Sarah Palin Has Failed in Her Primary Role as Commander-in-Chief of the Alaska National Guard
Brandon Friedman has a critical picture of how the head of Alaska’s National Guard flip-flopped on his opinion about Sarah Palin just as she was handing him an extra star. Apparently, her most significant act as Commander-in-Chief of the Alaska National Guard, thus far, is buying off a guy who then went on to shill for her.
But there’s actually more to the story–and it shows that, even according to this now-promoted shill, Sarah Palin has failed in the area where he most relies on her help, recruiting new members of the National Guard.
Here’s what Campbell had to say in his interview for the September 3 BoGlo story about Palin’s role in recruiting:
About 75 percent of the Guard’s budget, he said, is the purview of the National Guard Bureau in Washington, which is responsible for ensuring the Guard is prepared to be called up by the president in a time of war. Her primary role, he said, is in recruiting National Guard volunteers.
Campbell said he has met with Palin about once a month, but communicates with her by phone and email more frequently. Earlier this week, he noted, she ordered the Air National Guard to fly a planeload of supplies to hurricane victims in the Gulf Coast
"She is very much engaged in what we are doing and she asks a lot of questions," Campbell said. "Maybe not the most engaged, but definitely engaged.
She is very much involved in ensuring that I am recruiting enough people." [my emphasis]
That is, Sarah Palin’s primary role as Commander-in-Chief is ensuring the Alaska National Guard meets its recruiting targets.
But measured on those terms, Palin is a failure. That’s because Alaska has the worst recruiting record of all 50 states.
The Alaska National Guard, which Republicans are pointing to as an important national-security credential for vice presidential choice Sarah Palin, has personnel shortages that make its aviation units the most poorly staffed in the nation.
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." [my emphasis]
Now, maybe when Campbell spoke of Palin’s great support for recruiting last week, he was describing a big turnaround in the state’s paltry recruiting. Except that, even though recruiting has improved of late, it’s still the worst in the nation.
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%.
And it sounds like it’s about to get worse. You see, those boosts in recruiting came about partly by withholding promotions if officers weren’t making sufficient effort to recruit new Guardsmen. Yet the men and women in the AKANG just saw Campbell accept a promotion while all of their promotions are being held off because of a claimed "leadership deficiency" in the Guard–and at least one of them is pissed.
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.
[snip]
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.
This is the state of Palin’s celebrated tenure as Alaska’s Commander-in-Chief: the worst record in the country on her primary task in the role.
Thanks ew.
digg
Hey ya Empty,
posted this about a week ago at the mothership
AK National Guard is approx. 1850 Guardsmen and Guardswomen
Alaska also maintains a state militia, the Alaska State Defense Force (ASDF). This force is federally recognized, but is separate from the National Guard and reports to the Governor of Alaska as Commander-in-Chief. They service the state exclusively, especially when the National Guard is deployed and unavailable.
she has never mobilized AK NG for anything – most of these Alaskans were deployed before she took office
107 Alaskan Iraq Veterans Killed
17 Killed in Afghanistan
several were tragically killed in a helicopter crash – within days of the stop loss order keeping them there
also from wiki – and it may have something to do with their lackluster recruiting efforts –
5 of the dead were Inuit
Fascinating. Thanks for those details.
One of the reasons she (and Campbell) are putting such an emphasis on recruiting, it seems, is that AK is at risk of getting missions and equipment pulled. Palin even justified the Campbell promotion with some BS about how giving him this promotion is a state’s rights thing–it’s a sign to DC that AK rules the Guard as a partner with the Feds. Now, frankly, I’m rather sympathetic to teh plight of governors who feel like their own defense force has been sent to Iraq. But there seems to be something more, here.
Also note, the case they point to to cite the necessity of this is Katrina: basically noting (without naming names) that when Blanco tried to insist that LA’s Guard be dedicated entirely to evacuation and recovery, BushCO didn’t cooperate. Which is interesting on several levels, not least bc Rove succeeded in making Blanco the scapegoat.
Great catch cbl2.
The soon-to-be Lieutenant General Campbell, will lose a substantial portion of his credibility over this “state” promotion. I once served with a soldier who was a clerk in the office in the Pentagon which planed funerals for VIPs. We discussed the then-recent funeral of General of the Army Omar Bradley, the last holder of 5-star rank. My fellow soldier remarked that, for the Bradley funeral, the limitations on space were such that no officer below 2-star rank (Major General) was allowed to attend.
But, here’s the good part about that part of the story.
Every two-star in the Army attended and, at one point, they were all called together for a group photo. These generals were so cognizant of rank and status among themselves that they fell into a formation in perfect order of rank in only a few seconds. They all knew whose date of rank was earlier, and whose was later, and made no mistakes about it.
Now, how much credibility do you think “Lieutenant General” Campbell will get among his fellow generals, when everyone knows his third star was a transparent payoff from a politician in return for whoring himself out to meet her political needs?
About as much as those Generalissimos – all brass, braid and rhinestones and no substance – of some podunk Third World country get from military professionals in a real army. Politeness and adherence to regulation to their face, laughter behind their backs.
fabulous story – and if you check Empty’s link above – everything you’ve said is borne out in his comments section
I posted this downstairs and it’s more on topic down there but it’s on topic in general when talking about palin;
what hard evidence do we have that SHE is a sucessionist?
this is important, if there is hard evidence we will go about with, “she doesn’t even want to be an american, how un American can a person get?…how can any patriot want her to be president”
if there is no hard evidence then we will have to settle for her husband;
“her husband doesn’t even want to be an american, how unamerican is that?”
It’s unclear, isn’t it.
She has been very friendly to the AIP, has attended at least one of their conventions, and slept with a party member for eight years. And, as I point out here, jumped onto an AIP project that benefited her city. And the folks in AIP read her election as a big plus for her.
But I’m guessing that she’s not going to get asked that question, since she won’t take questions she doesn’t like.
Why do you think she hurried back to Alaska to bear her most recent child, flying post-water breaking*?
So he could be a native-born Alaskan.
I could seriously see the secessionists up there imposing a native-born component on, say, the receipt of a share in the oil wealth or the right to hold political office. “After all,” they’d say, “the US gives citizenship to anyone born there, but you have to be native-born to be eligible to become President.”
Little Trig’s an anchor baby….
(* One of the craziest things I’ve ever heard of, BTW.)
in that case we have this;
“the governer panders to people who don’t even want to be Americans”
by the way, isn’t sucessionism treason?
if so;
“the women panders and galavants with people who brag about their desire to commit treason
Did you see this linking AIP to al Qaeda?
thanx Marcy
here’s a question on topic though;
has her national guard enlistment rate declined since she became governor?
if so, is it commensurate with other governors?
it’s not as important that her state has the lowest performance, that might be a social thing, what’s important is her performance regarding enlistment as it compares to previous governors of her state
The GOP machine has pulled out the stops on Palin so what’s to stop Bushco from promoting a “good soldier”?
I think all we know is that, in March (fifteen months after Palin became Gov), Campbell recognized that the AKANG was at risk of losing missions and equipment, and in the ensuing 6 months, he and Palin have raised it by 3 percent by holding appointments hostage.
Perhaps Generalissimo Palin shoud create a “Champagne Unit” for the lowly Alaska Air Guard, like they did down in Texas. That unit certainly attracted the best and brightest.
I think it’s time we stopped picking apart the details of Palin’s background. It’s clear she’s full of shit and a political vampire. It’s time to just generally dismiss her. She’s been completely discredited. Her big speech was a lie. She’s Anne Coulter with political ambition.
And John McCain picked her! That’s the news! Forget about her. She’s a joke.
Well, I kind of agree in that I think the Democrats should get back to their message. Obama himself has been doing this, but the whole support structure that interrelates with the populous has been focused on Palin, including us. At a minimum, while bashing Palin we should be talking up our superior policies and ethos instead of just attacking her.
However, if you think Palin is a joke that can be laughed off, you are sorely mistaken. She may be a wretch, but she is a very capable politician and clearly has far more of the step on the adversary’s throat while they are down mentality than we do. Underestimate her at your own peril.
It’s not that she can be laughed off, it’s that she has to be laughed off. All this is just giving her more attention. The line has to be that she’s a joke, and McCain picked her. That was the line before the speech and it should be the line still. The press will catch up.
See, I don’t think that is right though. Yes, she is a bat shit crazy winger, yes she is inexperienced (although he is far better, that also does apply to Obama). George Bush is a fucking ignorant hick of a joke too; look at how far he has gotten and the damage he has inflicted. But Palin is a successful and competent politician, don’t think it isn’t possible for her to do the same.
You’re probably right, but right now she’s off practicing her next attack and nowhere to be seen, and she’s still getting all the press. If you can’t dismiss her now, then when?
Never. The Gooper undead never die; they keep reappearing and methodically moving forward. I think you keep pounding on her, but as I said above a couple of times, @17 and @24 (and Scribe did as well @26), we need to simultaneously be talking up what we have as good to counter her bad.
Nope, not yet.
First of all, the fundies are beginning to notice that McCain hasn’t endorsed any of Palin’s hard right religious stances. If we continue to attack on religion, the fundies will force Sarah and her sidekick to publicly take a stand, which will either alienate the fundies or drive away moderates.
Plus, McCain’s team just dumped a big effort in a “truth squad” for PAlin–suggesting they’re seeing her rep beginning to change.
Once we make it clear the claims she is a reformer are fraudulent and once we make it clear she’s a wingnut, THEN we turn back to McCain. But not until then.
Now that I agree with; freaking McCain isn’t even running right now, he has been totally absorbed into, and subjugated to, Palin. The point of attack is her alright; I just think we should at the same time be proving up how much better Obama/Biden is on each thing we are attacking her on. I will fully admit I don’t know squat about political genius though.
Obama in Dayton Ohio today talking about education
Obama also takes aim at his Republican opponent John McCain and McCain’s record on education in nearly three decades in Washington.
“…in those three decades, he has not done one thing to truly improve the quality of public education in our country. Not one real proposal or law or initiative. Nothing.”
http://www.daytondailynews.com…..fundi.html
This makes sense to me. You go after their strength until it’s seriously compromised.
think I just found something loosely related to this – over at Josh’s place, there’s a new article saying he is making Daytime TV ad buys –
are they thinking there’s still lots of women home during the day ? this is the same group that gave us the lime jello screen and the middle school but geesh ! do they think they’re gonna shore up her numbers there ? nothing but college students and senior citizens
or is it the seniors ?? (avg daytime viewer age is 58, overall viewers is 50)
and then all that money’s down the drain with a single prime time Obama ad telling the country McCorpse wants to privatize social security
Largely OT – beg foregiveness- usual apologies- find self unable to resist:
“The US military said that its findings were corroborated by an independent journalist embedded with the US force. He was named as the Fox News correspondent Oliver North…
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/t…..699077.ece
Now exactly what “really futile and stupid gesture”* would find Ollie embedded in a US military combat outfit in Afghanistan treating Pakistani, Pushtan and Talibani civilians like collaterals in a turkey shoot?
[* The late John Belushi, portraying uture Senator John Mc…Blutarsky in the unexpectedly docu-dramatic Animal House]
Siun wrote a terrific post to that story at FDL yesterday, and I cribbed from her shamelessly.
But that’s an interesting question. We know what Ollie did insofar as he surfaced — he was lying. But why was he there in the first place? Maybe he really just is old and washed-up enough to be not much more than a reporter for Fox who happened to get lucky by being on the spot and useful to the military spinmeisters, but maybe not.
I’m sure Charlie Gibson will ask hard-hitting and direct questions about this AKANG issue, another EPIC FAIL of the Sarah Palin choice by John McCain.
Charlie McCarthy would ask better questions than Charlie Gibson.
Sara Palin is an End Timer who believes humans and dinosaurs existed side by side 6,000 years ago.
http://progressivealaska.blogs…..alins.html
“President Bush said to all of us: ‘I’m driven with a mission from God. ‘God would tell me, ‘George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan’.” “And I did, and then God would tell me, ‘George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq…’ And I did.
Secretary of State Rice’s response to the disaster in New Orleans was: “The Lord Jesus Christ is going to come on time.” She added: “If we just wait.” “On time”? How does Rice know the exact time Armageddon starts? “If we just wait”? That means in her, that is our, lifetime!
“At Church one day [Tom DeLay, House Majority Leader] listened as the pastor declared that ‘the war between America and Iraq is the gateway to the Apocalypse.’ DeLay rose to speak, not only to the congregation but to 225 Christian TV and radio stations. ‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ he said, ‘what has been spoken here tonight is the truth of God.’”
In an e-mail to Rabbi David Lapin, a West Coast talk show host, Abramoff lamented that the club had members with Nobel prizes but he had no awards to speak of. He asked if the rabbi’s organization, Toward Tradition, could concoct one for him: “Perhaps something like Scholar of Talmudic Studies?”
“Indeed, it would be better if it were possible that I received these in years past, if you know what I mean,” Abramoff said in an e-mail.
“This is the state of Palin’s celebrated tenure as Alaska’s Commander-in-Chief: the worst record in the country on her primary task in the role.”
Sarah would certainly proclaim the worst record for recruitment as “an act of god”
I agree on the “not yet”, but we surely can highlight the contrasts between the Democratic positions and the Republicans’ while simultaneously trashing (or “revealing”) Palin as the [whatever] she is.
E.g.: “The Democrats are for stem cell research, which will help people with Alzheimers, particularly in its early stages, like John McCain’s. Sarah Palin, OTOH, believes The Flintstones is a historical text, not a cartoon, and believes research directed toward healing people offends God, so it should be banned.”
I’m not a great copy-writer, but you get the idea.
OT — The Democratic Mayor of St. Paul, Chris Coleman, has just appointed Tom Heffelfinger, former (likely semi-fired) USA to head the review of the security and policing programs at the recent Republican National Convention. Very broad mandate to review and investigate everything is being prepared. It is somewhat likely that the Mayor of Minneapolis will agree to join the effort, and not have a separate review. The co-chair will be a former DUSA from the Clinton Years.
Very Interesting move — the Mayors are under lots of pressure.
Sara, will Heffelfinger give a fair review? From what I recall of your history on him before (I think while we were back at TNH) he is an old school Republican, but a fair and honest one. That would tend to make me think this will be a square take on what happened (which, for anybody who is not familiar with use of force reviews generally, still means deference to law enforcement; but as long as it is a fair assessment that is fine).
bmaz, your assessment of Heffelfinger is essentially correct. Although IANAL, from what I understand he is a fair-minded person and will conduct a even-handed investigation. To my knowledge he has not gone public with the details of his departure as USA, however the consensus view that I’m aware of is that he was leaned on heavily to resign, probably because he wasn’t toeing the party line on Native American issues.
Thanks, that was my recollection; just wasn’t sure.
I hope the MN legislature gets involved as well.
Hefflefinger was pretty strong on Police Misconduct when he was USA — I don’t remember if it was two or three cases, but he took them to trial, I seem to remember one settled at trial, and he got significant agreements for reforms in how complaints were to be investigated and dealt with. He was also very much on to the problems with tribal police on the reservations.
As to why he was (semi) fired — I think his problems were much more about his refusal to join some of the voter cases that Mary Kiffmeyer brought in state court attempting to sabotage Motor Voter and Same Day Registeration rules. These cases — which went to the State Supreme Court — all came in the year prior to the 2004 election, and one of Kiffmeyer’s contentions was that the provisions of the “Help America Vote” law were superior to the Minnesota Laws on voter registeration. To make that case in State Court, she needed the USA — but Hefflefinger never joined her case. She did get Mike Hatch, then State (DFL) AG, but he really wasn’t all that helpful. Kiffmeyer did not have real standing to go into Federal Court on this matter — unless the USA had been in collaboration, and Tom Hefflefinger stayed way away from that case. Of interest, the case involved whether Gustavus Aldophus Students in St. Peter could use Student picture ID and a fee (including fees for dorm rooms) statement for same day voting registeration. State Supreme Court ruled in the Student’s favor (voters favor), reminding Kiffmeyer that it says precisely that in State Law.
And yes, the Hefflefinger Family is old line “Progressive” Republican. Back in the 1930’s one of the Hefflefinger’s married Wendell Wilkie, and there are lots of Wilkies in the family too. One of Tom Hefflefinger’s cousins is Wendell Wilkie IV, and he served in Bush I’s DOJ, and then perhaps the first nine months in Bush II’s DOJ. Conservative, but quit while he was ahead. I understand he just could not deal with Ashcroft.
Yes — it should be a legislative investigation, and I have already talked with a Senate Leader about this. Apparently they cannot act until after the election at this point, but expect to take it up in January early in the Session. Right now, you have to just push and ask those running for the Legislature where they stand on a Legislative Investigation. They could easily adopt or pick up on a Hefflefinger investigation once they are elected, and able to do business again. In the meantime Coleman can move ahead before things go cold.
Tic Toc
Totally OT – From WaPo’s Woodward and his latest book excerpt:
(My Bold)
More Deadeye “Futures” planning?
Continue to paint ourselves into a corner, reduce the choices available to only “bad or worse”, and install “Loyal Cheney-ites” in key military positions?
Shorter Retired General Keane: “Do what I want or I’ll take everybody down with me!”
Odierno was the CO at Fallujah when we used Willy Pete on civilians
moral courage ? Keane can kiss my narrow blue butt
although, David Petraeus’ naked and rapacious ambition is easy to parse out in Woodwards book aint it ?
And so is Deadeye’s!
If the Joint Chiefs of Staff is adamantly opposed to you and your policies, create your own JCS (Retired General Keane).
If the Centcom Commander (Admiral Fallon) is adamantly opposed to you and your policies, create your own Centcom Commander (General
ToadyPetraeus).If you don’t like reality, create your own
fantasyreality.Folks who think that a change to a Democratic Administration will end the Iraq War ain’t paying enough attention to the scheming of Deadeye and his PNAC saboteurs.
Today on Fresh Air while Woodward was discussing his new book he said that “all” intelligence officials believed that Iraq possessed WMD’s. Hogwash! Remember when Woodward called the Plame outing and the investigation “much ado about nothing”
http://mediamatters.org/items/200511160013
Arianna 15 questions for Bob Woodward
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…..10821.html
Woodward sure exposed how much power and influence Stephen Hadley has had in decisions made about Iraq and especially the surge.
Wormwood has been desperately trying these days to repair his reputation after years of smoking Junya and Deadeye’s…ahmmm…seegars.
But in my view, he’s still a Repug stooge and enabler who only spills the beans to pay the bills.
Bush administration “stenographer”
tonight Chris Matthews peeled away many of the myths about Palin. Focused on her lies and how many times she has repeated them. Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz mopped the floor with Rep. King on the Palin myths. Olberman following the Palin myth busting theme tonight.
They pointed out some false claims that I have not all ready heard. That Palin did not fire her chef she reassigned her and supposedly this chef continued to cook for her children.
That Palin did not sale the private jet on e bay.
and she did not sell it at all, she jobbed it out, it was sold at a LOSS not a profit
she is a perfect republican
http://www.crooksandliars.com/…..ns-record/
Paul Begala On Palin and the media ” because the press will not do it’s job” “don’t shoot the monkey when you can shoot the organ grinder” “the facts matter” “why is the media allowing her to lie”
“She carried so much pork home she got trichinosis.
No Dem lunches for Lieberman
http://www.rollcall.com/news/2…..r_friendly
Send in your questions for Sarah Palin
http://www.npr.org/blogs/daydr…..palin.html
We’re all 1970’s Chileans now.
-G
Hey look, the somewhat conservative Jan Crawford Greenburg is cluing into the “McCain Campaign Sarah Palin gambit”. Insulate her from ALL criticism by claiming it is all sexist and mean spirited criticism of Bristol’s bun in the oven. Never mind the fact, Bristol, Levi and even the new baby had a prominent place on camera and on stage, props all.
Greenberg checked it out. My question is how many of the remaining 50% in the country do? I’m afraid there are at least half that believe what they hear from the Wurlitzer Fox, Rush, O’Reilly etc.
How to get through to them? Via the MSM – Morning Joe, Fox Morning, Today, Newspapers and DFH and gumshoe reporters getting the goods and writing it up, and pounding it home.
Thank you Emptywheel, Bmaz, Emptyweelers all. Yes w_ ca_.
I see at TPM a short history of the bridge to nowhere story. It seems it has just been found that some of the money had to be used or returned, so Palin is building a road on the island to the beach where the bridge was to go. Yep, the road to nowhere. This is the stuff that belies the “conservative” myth.