Sacramento State alumnus, Willie J. Armstrong, was appointed as the new undersecretary for the State and Consumer Services Agency on May 5. Armstrong received the position from the authority of Gov. Jerry Brown.

Armstrong, 36, a Democrat originally from Missouri, was among the first to receive a doctorate in the Educational Leadership and Policy Program from Sac State.

He served as chief of staff for assembly members Nora Campos and Anna Caballero respectively from 2007 to 2010, but has aided other members since 2003.

Prior to his career in politics and tenure at Sac State, Armstrong served 10 years in the United States Air Force. He spent nine years of service at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany as an enforcement agent against fraud, waste, and abuse. Serving his country in the military has remained an important part of his life.

“For me it was an opportunity to give back to all those people who had done so much for me,” Armstrong said. “It was also and opportunity to get out and see the world and to show the world that we are a very diverse people, that opportunities are there for anybody, and it was a good adventure for me.”

Armstrong will now take his experience from the legislature and military and apply it to his new position. He said his main responsibility is to be the principal advisor to Secretary Anna Caballero, who he has previously worked for, on matters of major policy, program, legislation, and fiscal issues. There are also 16 different departments of which he will discharge duties to when necessary said Armstrong.

The length of Armstrong’s term in office will be an undisclosed amount of time and is at the discretion of Gov. Brown.