Major General Billy G. Wellman

The Adjutant General
Kentucky National Guard

Billy Wellman

Billy G. Wellman was born in Ashland, Kentucky on May 29, 1933. Upon graduation from Ashland High School in 1951, he attended Western Kentucky University. The following year, he transferred to Morehead State University, from which he graduated with a bachelor’s degree.

He enlisted in the Kentucky Army National Guard in 1951 serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 149th Infantry until 1956. While at Western Kentucky University he participated in the ROTC program and was commissioned on July 10, 1956.

General Wellman was employed by the Kentucky National Guard on a full-time basis as Personnel Officer on November 15, 1957 and was appointed Staff Assistant for the 201st Engineer Battalion on October 1, 1960.

He held various staff positions within the battalion before gaining command in October 1968. He was reassigned to State Headquarters on December 7, 1969 to serve as Training Officer and later as Chief of Operations and Training.

He was appointed Executive Officer on August 25 1974 and advanced to Chief of Staff on September 1, 1975.

MG Billy Wellman

Governor Julian M. Carroll appointed him -to serve as the Adjutant General of Kentucky on December 9, 1977. General Wellman was reappointed by Governor John Y. Brown, Jr. on December 11 1979.

Governor Brown appointed him Secretary of the Justice Cabinet and Kentucky State Police Commissioner on September 9, 1982.

General Wellman was chosen by his peers to serve as President of the Adjutant General Association of the United States in April 1983.

Governor Collins reappointed Wellman as Adjutant. General on December 13, 1983 and he served until December 7, 1987.

MG Billy G. Wellman Kentucky National Guard Armory on Boone National Guard Center. Formerly known as Armory 1.

The Kentucky National Guard's Armory 1, located on Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, was named in honor of MG Billy Wellman during a ceremony on October 21, 2006

“The number one armory in Kentucky,” is the home of Joint Forces Kentucky Headquarters, replacing the more familiar State Area Command (STARC) reflecting the current progress toward fighting, training and command and control in a truly joint environment with not only the Kentucky Army and Air National Guard but also representatives from other reserve component command across the state of Kentucky.  Kentucky’s number one armory houses the largest number of units in the state with many unique to Frankfort including: 63rd Aviation Group, HHC, 63rd Aviation, Co F, 135th Aviation, Co B, 2-147th Aviation, Det 1, Co D, 2-147th Aviation, Det 1 Co E, 2-147th Aviation, Det 1, HHC, 2-147th Aviation, Det 2, Co C, 1-69th Aviation, Det 5, Co D, 1-169th Aviation, Det 5, Co E, 1-169th Aviation, Co C, 1-134th Aviation (S&S), 141st Personnel Service Detachment and Det 1, 207th Maintenance.