DENVER—An association of National Guard officers criticized the Defense Department on Wednesday for passing over two Guard generals when a new boss was chosen for the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the U.S. Northern Command.
The National Guard Association of the U.S., an independent group claiming 45,000 members, said it has nothing against active-duty Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., who got the job. But Air Guard Gen. Craig R. McKinley and Army Guard Lt. Gen. Frank J. Grass were equally qualified, it added.
Jacoby, like his predecessors, will oversee both NORAD and Northern Command. NORAD is a U.S.-Canada command that defends both countries from airborne threats and monitors maritime traffic offshore. Northern Command was created after the 2001 terrorist attacks to defend the U.S. homeland and help civilian authorities handle domestic crises.
Jacoby was confirmed by the Senate this week after he was nominated by President Barack Obama with input from the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Gus L. Hargett Jr., president of the National Guard Association and a retired Army major general, said Guard officers are uniquely qualified to lead Northern Command because the Guard is the primary responder in domestic emergencies.
He said McKinley is better qualified than Jacoby for the NORAD role because McKinley is a pilot and Jacoby is not. Aircraft are a key component in NORAD.
McKinley is chief of the National Guard Bureau, making him the nation’s senior National Guard officer and the primary adviser to the secretary of defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Guard matters.
Grass is deputy commander of Northern Command. Hargett said Grass has good experience for the top job because he is in charge when the commander is absent.
The National Guard Bureau issued a statement saying it fully supports Jacoby’s selection.
Grass declined comment and Jacoby wasn’t available, a spokesman for NORAD and Northern Command said. A Defense Department spokesman didn’t immediately return a call.
In an interview Wednesday and a statement last week, Hargett said former Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the National Guard Association in 2008 that a Guard officer could be in line for the commander’s job.
Gates told the group he had nominated a Guard officer for a senior Northern Command leadership position in part to “position him potentially to succeed to command,” according to a transcript provided by the association.
Gates added that his successor would decide that. Gates stepped down and was replaced last month by Leon Panetta.
Hargett said Guard officers will likely never get the consideration they deserve unless the chief of the National Guard Bureau is given a seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
