Paul LePage nominates Col. Douglas Farnham to lead Maine Army National Guard

AUGUSTA — A week after his first choice removed himself from consideration, Gov. Paul LePage has nominated a Brewer native to lead the Maine Army National Guard.

LePage announced Tuesday that he has nominated Col. Douglas A. Farnham as the Guard’s adjutant general and commissioner of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management.

For the past three years, Farnham has been wing commander of the 101st Air Refueling Wing in Bangor. In addition to Brewer High School, Farnham is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and Chapman University. He has 31 years of military service and is co-owner of Getchell Bros. Inc., a well-known ice-packaging business.

Farnham said in a written statement that the next adjutant general faces historic challenges.

“Shrinking national resources are putting intense pressure on future Department of Defense budgets,” he said. “As we’ve seen, the entire relationship between the active-duty force structure and the reserve components is and will continue to be under debate.”

Last week, LePage nominated Brig. Gen. Gerard F. Bolduc, who is the acting adjutant general, to the permanent post but Bolduc declined the nomination a day later. Bolduc has been in the position since March when LePage fired the former adjutant general, Brig. Gen. James Campbell.

Farnham’s nomination is subject to confirmation by the Maine Senate.