Warriors - Spring 2009 - Alaska - Department of Military and ...

My Turn
Lieutenant General (Alaska) Craig E. Campbell
Adjutant General, Alaska National Guard
& Commissioner, Alaska Department of Military & Veterans Affairs
Leading the Way to a Future of Success
Leadership is being demonstrated by the dedicated employees
at the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs every day.
Most recently, the Division of Homeland Security & Emergency
Management took the time to work with the Alaska Volcano
Observatory and many local governments to prepare communities
for the impending eruption of Mount Redoubt. As a result of this
work, people were prepared and ready when the volcano blew;
there was a calm, organized feeling with Alaskans in affected
communities.
Staff Sergeant Harry Alexie of the Alaska Army National Guard
is another example of leadership. He followed his dreams to run
and finish the Iditarod, and he is a positive example for young
people across our state. Alexie showed thousands of young people
that if you stay off drugs and alcohol and work hard to follow
your dreams, you can accomplish anything.
Alexie finished the Iditarod in 37th place and received the
ExxonMobil 37th Iditarod Award – a gold coin valued at $2,500.
We are very proud of Alexie’s accomplishments along the trail and
in preparation for the race. We look forward to seeing young people
join the Alaska Army National Guard to follow in his footsteps.
There was a tremendous showing of leadership by the Alaska
Military Youth Academy this past year. The largest class in the
school’s 15-year history graduated in February. One hundred
sixty-one cadets finished the most rigorous school in Alaska and
committed to a life of excellence through discipline. These cadets
come from communities in rural and urban Alaska and will go
back to their communities and families with a newfound purpose
and confidence.
We all have an obligation to give our best to our families, our
jobs and our community. This is what leadership means, to achieve
excellence and strive for greatness every day of the week. You can
make a difference in Alaska and see the results of your good work
more quickly than in other states. We live in a blessed great land,
and I encourage you to start being a leader today. ■
Welcome to the Alaska Air National Guard. Lieutenant General (Alaska) Craig E. Campbell, adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard, administers the state of
Alaska’s Oath of Enlistment to 24 new Alaska Air National Guardsmen from the territory of Guam. The Guardsmen are part of an initiative between the state and the territory to enlist
maintenance personnel into the Alaska Air National Guard’s 168th Air Refueling Wing. The oath took place during the 2009 Guam Air National Guard’s Annual Training Conference in
February. Photo: Courtesy Guam National Guard
Spring 2009 • WARRIORS Securing the State, Defending the Nation
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