National Guard Bureau chief checks in with the governor

Chief of the National Guard Bureau Gen. Joseph Lengyel making a short visit to the island. Multiple sources told KUAM he was going to meet with the governor but Adelup wouldn't confirm it - but we managed to catch the general walking out of Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero's chambers.

We asked Gen. Lengyel what the meeting was about.

"I just came to talk to her about the National Guard, the Guam National Guard, make sure I checked in with her as for out here into the Pacific," he said. "Guam's a very important part and the National Guard here is a great National Guard. We've seen them all over the world and they're deployed in many parts of the world, so I always want to give the governor an update whenever I can."

Guard sources also told us Gen. Lengyel would be accompanied by the Guard Bureau's top lawyer Brigadier Gen. Chris Rofrano, and he was. These sources said General Rofrano may have been here because of investigations into local Guard issues under Adjutant Gen. Esther Aguigui's watch.

Governor's advisor on Military Affairs Carlotta Leon Guerrero said she was not involved with the meeting. Military affairs oversight Sen. Jose Pedo Terlaje was not invited to the meeting, according to a staffer. Adelup Director of Policy Carlo Branch said he was not at the meeting. Guam Guard PIO Major Josephine Blas yesterday said she was guided to not comment on the visit.

Meanwhile Adelup Chief of Staff Tony Babauta said the visit was strictly courtesy.

"He shared with her recognition that Guam's National Guard remains one of the Top 5 in the country and also thanked her and the guard for their presence around the world in carrying out the various missions," he said.

We asked Babauta if the controversial transition report that led to former TAG Roderick Leon Guerrero's ouster, any of the concerns in several anonymous letters critical of Aguigui leadership and command staff or a climate command survey were discussed by generals Lengyel or Rofrano.


"I'm not aware that anything like that was discussed between the governor and the general," he said. "In large part it was a courtesy call for general Lengyel because he was touring the area."

As we reported, the governor wrote to Lengyel last year requesting authority to allow TAG Aguigui to wear a rank above her actual rank pending federal recognition of her state promotion to colonel but that request was denied by Lengyel.

Meanwhile, another anonymous letter criticizing guard leadership was sent to media outlets today. The latest letter lays out concerns about Command Sgt. Maj. Agnes Diaz and also details alleged improprieties involving the rehiring of former guard members who weren't eligible for a return to service. "We don't know which is a better environment, Barrigada Readiness Center or Afghanistan? At Afghanistan we have each other's back," the letter said.