The Office of Insurance and Safety Fire John F. King announced today that Commissioner King has been awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for his role in the National Guard response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commissioner King’s work involved building field hospitals and overseeing coordination of state and federal resources to provide pandemic assistance in Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.

“I am humbled and honored to receive this distinction,” said Commissioner King. “This work has allowed me to see up close how other states are responding to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and bring best practices back here to Georgia. I also want to thank my world-class staff for their flexibility and hard work during these chaotic times to ensure Georgians continue receiving the services they depend on.”

According to the U.S. Army citation, Commissioner King distinguished himself through “exceptionally outstanding achievement as a member of the Joint Force Land Component Command,” and his work “directly contributed to maximizing the effectiveness of the organization’s mission.”

Commissioner King is a Major General in the U.S. Army National Guard assigned to U.S. Army North and Commander Task Force 51 out of Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.