General Nesbitt Appointed Georgia's Homeland Security Director

General Nesbitt Appointed Georgia’s Homeland Security Director

Charley English Appointed Permanent GEMA Director

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the appointment of Major General William T. Nesbitt as Georgia’s director of homeland security. Nesbitt will report directly to Governor Perdue and will oversee all homeland security issues in the state of Georgia.

“General Terry Nesbitt is a leader who will take Georgia’s homeland security office to the next level,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “He brings the most relevant experience possible to the table – the ability to lead multiple civilian, military and law enforcement organizations at a time of heightened alert.”

Governor Perdue also announced the permanent appointment of Charley English as director of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA). English was appointed acting GEMA director on February 22, 2006. Governor Perdue made the announcements during a speech to the Georgia Emergency Management Conference in Savannah, Georgia.

General Nesbitt, 59, is the commanding general of the Georgia Army National Guard. In 2004, he commanded Joint Task Force G8. This task force of more than 7,000 personnel from all services conducted military support operations for the Group of Eight Summit at Sea Island, Georgia in June 2004. General Nesbitt was the first National Guard officer selected to command a task force comprised of both active duty and National Guard personnel.

General Nesbitt’s military career began in February 1966 when he was drafted into the United States Army. He completed basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and Infantry Advanced Individual Training at Fort Ord, California. He was commissioned a second lieutenant of infantry in January 1967 after completion of Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning. Following completion of the U.S. Army Special Forces Officer’s Course at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, he was assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in the Republic of Vietnam. General Nesbitt entered the Georgia Army National Guard in June 1973. Nesbitt is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College, New York State University and the U.S. Army War College.

English, 47, previously served as the assistant director of the Georgia Office of Homeland Security/Georgia Emergency Management Agency. Prior to January 2005, English served as GEMA’s director of operations for seven years. He received the Leadership Award of the State Charitable Contributions Program, served with the National Governor's Association Center for Best Practices as a state team member in 2005 and was chairman of the Boy Scouts Law Enforcement Explorer, Atlanta Area Council. English earned his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Georgia State University and his master's degree in homeland security and defense from the Naval Postgraduate School.

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