalier was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1990 and went on to attend the United States Army Flight School. Chevalier has held various roles throughout his decorated career, including positions as RING’s Army Chief of Staff, Director of Operations, and Director of Personnel. Brigadier General Chevalier deployed to Iraq in 2005 as an Aviation Operations Officer and later in 2012 as the Aviation Battalion Commander, where he led more than 300 servicemembers and 36 aircraft during a nine-month deployment in Kuwait.

 

A Rhode Island native, Chevalier is a graduate of Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Rhode Island. He completed the Leadership in Homeland Security program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in 2016 and holds a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College in Newport.

 

He is an active member of the National Guard Association of Rhode Island, the National Guard Association of the United States, the Army Aviation Association of America, and the Association of the United States Army. 

 

Governor McKee also extended his gratitude to Major General Callahan.

 

“General Callahan's impact on Rhode Island and our National Guard will last for generations to come, and his commitment to bettering our state should serve as an inspiration to all of us," the Governor added. "I congratulate him on a wonderful career, and wish him a happy and restful retirement."

 

The official transfer of authority will take place on January 31, 2025, at The Veterans Auditorium in Providence.
 
 
President Trump says the federal government is ready to fund SNAP if it gets guidance from the courts. On Friday two judges said the administration must tap emergency funds that will cover some of the SNAP program. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he's instructed government lawyers to ask the court to clarify how the government can legally fund the program. Once the administration gets that guidance, Trump said "it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding." The food assistance program is set to expire on Saturday unless the government re-opens, impacting 42-million low-income Americans who are enrolled.        FBI Director Kash Patel says a potential terror attack in the U.S. is no longer a threat. In a post on X this morning, Patel said multiple suspects have been arrested in Michigan area who were allegedly plotting a violent attack this weekend. Patel added that more details will be forthcoming and thanked the men and women of the FBI and law enforcement for, in his words, "standing guard 24/7 and crushing our mission to defend the homeland."        Affordable Care Act premiums are set to rise as the open enrollment period kicks off on November 1st. Premiums are expected to see a sharp increase due to the expiration of enhanced subsidies that have kept costs lower for many families. The enhanced premium tax credits were introduced in 2021 and extended through 2025 by the Inflation Reduction Act but they will expire, leaving the more than 24 million Americans who rely on the program to face a "double whammy" of losing their tax credits and encountering higher costs.        The White House is renovating the Lincoln Bathroom. President Trump spoke about the renovations in a post on Truth Social and claimed the room's previous art deco style was "totally inappropriate for the Lincoln Era." According to the president's post, the room will now have "black and white polished Statuary marble." The renovation update comes coincides with Trump's 300-million-dollar ballroom project.        YouTube TV has stopped showing ABC and ESPN after the streamer failed to reach a deal with Disney. The two networks and other Disney programming were pulled from YouTube late Thursday, just before the current deal expired at midnight. "Variety" says the two sides remain far apart on a deal to keep Disney shows on the internet TV service. The report says Disney is asking for rate hikes that Google, YouTube's parent company, isn't willing to agree to, and that YouTube is offering subscribers a one-time 20-dollar credit if the Disney channels remain blocked for an extended period of time.        The Toronto Blue Jays can win their third ever World Series title tonight. The Jays are hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers for game six of the Fall Classic. Toronto leads the series three-games-to-two after winning games four and five in Los Angeles. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is on the bump for LA, while Kevin Gausman is on the mound for Toronto.       

Old News Archives