Brig. General Waters becomes 1st soldier in more than 40 years to lead Nevada National Guard

Nevada Army Guard Brig. Gen. D. “Dan” Rodger Waters, a Sparks resident who began his military career as an unassuming helicopter mechanic nearly 40 years ago, became the first Soldier in the 21st Century to head the Nevada National Guard when he succeeded Maj. Gen. Ondra Berry as Adjutant General during in a ceremony Saturday at the Reno Ballroom. The last Army Guard officer to serve as Adjutant General was Maj. Gen. William Engel from 1979-1983.

The Nevada Guard includes more than 3,300 Soldiers in the Nevada Army Guard and 1,100 Airmen in the Nevada Air Guard. Waters is the 31st Adjutant General in Nevada Guard history; the Nevada Guard traces its history to 1861 – three years before the Silver State attained statehood in 1864.

“I am proud yet humble to be the 31st Adjutant General for the Nevada National Guard and the great state of Nevada and very much appreciate the outpouring of support leading to today’s ceremony,” said Waters, who enlisted in the Army in 1985 at age 17 after attending Marcos De Niza High School in Tempe, Ariz. “To the men and women of the Nevada National Guard and their families, the Division of Emergency Management, the state administration team and youth programs, I am excited to continue serving with you, building upon General Berry’s 38 years of dedicated service.

“I am committed to addressing today’s challenges while preparing for the future, forging a force of character and courage. Working together, I am confident the Nevada National Guard will continue to set the example for excellence across the nation.”

Waters, 56, succeeded Berry, 66, who will retire from the military at the end of the month. Berry turned 66 on Oct. 3; that is the mandatory retirement age for military general officers, per federal law and Nevada Revised Statute. Berry began his military service when he enlisted in the Nevada Air Guard in 1986.

“General Waters, as you take on this role, know that you are not just stepping into a position but you are becoming a steward of a legacy – one built on sacrifice and service,” Berry said. “To the Soldiers, Airmen and civilians: Thank you for your dedication, professionalism and unwavering commitment to take care of this nation. It has been my privilege to serve with you and I will always cherish the memories we have made.

“We will be fine, because the Nevada National Guard is in the lead taking care of our state.”

The Adjutant General is responsible for formulating, developing and coordinating all policies, programs and plans affecting Nevada Guard Soldiers, Airmen and civilians. He is also responsible for both the state and federal missions of the Nevada National Guard and serves as the official channel of communication with the National Guard Bureau.

Gov. Joseph Lombardo (a former Nevada Army Guard Soldier) and retired Chief of the National Guard Bureau Gen. Craig McKinley served as the presiding officers at the ceremony. Other dignitaries included: Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jackie Rosen; Rep. Mark Amodei; former Gov. Brian Sandoval; retired Adjutants General Maj. Gens. Drennan Clark and Cynthia Kirkland; Assemblyman Ken Gray; Assemblywoman Angie Taylor and Honorary Commander Dan Morgan.

“General Berry will be missed. He didn’t just lead: He cared deeply about the well-being of his service members and his state,” Lombardo said. “General Waters will have some big shoes to fill but I am confident that General Waters will continue to uphold the legacy of excellence that has long defined the Nevada National Guard.

“I am grateful to these men for their dedication to service to the nation and state. Nevada stands as one of the most military-friendly states in the nation; a place where our service members are respected, celebrated and supported. Events like this change of command ceremony are a testament to that – an event where local law enforcement and countless community groups come together to honor the Nevada National Guard.”

Before becoming Adjutant General, Waters had served as the Director of the Joint Staff since Feb. 2023. He attained the rank of brigadier general in July 2023.

Although he will not fly military helicopters as Adjutant General, Waters is renowned as a rotary-wing aviator – in fact, it was aviation that landed Waters in the Nevada Army Guard.

After his initial active-duty Army enlistment, Waters returned to Arizona and joined the Arizona Army Guard and became an officer in 1992. When the Nevada Army Guard faced a shortage of CH-47 Chinook helicopter pilots in 1993, former Nevada Army Guard Maj. Gen. Robert Herbert (who died in 2021) cajoled Waters into transferring to Nevada to become a pilot. Since earning his pilot wings at Fort Rucker, Ala., Waters recorded more than 2,100 hours in CH-47 Chinook, UH-60 Black Hawk, LUH-72 Lakota, OH-58 Kiowa and UH-1 Iroquois helicopters.

Although initially associated with Chinooks, Waters commanded the Black Hawk helicopter unit, the 717th Medical Company (now 2/238th Aviation), during its 2001-2002 mission in Kosovo.

Recently, Waters had served as the Chief of Staff of the Army Guard from 2015-2017 and as a division chief at European Command in Germany from 2017-2020. He was Berry’s Chief of Staff from 2020-2023 before becoming the Director of the Joint Staff last year.

Berry had succeeded Brig. Gen. William Burks on Sept. 7, 2019, to become the 30th adjutant general of the Nevada Guard. A retired Reno policeman and former senior vice president in MGM Resorts International human resources office, Berry famously led the National Guard during its largest domestic mission in state history – the 2020 COVID-19 health response that saw more than 25 percent of Nevada’s Guardsmen called to duty to assist the state’s citizens during the pandemic.

Berry also spearheaded the Purple Resolve educational process, the resiliency program that refines skills to optimize military performance through resilience, mindfulness and ethical decision making. Berry was also successful in expanding Nevada Guard-sponsored youth education programs, which now includes the Battle Born Youth ChalleNGe Academy in Carlin and STARBASE education sites in Henderson and Reno. Nevada also added Samoa as a partner under the auspice of the State Partnership Program since Berry became TAG.

For his achievements while Adjutant General, Berry received a rare Distinguished Service Medal. Lombardo has also proclaimed Oct. 31 as Maj. Gen. Ondra Berry Day in Nevada to recognize Berry’s exemplary career.

Engel, who had been an executive in the Nevada Highway Department before serving as Adjutant General from 1979-1983 during the tenure of Gov. Robert List, died in 2011 at age 81.

During his initial address as Adjutant General, Waters underscored the fact his father, Rodger, a highway patrolman, supported the younger Waters participation in Junior Reserve Officer Training Course and his subsequent military career.

To this date, Waters gives a nod to his dad by signing his name “D. Rodger Waters” with the emphasis on his middle name, Rodger, to recognize his father.

Waters is married to Kimberly, a former North Dakota Army Guard Soldier. They are the parents of Emily, Justin and Jake.