ADJUTANT-GENERAL, an army official, originally (as indicated by the word) the chief assistant (Lat. adjuvare) staff officer to a general in command, but now a distinct high function ary at the head of a special office in the British and American war departments. In England the second military member of the Army Council is styled adjutant-general to the forces. He is a general officer and at the head of his department of the War Office, which is charged with all duties relative to personnel. The adjutant general of the United States Army is one of the principal officers in the war department, the head of the bureau for army corres pondence, with the charge of the records, recruiting, issue of com missions, etc. Individual American states also have their own ad jutant-general, with cognate duties regarding the state militia. In many countries, such as Germany and Russia, the term has re tained its original meaning of an officer on the personal staff, and is the designation of personal aides-de-camp to the sovereign.