Governor Palin 4 President

Anchorage, AK – Governor Palin is in Kosovo visiting Alaska Army National Guard aviators who are deployed for 12 months on a peacekeeping mission.

The 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment is providing aviation support with UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to U.S. forces and coalition forces. This is an air assault mission in which the unit will be tasked with various duties including passenger and cargo airlift, external sling load deliveries, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. “I am happy to pass on the message of sincere thanks from all Alaskans,” Governor Palin said. “We are so proud of their service.”

A part of Governor Palin’s duties while she is in country is to inspect the troops and ascertain how the experience in Kosovo will better prepare these service members for missions within Alaska and future deployments overseas.
“As commander-in-chief, Governor Palin is the one we look to for leadership and inspiration while serving and defending the sovereign boundaries of Alaska,” said Lt. Gen. (AK) Craig E. Campbell, Adjutant General of the Alaska National Guard. “We thank the commanding general of the Multi-National Task Force East for the invitation to visit and for his hospitality while in country.”

The 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation is the most deployed unit in the Alaska National Guard, having previously deployed elements to Kosovo in 2004, as well as fulfilling missions in Iraq, Guatemala, Haiti and Honduras.

Anchorage, AK – Governor Palin & Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region X Administrator Dennis Hunsinger signed a disaster response agreement that sets the stage for full federal participation in the spring flooding disaster recovery on the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers.

“When the state & federal government work together in a cooperative fashion, we can achieve far greater help for our residents,” Governor Palin said. “This agreement allows the full depth of FEMA to work right next to our state responders & help those affected by this record flooding season.”

Signing the state/federal agreement is the traditional next step after the president officially declares an area a disaster. The agreement outlines the state/federal match requirements to maximize federal funding. It also identifies allowable expenditures of the federal money & selects state employees who will be given authority to authorize use of federal funds.

“Our cooperation with FEMA has already been a great achievement, especially compared to other states,” said Commissioner Craig E. Campbell, Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “This agreement brings the resources of the federal government to the table & allows our residents to meet most of their needs before winter hits.”

FEMA has set up a joint field office in Anchorage to manage the federal response to this disaster. The Alaska Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management has been working side by side with all of the FEMA personnel to make sure there is continuity in service & recovery assistance to all people affected by the spring flooding.

The photo is of Governor Palin on a trip to the Interior on May 7, 2009 to survey areas ravaged by the worst ice jam flooding in decades (Fort Yukon visit pictured here).