AUGUSTA, Maine - Members of the Legislature's Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee have unanimously recommended Maine Air National Guard Col. Douglas Farnham as the adjutant general of the Maine National Guard and commissioner of the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management.
Farnham acknowledges he has a lot to learn in the new job. "As your adjutant general and commissioner, I have a steep learning curve and I will be spending the coming days and weeks getting up to speed," he said. "There are several challenges that I already expect."
Farnham says he sees challenges ahead as the Air Guard increases deployments in support of the regular Air Force, and as federal defense officials consider restructuring, which could lead to changes in the Army Guard's mission.
With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Farnham says, there is more demand for veterans' services, and more complex situations for Emergency Management officials to deal with.
