In the week since Gov. Sarah Palin was appointed Sen. John McCain's running mate, one of the talking points emphasizes her "experience" as commander-in-chief of the Alaska National Guard, a standard job for a governor. Which is why I thought this was interesting.
"Just six months ago, Air Force Maj. Gen. Craig Campbell, the Alaska Guard's top officer, warned in an internal memo that 'missions are at risk.' The lack of qualified airmen, Campbell said, 'has reached a crisis level.'...
Campbell is due to receive a third star on Sunday — a promotion approved by Palin, who has authority over the Alaska National Guard. He described Palin as very supportive of the Guard, but said she gives him latitude to manage the force. Governors typically do not have a direct role in day-to-day operations...
Members of the Alaska Army and Air Guard have been sent to Iraq, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa and other overseas locations before and since Palin was sworn in as governor in December 2006. They've handled duties ranging from training the Afghan National Army to communications support. When on these federal missions, National Guard troops are under the command of the Defense Department and not their governors."
Facts are our friends.
No comments:
Post a Comment