(Host) Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie, who’s a colonel in the Air Force Reserve, says it’s unlikely that he’ll be called up in the event of a war against Iraq. But Dubie says he could be mobilized if the war leads to additional terrorist attacks in this country.
VPR’s Bob Kinzel reports:
(Kinzel) Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie is in a very unusual position. He’s a colonel in the Air Force Reserve and was trained as a pilot to fly F-16’s. But in 1997, he says he traded in his wings for an operational position connected to the Pentagon. He specializes in disaster relief coordination and was part of the relief effort in New York City following the terrorist attacks of September 11.
As the nation prepares for war against Iraq, a number of National Guard and Reserve units have been called up for special training. Dubie doubts that he’ll be called up in the next few weeks, but if he is, he’s ready to go:
(Dubie) “And the bottom line is, if I’m asked to be mobilized, I’m going to go. And it’s difficult to predict the future. But it’s certainly within my oath of office as a member of the Air Force Reserve and I’m ready and prepared to serve if called upon. I’m not expecting that, but it could happen and I will go.”
(Kinzel) Dubie says it’s more likely that he’ll be mobilized in the event that a war against Iraq results in new terrorist attacks in the United States, because he’s been trained to coordinate disaster relief programs.
(Dubie) “I report to the Pentagon and my job is to advise the governor or to work for FEMA. They kind of see me as a national asset. And I’d had members deployed to Guam during a typhoon in Guam, and I’ve served in the Pentagon, and served at the Olympics with the Air Force Reserve. I served in New York City after 9/11 with the response efforts. So although I’m assigned to Vermont, they use me where they need me.”
(Kinzel) Governor Jim Douglas recently named Dubie to head up a homeland security advisory council for the state of Vermont to help coordinate state and federal emergency response programs.
For Vermont Public Radio, I’m Bob Kinzel in Montpelier.