MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order #235 ordering the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Sun., July 21, 2024, in honor of Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Jerald David “Jerry” Slack, who passed away on May 18, 2024, at the age of 78.
“General Slack will be remembered for his integrity, bravery, and unwavering commitment to service, which left a mark on all those who knew and served with him,” said Gov. Evers. “Kathy and I extend our deepest condolences to General Slack’s family, friends, colleagues, and the greater community as we pay our respects to and honor General Slack for his years of dedicated service to the people of our state.”
Gen. Slack served in the National Guard for 37 years, first with the Illinois Air National Guard in 1959 before transferring to the Wisconsin Air National Guard in 1961. He worked for many years as a state employee, starting at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation as a civil engineer with the State Highway Commission and the Bureau of Engineering, then serving as chief engineer at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and finishing his civilian career as administrator of the Division of Facilities Management withing the Wisconsin Department of Administration. Gen. Slack was appointed as Wisconsin’s adjutant general by former Gov. Tommy Thompson in 1989 and served in that position until 1996, during which time he oversaw 12,300 Wisconsin Guardsmen. As adjutant general, Gen. Slack successfully oversaw deployments in Desert Storm, Southern and Northern Watch, and Operation Deny Flight, and he was inducted into the Wisconsin Air National Guard Hall of Fame in 2019.
Executive Order #235 will be in effect from sunrise to sunset on July 21, 2024, and is available here.
