The Alaska National Guard debate (Updated)

Governor Sarah Palin, much to her credit, has always placed a great emphasis on supporting the men and women who wear the uniform of the Alaska National Guard.

I received the following email from a member of the ANG. 

Due to the valid concerns about possible retribution for speaking out and the prospect that some may feel intimidated not to speak out at all, I'm publishing the content of the email here on my website so the governor can be advised accordingly without putting any of the guardsmen at risk of being identified.

Craig Campbell, the Commissioner of DMVA and the Adjutant General of Alaska made a policy that there would be no Alaska Air National Guard promotions to Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel or Chief Master Sergeant without his personal approval.

The intent is to "motivate" these senior leaders to recruit more new people into the ANG. This policy has frozen the advancement of some very deserving individuals who have already earned the right to be promoted. As the Adjutant General, he has the right to institute any plan he wishes. This edict was tolerated by our loyal Guardsmen until the hypocrisy became overwhelming.

Evidently, General Campbell is receiving an unprecedented and undeserved promotion to three-star rank on Sept 7. The Guardsmen found out about this travesty when a call went out for volunteers to fill the room for his ceremony. The response was almost non-existent.

Adjutants General of the 50 States are authorized Major General (two-star) rank and in all but rare circumstances are granted Federal Recognition as Major Generals. This means they are "real" Major Generals with all the respect that comes with such high rank.

General Campbell's promotion will be a "state" promotion. He will be a three-star general only while on State business. In a very rank-conscious environment, this distinction will not be lost on the other Flag Officers. He will look the part of a three-star general but will not be regarded as one by the very people he needs to work with and influence.

This promotion will only benefit General Campbell who will trumpet his new rank. It will not be help further the cause of the Alaska National Guard or its loyal and now outraged members.

No one can be promoted to the top ranks because of perceived leadership deficiencies but even with his obvious leadership flaws, he has no reluctance whatsoever to accept a cosmetic promotion.

I believe the Governor's office will receive substantial correspondence urging her to reconsider this insult to the men and women of the Alaska National Guard.

I also have no doubt most of that correspondence will be anonymous due to the genuine fear of retribution and retaliation if the Governor does the right thing and cancels this hypocrisy.

Commissioner Craig Cambell issued the folowing response:

Point Paper On Adjutant General State Promotion

Prepared: 28 August 2008

Thank you for allowing this opportunity to provide some background information on Governor Palin’s intention to promote the Adjutant General of Alaska to the state rank of Lieutenant General.

There has been some concern voiced that promotion of the Adjutant General may appear inconsistent with a policy letter dated 1 Mar 08 addressing recruiting and retention in the Alaska Air National Guard (AKANG). To ensure there is no misunderstanding of what the letter directed, a copy is attached.

The intent of the policy letter was to ensure senior AKANG leadership understands their significant responsibility for improving the current manpower problem and that improvement has the Adjutants General interest. According to the National Guard Bureau, the AKANG has the lowest personnel end strength in the nation. At just 84% assigned strength, the AKANG is one of only nine states currently below 90%. You will notice that since the letter was implemented in March of this year, the AKANG has increased from 81%.

However, despite these significant manning challenges, the AKANG continues to perform in an outstanding manner. The risk faced by the AKANG in remaining so poorly manned is eventual burn-out by the existing understaffed membership and/or potential for the National Guard Bureau to start moving missions, equipment, and manpower slots from Alaska to other states that have a much higher personnel strength level.

Converse to some opinions, since the 1 Mar 08 directive was issued, a number of senior leaders have been promoted – the deserving ones. For example, Lieutenant Colonel Andy Mamrol at the 176^th Wing, Kulis ANGB has been promoted to Colonel (O-6). In addition, a number of officers have been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel (O-5) and at least three Chief Master Sergeants (E-9) have been promoted since the letter was posted. These individuals were promoted because they demonstrated, not only high professional competence in their technical career field, but also an ability and understanding of the responsibilities necessary to hold the higher rank.

Recruiting and retention within the AKANG is but one part of the larger responsibilities of the Adjutant General within the Alaska National Guard and the DMVA. Over the past five years the Alaska National Guard (Army and Air) has excelled in a number of areas. Furthermore the accomplishments of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) are noteworthy. These accomplishments include, but are not limited to:

• Complete organizational transformation of the Alaska Army National Guard:

  • Initiating structural mission change of the Alaska Army National Guard from a legacy Scout Group to the modular Battlefield Surveillance Brigade

  • Successfully implementing Missile Defense by Alaska Army National Guard at Ft Greely, Alaska. The only such mission in the United States of America.

  • Overseeing the largest number of Alaska Guardsmen to deploy to combat since World War II.

• Implementing the most significant mission change and basing structure of the AKANG since it’s establishment in 1952

  • Successful transfer of the air defense Air Control Squadron at Elmendorf AFB from active duty to AKANG, the radar operators responsible for intercept operations for Alaska. These are the airmen who direct the intercepts of the Russian military aircraft that have increasingly been approaching the Alaskan airspace this past year.

  • Developing and implementing the first associate unit for the AKANG with the active duty Air Force in the new C-17 unit at Elmendorf AFB

  • Aggressively managing the BRAC relocation of Kulis ANGB to Elmendorf AFB. Project is ahead of schedule and under budget.

  • Successfully accepting the critical national mission of space surveillance at Clear AFS from active duty Air Force to AKANG

• Implementing a program to obtain military discharge certificates for members of the Alaska Territorial Guard (ATG). A project that is over 60 years overdue and bringing the honorable recognition for national service these American hero’s so rightfully deserve.

• Development of the first agreement with the Veterans Administration for outreach services to military members in rural Alaska.

• Initiating the first State Partnership Program with the country of Mongolia

• Establishment of the Advisory Council of Alaska, a cooperative federal, state, and local agency organization coordinating all aspects of homeland security for Alaska

These accomplishments are to the credit of the large number of leaders and members of the organization that have worked so hard to advance DMVA to new levels of excellence and service. More information on DMVA accomplishments and milestones can be found at the DMVA website were electronic copies of the departments annual reports, strategic plan, annual budgets, and WARRIOR magazine are available covering the past five years.

Finally, the decision to promote the Adjutant General to Lieutenant General in state status is based on a fundamental states rights stance, for which Alaska has a strong historical position. The National Guard works for the Governor and in Alaska that is a very essential point in our relationships with the federal government. This promotion is a statement by the Governor of Alaska that the National Guard is the state military force responsible for responding to state issues, at the direction of the Governor, working for the Governor. Alaskans serving Alaskans.

This issue gained paramount interest by governors following Hurricane Katrina when the Department of Defense pushed a change in federal law which authorized the President of the United States to mobilize National Guard members to federal service in response to emergencies, without the consent of the governor. This opened the door for a states National Guard to be federalized and used in their home state, but not under the control of the Governor. The National Governors Association and the Adjutants General Association of the United States were unanimously opposed to this change and the following year Congress reversed this law. Concurrently, Alaska changed Alaska Statutes to permit the governor to promote the Adjutant General to the state rank of Lieutenant General specifically for state service.

State promotion carries no financial benefit to the Adjutant General. When serving in state status, the Adjutant General receives commissioner pay and benefits, since that person is also the commissioner for the department. When serving in active duty status (federal) the Adjutant General is paid under the federally recognized rank of Major General. The issue is not about pay and benefits. However, it is not simply symbolic either.

In today’s complex environment, with the significant number of National Guard members who have been mobilized to serve on active duty, in a variety of locations around the world, providing for the common defense of our nation, the distinction between our active duty Federal forces and our reserve Citizen Soldiers and Airmen has sometimes become blurred. We sometimes must be reminded that the law clearly depicts the National Guard as a separate land and air force that joins the regular Federal forces in providing the common defense from enemies abroad, but that the National Guard primarily exists to support the state under the direction of the Governor.

And in response to situations, where the Governor may request support for military resources from Federal agencies, it must be clearly seen that the Federal government is responding “in support to the state”, making it all the more important that state and federal leadership be recognized as co-equals, avoiding any confusion about authorities based on military rank This has not always been the case, again as seen during Hurricane Katrina.

So, the action of promoting the Adjutant General to Lieutenant General (Alaska) in one way serves to strengthen the concept that the federal and state forces are co-equal partners in providing support to the State of Alaska. It is also a positive statement by the Governor of Alaska that the Adjutant General, as a senior state official and cabinet member of a state entity, correctly relates to the senior appointed Federal officials in Alaska, when supporting the citizens of this great state.

To see memo click attachment.