Changes in the command of the Utah National Guard continued Sunday when Col. Phill Peay became the assistant adjutant general for the Army, replacing Brig. Gen. Tom Brewer, who retired the same day.
Peay, 49, has been a full-time member of the Guard's state staff for 20 years and has been chief of staff for the Army Guard since 1989.The decision to promote Peay was made by Maj. Gen. John L. Matthews, Utah's adjutant general, and Maj. Gen. Jim Miller, who will become Utah's adjutant general when Matthews retires at the end of September.
Under the governor's command, the adjutant general is the military commander of the National Guard and has two assistant adjutants, one for the Army element and one for the Air Guard. As assistant adjutant general for the Army, Peay will advise the adjutant general on all Army Guard matters.
Matthews first announced the promotion one week ago when he also awarded Peay his second Meritorious Service Award. Peay will maintain the rank of colonel for a year or more while a promotion to brigadier general goes through an extensive approval process that involves a promotion board, Congress and the president.
Peay is a graduate of several military schools, including the Command and General Staff College, and holds bachelor and master's degrees from Brigham Young University. His military awards also include two Army Commendation medals. He and his wife, Ann, live in Mapleton and are the parents of three children.