By AuxBeacon News Aggregator

In December 2007, Missouri Wing Commander Col Sean P. Fagan was pleased to announce that Missouri Governor Matt Blunt had been inducted into Civil Air Patrol’s new Legislative Squadron. One month later, on January 22nd, 2008, Blunt surprised the Republican party when he announced he would not run for re-election. Polls showed that he was running behind the presumptive Democratic nominee, Attorney General Jay Nixon after accusations of impropriety had surfaced. More than a year later and after Blunt had left office,

“An investigation by state officials later found that the governor’s office failed to properly disclose [Blunt Chief of Staff Ed] Martin’s emails.”

This investigation, which cost the state $2 million, found that Martin had illegally destroyed some emails, in violation of the state’s open government or Sunshine Law. It also found that Blunt’s Chief of Staff had used his office to influence outside groups against opponents of Blunt.

Missouri Governor Matt Blunt is now a Major in the Civil Air Patrol. He was inducted into the Missouri Wing’s new Legislative Squadron in a special ceremony held in the Governor’s office at the state capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri, on November 14th 2007. The Missouri Wing’s Legislative Squadron was formed following the successful passage this year of Missouri House Bill 619, which recognizes wing members as state employees for liability and worker’s compensation coverage purposes when they perform state funded missions. The squadron is commanded by Lt. Col. Randy Fuller, Wing Emergency Services and Counter Drug officer.

“Our goal is 100% membership in our legislative squadron of all state legislators,” said Fuller. “We’re off to a great start!”

The first two squadron inductees were key supporters of the state bill. State Representative Joe Aull was the original sponsor of the bill and helped guide it successfully through the Missouri House of Representatives. State Senator Michael Gibbons, Senate President Pro Tem, took up the bill’s cause and sheparded it successfully through the Missouri Senate.

Other inaugural inductees include (alphabetically) State Representatives Charles Denison, Kenneth Jones, Timothy Jones, Dwight Scharnhorst, and Thomas Villa. A native of Springfield, Missouri, Governor Blunt previously served as a State Representative and as Missouri Secretary of State. A 1993 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, with a Bachelor of Science degree in history, he served as an Engineering Officer aboard the USS JACK WILLIAMS (FFG-24) and as the Navigator and Administrative Officer on the USS PETERSON (DD-969). Governor Blunt’s active duty service included participation in Operation Support Democracy, missions to interdict drug traffic off the South American coast, and on duties involved in the interdiction of Cuban migrants in 1994.

During his Naval career, he received numerous commendations, including four Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals. Governor Blunt is the only statewide official in Missouri history called to active military duty in wartime, serving for six months in Operation Enduring Freedom in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He is currently serving as a Lieutenant Commander in the Naval Reserves.

“The Governor was very aware of the Civil Air Patrol, having served with several former cadets at the Naval Academy,” said Maj. David A. Miller, Chair of the Missouri Wing Legislative Committee. “He was also pleased to learn that his new CAP rank of Major was equivalent to his naval rank of Lieutenant Commander.”

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