Brig. Gen. Gerard F. Bolduc withdrew his name from consideration Wednesday as Maine’s next Adjutant General, a day after Gov. Paul LePage announced his nomination.
LePage said in a statement that Bolduc informed him of his decision Wednesday.
“Thank you very much for your nomination as the Adjutant General of the Maine Army National Guard and the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management,” said Bolduc in a release from LePage’s office. “Upon further reflection, however, I withdraw my name from consideration. I am grateful for your support for the Maine National Guard and of my leadership over the past several months.”
LePage thanked Bolduc for his willingness to consider the nomination and for serving as acting adjutant general for the past nine months. “A subsequent nominee for Adjutant General will be named in the coming months,” LePage said.
The adjutant general is the supreme military officer of the state and concurrently serves as commissioner of defense, veterans and emergency management.
Neither the governor’s office nor the Maine Army National Guard spokesman responded to telephone messages and emails requesting further explanation for Bolduc’s decision.
Bolduc replaced Brig. Gen. James Campbell, who was dismissed by LePage in March after reports by the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram that detailed how Campbell initiated a plan to swap out the 133rd Engineer Battalion for infantry units, while telling the governor and the public that the swap was part of a larger restructuring plan, over which he had no control.
Engineer units are the National Guard’s equivalent of a skilled construction crew, capable of building roads, bridges and other structures, and are highly sought-after by states for their ability to quickly help out during natural disasters. The 133rd also offers significant opportunities for women, and combines training for soldiers with community service to build school athletic facilities, youth camps, nature trails, municipal sand and salt sheds, rural fairgrounds and other projects.
Following the revelation of the plan to swap the 133rd for infantry, LePage and Maine’s congressional delegation quickly vowed to unwind the plan and keep the unit intact.
It is unclear whether Bolduc’s withdrawal will affect his position as interim commander of the Guard, or how long it may take to identify another candidate for the permanent position.
Had Bolduc remained in the running, confirmation hearings would have begun during the legislative session that starts in January.
Sen. Scott Cyrway, R-Benton, who co-chairs the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, which would have held those hearings, said he was informed Wednesday of Bolduc’s decision by a LePage advisor, Aaron Chadbourne.
Cyrway said he was not given any detailed explanation of Bolduc’s choice.
“All I can say is that he’s a good man, and I respect his decision,” Cyrway said. “I think they still have good candidates. We’ll see where it goes from there.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.