General Steve Nordhaus, USAF
Chief, National Guard Bureau
Steven Scott Nordhaus was born in October 1966 in Putnam County, Ohio. He earned his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy and earned a master’s from Columbia Southern University.
Nordhaus commanded the Air National Guard Readiness Center, then served as director of operations for the National Guard Bureau. He served as commander of the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region – First Air Force before being installed as the National Guard Bureau Chief in October 2024.
Nordhaus is a command pilot with over 3,000 flight hours.
In the News…
Air Force General Steven Nordhaus, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, responded to questions from the defense subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee this week about a request from the Department of Homeland Security to deploy guardsmen to assist with deportation efforts.
“I don’t have specific details or how the department will execute on that request for assistance at this time,” General Nordhaus said.
“We operate under the authorities of either the state and the governor, or operate under authorities from Congress,” the general said. “And so we take those things very seriously, and we make sure that we’re following the Constitution, we’re following the law, and any policy and guidance.”
General Nordhaus likened the request for support from the military to the support the National Guard provides to law enforcement and downplayed concerns about missions to the border distracting the service from training. He said the guard is “always ready, always there.”
