SENATE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE April 22, 1999 3:35 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Jerry Ward, Chairman Senator Lyda Green Senator Gary Wilken Senator Randy Phillips Senator Kim Elton MEMBERS ABSENT None COMMITTEE CALENDAR CONFIRMATION HEARINGS: Commissioner-Designee Robert Poe, Jr. - Commissioner of the Department of Administration Colonel George Cannelos - Brigadier General of the Alaska National Guard Commissioner-Designee Phillip E. Oates - Commissioner of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Ruth B. Benson, Alaska State Commission on Human Rights WITNESS REGISTER Commissioner-Designee Robert Poe, Jr. Alaska Department of Administration PO Box 110200 Juneau, AK 99811-0200 Colonel George Canellos Alaska Air National Guard Department of Military and Veterans Affairs PO Box 5800 Ft Richardson, AK 99505-0800 MG Phillip E. Oates Adjutant General/Commissioner Department of Military and Veterans Affairs PO Box 5800 Ft Richardson, AK 99505-0800 Ruth G. Benson, Commissioner Alaska Commission on Human Rights 1551 Farmers Loop Fairbanks, AK 99709 ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 99-8, SIDE A Number 001 CHAIRMAN WARD called the Senate State Affairs Committee to order at 3:35 p.m. Present were Senators Elton, Phillips, Green, and Chairman Ward. The first order of business before the committee was the confirmation hearing of Robert Poe, Jr. as the Commissioner of the Department of Administration. COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE POE informed committee members the Department of Administration is a very diverse organization, compared to other state departments. He feels well prepared to handle the duties of Commissioner, having a varied background in both the private and government sectors. He believes that by intelligently viewing the management of state government, and questioning why things are done in a certain way, the Department of Administration will be able to do more with less, which it is frequently asked to do. SENATOR GREEN commented that she is impressed with Mr. Poe's professional accomplishments. She moved to forward Commissioner- designee Poe's name to the full Senate for a confirmation vote. There being no objection, the motion carried. Number 084 COLONEL GEORGE CANNELOS, Commander of the Alaska Air Guard and Assistant Adjutant General, testified via teleconference from Carlisle, Pennsylvania. COLONEL CANNELOS informed committee members that during his 30 year military career, he has served 18 years in Alaska. COLONEL CANNELOS remarked the Alaska Air National Guard offers tremendous opportunities for the State; his priorities for the organization are to enhance its flying missions of rescue, airlift and refueling. He would like to place more emphasis on the state mission as the Alaska Air National Guard is implementing its federal mission extremely well. SENATOR GREEN asked Colonel Cannelos to address Alaska Air National Guard recruitment and growth. COLONEL CANNELOS replied the Alaska Air National Guard has done an extraordinary job of recruiting over the years, particularly in an era when active forces have been downsizing. Over the past 15 years, the Alaska Air National Guard has grown from a single small airlift squadron in Anchorage to more than 2,000 people, located both in Anchorage and Fairbanks. He stated recruitment is a challenge when the economy is good. SENATOR GREEN moved to forward Colonel Cannelos' name to the full Senate for consideration of his confirmation as Brigadier General to the Alaska Air National Guard. There being no objection, the motion carried. COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE PHILLIP E. OATES, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, stated the most important function of the Commissioner's Office is to respond to emergency situations in Alaska, which requires strong Army and Air National Guards. To achieve strong Army and Air National Guards, Alaska needs to have viable federal missions. Other responsibilities include training youth for the Youth Challenge Program and responding to the needs of veterans. Together, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and Alaska National Guard employ about 4400 people, more people than the largest private employer in Alaska. SENATOR GREEN asked COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE OATES whether the Alaska National Guard needs to do more recruiting. COMMISSIONER-DESIGNEE OATES stated that question has two aspects: recruitment and retention. The Alaska National Guard is represented in 84 locations around the state. Recruitment is generally healthy and is better and easier on the Air Guard side. Recruitment in rural Alaska presents the biggest challenge. Retention is a multifaceted problem, especially in rural Alaska, primarily because of the education level a person needs to be successful in the Alaska National Guard. When recruiting, those without a solid educational background must trained so that they can pass through the schools required to remain a member of the National Guard. He added that as more Guardsmen are asked to serve overseas, retention may become a bigger challenge. Number 229 SENATOR GREEN moved the name of Commissioner-designee Oates to the full Senate for consideration as Commissioner of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. There being no objection, the motion carried. COMMISSIONER RUTH G. BENSON, Alaska Human Rights Commission, testified via teleconference from Fairbanks. She explained that while serving one year of an unexpired term on the Alaska Commission for Human Rights, she has completed a good bit of the learning process required to serve on this Commission. She would like to continue for a full term. SENATOR GREEN moved Ruth Benson's name to the full Senate for confirmation. There being no objection, the motion carried. There being no further business to come before the committee, CHAIRMAN WARD adjourned the meeting at 3:50 p.m.