Gov. Eric Holcomb Tuesday named Col. R. Dale Lyles as the new head of the Indiana National Guard.

Lyles replaces Courtney Carr, who resigned last month amid a defamation lawsuit against him. A government contractor alleged that Carr had her fired because of her knowledge of affairs he and other National Guard leaders were having.

Lyles, who will be promoted to brigadier general, most recently served as deputy chief of staff for operations at the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C. He was also previously the director of Atterbury Muscatatuck operations in Indiana.

The Hoosier native served overseas both in Bosnia and Afghanistan. He takes on his new role effective Oct. 1.

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