(SitNews) Fort Richardson, Alaska - Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell spoke with approximately 350 members of the Alaska National Guard recently during a town-hall meeting at the AKNG Armory at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Parnell requested the meeting with Guard members as a platform to have an open discussion about current changes happening within the AKNG pertaining to the released report from the Office of Complex Investigations, current changes happening within the AKNG, and how the Guard will move forward.

In order to promote open discussion, the meeting was closed to the public, and officers at the rank of colonel and above were not allowed to attend.

Gov. Sean Parnell speaks with members of the Alaska National Guard during a town-hall meeting at the AKNG Armory on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Oct. 19. During the meeting, Parnell answered questions from Guard members pertaining to the released report from the Office of Complex Investigations, current changes happening within the AKNG, and how the Guard will move forward. The meeting was open solely to members of the AKNG with the rank of lieutenant colonel and below in order to promote an open discussion between the Guardsmen and their commander in chief.
(U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Edward Eagerton)

Parnell began by explaining the steps that led to his request of the OCI investigation from the National Guard Bureau and expressed his gratitude to the Guard members that participated in the surveys that led to the details of the OCI report.

“I want to say thank you to those of you who participated in that,” said Parnell. “There were about 1,000 responses to the command climate survey. I know you’ve been surveyed to death, and I’ve heard that, but I’ve got to tell you, that command climate survey, those 1,000 responses, were important to the Guard Bureau in assessing where we are and what changes need to be made.”

The surveys were conducted over a two-month period starting Apr. 1. With information revealed in the surveys, the OCI team then conducted on-site interviews with Guard members.

“The 185 interviews that they did as part of that six month review, those were incredibly important as well,” Parnell said. “What that review did was it revealed to us that the AKNG is a fantastic fighting unit, and it’s professional in the missions you take on, that you accomplish. It also revealed some significant areas of concern as a result of a small percentage of the Guard. This is what pains me, because I am sorry that the entire Guard has been painted with the brush really of a few, and the pain you have felt, and your families too, you don’t deserve that. I’m working hard to make sure that doesn’t get perpetuated for you, but I just want you to hear that from me.”

During the meeting, Guardsmen were able to vent their frustrations to Parnell and ask questions about what was being done to improve the issues addressed in the OCI report.

One Guard member brought up the concern about being protected from retaliation for those who report instances to their chain of command.

“You mentioned that you were willing to protect us from retaliation, so how are you going to do that?” she asked. “Retaliation comes in so many different forms.”

“Your leadership is now on notice that I am watching everything they’re doing,” responded Parnell. “I am finding out about many more personnel moves than I ever was before. I am working with the NGB in full partnership on those kinds of moves.”

Another Soldier confirmed Parnell’s words regarding how this is affecting Guard members and their families when he spoke out about how he feels being a member of the Guard with all that has transpired in the wake of the investigations. He addressed how the lack of trust in the process and leadership affects the organization and the morale of its members.

“Whether it’s sexual assault or whatever it is, it tears at the moral fiber of the unit,” he said. “I think that’s the frustration you’re hearing from a lot of these people. We’re hearing the same stuff. It feels very political to me, and most of us aren’t political. We’re willing to die for our country. Some of us have gone over and put our ass on the line for it. I love this state, and that’s the reason I’m in the Alaska National Guard.”

The crowd of Guardsmen responded with applause at the Soldier’s sentiments.

“We’re in a really ugly time right now,” responded Parnell, “and you’re right. It feels political because it is political. This is about working with you to make it right, right now, and forever more in the Guard. And yes, anybody that took advantage of another person, particularly with the sexual assaults, they ought to be punished. They ought to be in jail. That’s where they ought to go, and my hope is that ultimately that will happen with the crimes that were committed.”

Another issue brought up was the desire to have the state implement a state uniform code of military justice for the National Guard. Soldiers in the Active Duty Army fall within the jurisdiction of the UCMJ under Title 10 of the United States Code. National Guardsmen, however, fall under Title 32 orders, and are only subject to state codes of military justice. Because of this, criminal matters are handled by local authorities.

When speaking about the state UCMJ, one Guard member said that he feels as though having the ability to punish people in the same manner as Active Duty would help deal with these types of problems.

“I think the OCI report makes clear that we need to update and perhaps adopt our own UCMJ,” said Parnell. “The review is ongoing, and the legislature has to make changes so they will talk out those potential changes between January and May, but that could also be a rewrite that takes two years to do; that’s a very substantial rewrite of the statutes. It could be as quick as this spring.”

The last Soldier to voice his concerns to Parnell was a noncommissioned officer responsible for training new recruits in the National Guard. With him were several newly enlisted Soldiers, some of them not having been to Basic Training yet.

“Today as you look in front of you, are a bunch of young men and women,” he said, “and some of them are still wearing civilian clothes, because today is their first day in the Army National Guard. They just raised their right hand to swear to protect their nation and the state of Alaska and obey their orders. I want them to hear from you some inspiration and confidence that the Guard is a great place to be, the Alaska Guard is a safe place to work and that you’re going to do everything you can to put great leadership in their ranks, because they are the future of the Alaska National Guard, and they are the future leadership.”

“Thank you for coming with this head on,” replied Parnell. “If you look around you, you’ll see good men and women who are patriotic and who love our country and just want to give and selflessly serve, that’s who our Guardsmen are, that’s who they’ve been for many years. The fact that you raised your right hand, that means something to me, it means a lot to me and it means a lot to these people. By all means, come into the Guard and work with them to raise the level of professionalism and confidence that already exists. I think you made the right decision.”

Afterwards, Parnell thanked the Guard members for taking the time to chat with him candidly.

Source of News: 

Alaska Department of Military & Veterans Affairs
www.dmva.alaska.gov

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