(a) There shall be an Adjutant General of the state who shall be appointed by the Governor and shall be a commissioned officer in the Adjutant General's department of the National Guard of this state and shall have rank not higher than lieutenant general.
(b) To be eligible for appointment, he or she shall be a citizen of the United States and a resident of the State of Arkansas, and:
(1) He or she must be an officer in the active militia with not less than seven (7) successive years' service immediately next preceding his or her appointment; or
(2) He or she must have been in service in the active militia of this state as a commissioned officer for a period of fifteen (15) years, eight (8) of which were as a field grade officer or general officer, or both combined; or
(3) He or she must have held the rank of a field grade officer in the active militia and, as such, have been called into federal service and have commanded a unit during such service.
(c)
(1) The pay of the Adjutant General and the assistant adjutant general shall be the same as is allowed to officers of like grade, service, and rank by the pay tables of the United States Army or Air Force at the time such pay accrues.
(2) The Adjutant General is permitted to receive payments in addition to regular salary as provided by the Uniform Classification and Compensation Act, § 21-5-201 et seq., while serving in the federal position of technician while also serving as Adjutant General. Such additional payments are provided for in Title IV of the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970, Pub. L. No. 91-648.