Richardson wants National Guard status elevated

Gov. Bill Richardson says the National Guard’s status should be elevated by giving its chief a seat on the Defense Department’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Richardson made his comments Tuesday while speaking at the National Guard’s annual conference in Albuquerque, according to the Air Force Times.

“It is a full partner in our national military strategy and it must be given the respect it deserves,” the Times quoted Richardson as saying. “To put it bluntly, our citizen-soldiers deserve a square deal from Washington.”

The National Guard Association backs such an elevation in the status of the Guard. Richardson said he “strongly supports” legislation that would do that, according to the Times.

Way to win brownie points. Richardson appears to be trying to establish himself as a moderate Democrat who is strong in all the areas that moderate and conservative voters view the Bush Administration as weak. Many Guard members and their families are furious about extended stays in Iraq and other issues.

The governor also expressed concern at the conference about the House version of next year’s defense bill, which includes a provision that allows the president to federalize Guard troops in response to natural disasters, the Times reported.

“It’s a power grab, and the bill must be killed,” the Times quoted him as saying. “The decision to protect our state must be made in New Mexico, not Washington. Make no mistake. I will fight to keep that decision here in New Mexico.”