Brig. Gen. Michael Cruz has officially stepped down as the adjutant general of the Guam National Guard, a position he held since 2023.
Cruz had previously announced his pending retirement, and Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said he would be replaced by retired Army Col. Karin Watson, who is from Guam.
On Saturday, Cruz told Guam National Guard members that serving alongside them “whether in the unforgiving sands of the Middle East, in our communities during COVID-19, through typhoons, humanitarian missions, or during countless trainings and joint exercises — has been the greatest honor of my military career.”
He told them his “seemingly abrupt departure is not a reflection of you, nor of our mission, nor of the extraordinary progress you have made these past years. It is simply a step taken to preserve continuity and allow the incoming adjutant general to begin her tenure without ambiguity or conflict in command authority.”
Cruz’s last day as adjutant general was Friday.
Cruz, a surgeon, is a former lieutenant governor and Guam senator. He is the executive director of Blue Continent Medical Group, which owns Guam Regional Medical City, and he served as the president and CEO of the hospital. He is the co-founder of the Ayuya Foundation, a non-profit medical mission serving Micronesia and Asia.
Governor’s spokesperson Krystal Paco-San Agustin thanked Cruz for his years of service to Guam and the National Guard.
“No transition is ever easy—especially in an institution as important as the Guard—but we remain grateful for General Cruz’s contributions and leadership during his tenure,” she said.
Watson, a 1998 graduate of the University of Guam, began her military career in the university’s ROTC program. She is a graduate of John F. Kennedy High School.
