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As commander in chief of the state's military, the governor has the power to have the Nevada National Guard execute laws and protect the citizens of the Silver State.
Governors must ensure their soldiers and airmen are properly trained and equipped when called to active duty, whether they are fighting a flood or forest fire close to home or deployed oversees to one of the world's hot spots.
Consequently, the day-to-day operations rest upon the shoulders of the adjutant general, the military chief of staff to the governor who is responsible for both the federal and state missions of the Nevada National Guard. The adjutant general serves a four-year term unless the governor decides to make a change at the end of the term.
Nevada's 28th adjutant general left her post on Saturday. Maj. Gen. Cindy Kirkland spent the last four years of her 31-year career as the state's top military leader, yet Gov. Jim Gibbons decided to replace her without explanation and without a successor before Saturday.
The governor has known about the expiration of Kirkland's term for some time, yet he procrastinated in naming a successor until Tuesday, three days after the ceremony. It is no secret within the Nevada National Guard that Gibbons wanted someone else in the top spot as far back as 2006 after he was elected governor. That is his prerogative, but Gibbons' recent decisions have not been decisive from a Nevada Air Guard pilot hailed as a war hero during Desert Storm.
Nevada recently deployed two units consisting of more than 600 men and women to Iran and Afghanistan. Evidently, it wasn't a priority to have a new adjutant general waiting to succeed Kirkland on Saturday.
However, by naming Brig. Gen William Burks as the 29th adjutant general, at least the governor has avoided creating a gap.
The governor's procrastination in waiting this long to name a successor is inexcusable, yet the governor would be the first to criticize President Barack Obama if he had failed to have a new chairman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff ready to participate in a change of command.
Now that we have the announcement of a new adjutant general, we will have an assumption ceremony (which, by the way, may cost additional money and consume another weekend training day).
It would have been so much easier to organize just one change of command ceremony on the same day with two generals and a governor.
Furthermore, the governor's absence at Kirkland's Relinquishment of Command ceremony was also noticeable, and frankly, a slap in the face to the outgoing adjutant general and the 4,000 men and women under her command. They deserved better, but we are also dealing with a governor who does as he pleases.
At this time, Nevada needs a commander in chief able to make quick, decisive decisions. We're waiting, governor, and so are the soldiers and airmen who serve so valiantly in the Nevada National Guard.
Editorials are written by the LVN Editorial board.
Governors must ensure their soldiers and airmen are properly trained and equipped when called to active duty, whether they are fighting a flood or forest fire close to home or deployed oversees to one of the world's hot spots.
Consequently, the day-to-day operations rest upon the shoulders of the adjutant general, the military chief of staff to the governor who is responsible for both the federal and state missions of the Nevada National Guard. The adjutant general serves a four-year term unless the governor decides to make a change at the end of the term.
Nevada's 28th adjutant general left her post on Saturday. Maj. Gen. Cindy Kirkland spent the last four years of her 31-year career as the state's top military leader, yet Gov. Jim Gibbons decided to replace her without explanation and without a successor before Saturday.
The governor has known about the expiration of Kirkland's term for some time, yet he procrastinated in naming a successor until Tuesday, three days after the ceremony. It is no secret within the Nevada National Guard that Gibbons wanted someone else in the top spot as far back as 2006 after he was elected governor. That is his prerogative, but Gibbons' recent decisions have not been decisive from a Nevada Air Guard pilot hailed as a war hero during Desert Storm.
Nevada recently deployed two units consisting of more than 600 men and women to Iran and Afghanistan. Evidently, it wasn't a priority to have a new adjutant general waiting to succeed Kirkland on Saturday.
However, by naming Brig. Gen William Burks as the 29th adjutant general, at least the governor has avoided creating a gap.
The governor's procrastination in waiting this long to name a successor is inexcusable, yet the governor would be the first to criticize President Barack Obama if he had failed to have a new chairman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff ready to participate in a change of command.
Now that we have the announcement of a new adjutant general, we will have an assumption ceremony (which, by the way, may cost additional money and consume another weekend training day).
It would have been so much easier to organize just one change of command ceremony on the same day with two generals and a governor.
Furthermore, the governor's absence at Kirkland's Relinquishment of Command ceremony was also noticeable, and frankly, a slap in the face to the outgoing adjutant general and the 4,000 men and women under her command. They deserved better, but we are also dealing with a governor who does as he pleases.
At this time, Nevada needs a commander in chief able to make quick, decisive decisions. We're waiting, governor, and so are the soldiers and airmen who serve so valiantly in the Nevada National Guard.
Editorials are written by the LVN Editorial board.
