Major General (Retired) Deborah Ashenhurst retired from the U.S. Army and the National Guard in October 2015 after over 37 years of service. She served at all levels of command and in 2011 was appointed to the gubernatorial-level cabinet position of adjutant general of the State of Ohio, commanding the 17,000 service members of the Ohio National Guard, the Ohio Naval Militia and the Ohio Military Reserve. She served as adjutant general until January of 2015. Her career culminated in service as a special assistant to the vice chief, National Guard Bureau in Washington DC.

Prior to her appointment as the adjutant general, she was a 25-year federal employee in various positions of increasing responsibility with the United States Property and Fiscal Office with the Ohio National Guard.

Upon retirement from the military, General Ashenhurst served as the senior vice president, military strategy with R2 Associates.

She served as a commissioner on the Ohio Military Facilities Commission and served as a member of the Synod Council of the Southern Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. General Ashenhurst resides with her husband, Colonel (Retired) Jim Ashenhurst in Hilliard, Ohio.