Maj. Gen. Michael Gorman (retired), Rapid City, received the 2008 Williamson Militiaman Award on Feb. 14 during the South Dakota National Guard's Legislative Dining Out ceremony in Pierre.

"General Gorman is very deserving of this award," said Maj. Gen. Steven Doohen, the adjutant general, according to a news release from the South Dakota National Guard public-affairs office.

"He carried our National Guard through some very difficult times."

Doohen, who took command of the state's Guard after Gorman, said he has a much greater appreciation for the challenges Gorman faced during his 4-1/2 years as the adjutant general.

"Sending our men and women off to war is a difficult burden to bear," Doohen said.

Gorman was appointed by Gov. Mike Rounds as South Dakota's 19th adjutant general March 1, 2003, and Gorman retired from the position Sept. 15.

During Gorman's service as the adjutant general, the South Dakota National Guard mobilized more than 2,900 soldiers and 700 Airmen to Iraq and Afghanistan. During the peak of the deployments in February of 2004, more than 1,500 South Dakota Army Guardsmen were in Iraq and Afghanistan at one time, the news release said.

In addition to his duties as the adjutant general, Gorman was also a member of the governor's cabinet where he served as secretary for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. In an outreach effort to care for veterans, Gorman developed a task force charged with the mission of getting the word out to returning veterans about what benefits and services are available after coming home.

Gorman also lead the South Dakota National Guard through one of its most significant structure changes in history, known as Transformation. The structure change was part of a national strategy to redesign units within the National Guard to meet the future needs of the active component. The former role of the Guard was to provide a strategic reserve to the active component. Today, it is an operational force directly integrated into active-component deployments and missions.

Former adjutant general Maj. Gen. Ronald F. Williamson (retired) established the Williamson Militiaman Award in 1987. It recognizes an individual who exemplifies the spirit of the citizen-soldier through community leadership, support of the National Guard and the defense of the nation.

The award, presented by Doohen and Williamson, is a U.S. Army saber and scabbard. It is regulation size and design, with a detailed embossed blade and chrome finish.

Past recipients of the Williamson Militiaman Award include Gov. Bill Janklow in 1997, U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle in 1998, and Gov. Mike Rounds in 2006.