(a) The Adjutant General shall make such returns and reports to such officers as may be prescribed by the United States Department of Defense in regulations pertaining to the National Guard, at such times and in such form as prescribed. The Adjutant General shall (1) keep the service records of all officers and enlisted personnel, (2) issue authorized service medals, ribbons and documents, (3) (A) generate and maintain all records and documents required by state law or regulations thereunder, and (B) process requests for such records pursuant to the state Freedom of Information Act, as defined in § 1-200, and (4) (A) generate and maintain all records and documents required by federal law or regulations thereunder, and (B) process requests for such records pursuant to the federal Freedom of Information Act of 1976, 5 USC 552, as amended from time to time.

(b) The Adjutant General is charged, in all matters pertaining to the command, discipline, employment and administration of the armed forces of the state, with the duty of: (1) Recording, authenticating and communicating to members of the armed forces of the state all orders, instructions and regulations issued by order of (A) the Governor or the Adjutant General as the designee of the Governor, for the armed forces of the state, and (B) the Secretary of Defense for the National Guard; (2) preparing and distributing commissions; (3) compiling and issuing the registers of the armed forces of the state; (4) conducting internal audits and investigations; (5) organizing and coordinating the participation of the armed forces of the state in military and civic ceremonies; (6) organizing and coordinating inaugurals; and (7) managing the recruiting for the armed forces of the state.

(c) In event of emergency use of the armed forces of the state and with the approval of the Governor, the Adjutant General may serve as the disbursing officer of all funds appropriated by the General Assembly for the expense of the office of the Adjutant General.

(d) The Adjutant General may adopt regulations pertaining to the preparation and rendering of reports and returns, the care and preservation of military property and the administration of military personnel as in the Adjutant General’s opinion the conditions demand, such regulations to be operative and in force when promulgated in the form of general orders, circulars or circular letters.

(e) The Adjutant General shall have charge and care of all state military property and all United States military property issued to the state, and shall keep an accurate and careful account of all receipts and issues of the same. The Adjutant General shall keep a record of all public property in the state in the possession of the armed forces of the state and shall guard such property against injury and loss to the greatest extent possible. The Adjutant General shall conduct annual inspections of all public property and keep a complete inventory of such property and the places where it is deposited. The Adjutant General shall require each accountable and responsible officer of the armed forces of the state to account for any deficiency in public property in such officer’s possession upon discovery of such deficiency. The Adjutant General shall require each unit of the armed forces of the state to be inspected at least once each calendar year. The Adjutant General shall, annually, as provided in § 4-60, make a report to the Governor of the strength, condition and equipment of the armed forces of the state and of the expenditures of the office since the last annual report.

(f) The Adjutant General may adopt a seal for use in the office of the Adjutant General. The Adjutant General may delegate duties to an Assistant Adjutant General or to Military Department officials as the Adjutant General deems necessary for the efficient operation of said department.

(g) The Adjutant General may enter into contracts or agreements with any person or agency, public or private, for goods, services or property necessary for execution of the duties of the Adjutant General’s office and the operation of the Military Department, including the performance of federal construction contracting on state property, subject to the approval of the Attorney General.