Baldacci to tap guardsman as Maine emergency chief Vietnam veteran joined National Guard in 1979

AUGUSTA – First-year Gov. John Baldacci will complete his Cabinet appointments this week with the nomination of John “Bill” Libby as Maine’s top military and emergency management official, published reports said this weekend.

Libby, the Maine National Guard’s deputy adjutant general since 1999, will be nominated as commissioner of the state’s Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management as early as Monday, Blethen Maine Newspapers in Augusta and Waterville, and Sunday of Lewiston reported.

As commissioner, Libby would oversee the state’s Air and Army National Guard and the Maine Emergency Management Agency.

If his nomination is confirmed by the state Senate, Libby would replace Commissioner Joseph Tinkham, Maine’s adjutant general who was appointed as part of former Gov. Angus King’s administration. Tinkham plans to retire, Baldacci administration officials said.

Libby, who is from Lewiston and now lives in Waterville, has a master’s degree in secondary education from the University of Maine. He is a Vietnam veteran and in 1979 joined the Maine Army National Guard.

Libby said that if he becomes commissioner, he would like to bring to Maine some National Guard programs that have been successful in other states, such as a boot camp-style program for at-risk youths.

Libby would assume Maine’s top military post as more than half of the Maine Guard members have been called away for active duty. He said enough troops remain in Maine to respond in the event of a disaster in the state.

With the recent troop deployments, recruiting and retention will become critical to the future of the Maine Guard, Libby said.

“We have some concerns about long-term strength problems,” he said.