A former adjutant general of the N.C. National Guard has been named director of the Army National Guard. Army Maj. Gen. William Ingram, current special assistant to the Army vice chief of staff, was confirmed in his new role Thursday at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

Ingram will succeed Army Maj. Gen. Raymond Carpenter, who has served as acting director of the Army National Guard for 29 months. He will be the 19th director and the third three-star general to fill the position.

Ingram served as the top general for the N.C. National Guard for nine years until October 2010.