DENVER-
Gov. Bill Ritter nominated Brig. Gen. H. Michael Edwards to become the new adjutant general and executive director of the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs on Monday, replacing retiring Maj. Gen. Mason C. Whitney, who is retiring.
Edwards, 55, has served as commander of the 140th Wing, Colorado Air National Guard at Buckley Air Force Base, supervising 1,400 people since 2002.
A change-of-command ceremony was scheduled for March 24.
Edwards graduated from the Air Force Academy 1973. He joined the Colorado Air National Guard in 1980.
He also served as director of the Combined Air Operations Center in Qatar in 2003, earning 140 combat hours enforcing no-fly zones in Iraq.
While awaiting Senate confirmation, Edwards will serve on the governor’s Cabinet as adjutant general and state director of military and veterans affairs.
The director oversees more than 5,400 Colorado Army and Air National Guard members and 2,500 Civil Air Patrol officers, cadets and volunteers.
