Opinions

Choose respect; choose a new governor

About this time, a month out from the election, my friends usually call me for advice. They are just starting to pay attention and want to know who I am supporting. This year my decision is based on choosing respect.

The men and women of the Alaska National Guard have been in the news lately. The good news about rescues, firefighting, deployments, training and emergency preparedness are reported regularly. I am grateful for the guard's dedicated people who are always here in time of need.

However, the sad news, reported for almost four years now, reveals a breakdown in the moral beliefs that are part of our American way of life. Please take a moment to consider the recent tragic events within Alaska's guard. The official report from the Federal Office of Complex Investigations has already resulted in some personnel changes. This is just the first finding from the report: "The AKNG's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program is well-organized, but victims do not trust the system due to an overall lack of confidence in the command." Other findings include the phrases: fraud, sexual assault, embezzlement, perceived favoritism, misconduct, fear of reprisal and misuse of government equipment for personal gain.

Many people from various units and areas of command, officers and enlisted, U.S. Air Force and Army, over the past four years approached the governor, their commander in chief, for help. They did so with great personal risk to their careers. It is a well-established tradition with all military personnel not to go outside of the normal chain of command. It was obvious something was terribly wrong in the Alaska National Guard family. Even after multiple meetings, the governor failed to recognize the magnitude of the problems. The governor passed up the many opportunities to stand up for his people, lead the way, take charge and provide remedies.

The Army and the Air Force systems of values and conducts are ingrained in the lives of their recruits from the beginning of their training. Let's take a look at the Army's set of values just as an example: Loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage. How has Alaska's commander in chief fared with these values?

Now, a month from the election, the governor decides to dismiss the top leadership in a very late attempt to show he cares. This year I am choosing respect. I will be voting for a new governor.

Dan Kendall is a lifelong Alaskan, Republican, 40-year Chugiak resident, former Anchorage Assembly member and former official in the Anchorage mayor's office. He has two sons in the National Guard.

The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, e-mail commentary(at)alaskadispatch.com

Dan Kendall

Dan Kendall spent his childhood in Valdez, teenage years in Spenard, and the remainder with his wife Melinda in Chugiak. Together they have raised five children and now have six grandchildren. He has played an active role in the communities of Chugiak and Eagle River for the past 30 years, volunteering on many boards and commissions. He served on the Anchorage Assembly from 1994 to 2004. Dan, after a 35-year career, retired from ENSTAR Natural Gas Co. in 2012. For the last eight years Dan has continued to hone his political skills as president of Knik Little League.

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