Rosanne Greco, a retired Air Force colonel and former chair of the South Burlington City Council, said she decided to seek the state’s top military post after several female legislators encouraged her to enter the previously male-dominated race.
Greco said her opposition to the F-35s, the first of which are expected to arrive this fall, would make her an excellent candidate because now is the time for the Vermont Air National Guard to be asking the question others might not.
“What could possibly go wrong? A whole lot could go wrong, and you want to know what those things are,” Greco said.
Her opposition to the fighter jet has been and remains its safety record, which she called questionable, the impacts of the noise around Burlington International Airport, and the health risks of working around aircraft made of dangerous composite materials.
“I would continue to tell the truth to my bosses whether they like to hear it or not,” she said.
Greco is holding a press conference at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Montpelier to discuss her candidacy. She’ll also testify along with other candidates at 4 p.m. before the House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs.
The other three candidates are Col. Greg Knight, an active duty guardsman and resident of Huntington; David Baczewski, a retired Air Guard brigadier general and resident of Westford; and David Graham, a retired Army lieutenant colonel from Grand Isle.
The legislature is expected to elect a new adjutant general February 21.
Related Stories
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
And what about Martha Rainville?
Greco…SIMPLY PATHETIC in all respects!
If they want a competent woman then nominate Martha Rainville. The guard does not need a Grecco as the aDJ General.
The statement in this article; “Her opposition to the fighter jet has been and remains its safety record” is incorrect, her objections are political. In her commentary to VtDigger Ms. Greco opined ” We can demand a change in the mission of our Vermont Air National Guard. We can demand a mission that is more in alignment with Vermonters values. I cannot imagine Vermonters wanting our Guard to destroy and kill innocent people in our name; I can certainly imagine Vermonters wanting our Guard to save lives and to rebuild societies.” There has been no end of misinformation from Ms. Greco and the anti-F35 crowd, claiming the money for a weapon system comes out of retirees’ and veterans’ pockets was a particular doozy (they’re two different cabinet agencies, their monies never touch), but her position on the mission of the particular airframe in Burlington is really telling. She knows what she is saying is a straight up lie, but says it anyways to get what she wants. She knows that her audience is largely ignorant of military matters and leverages that ignorance to both promote herself and to advance her political agenda.
What good news to at least have the chance at positive change, I applaud Ms. Greco for her courage. It’s long past due for more women to be in leadership positions in the military. The stories about VT’s Guard have been horrifying and the misbehavior from leadership on down that’s been tolerated and encouraged for so many decades is inexcusable.
A lot of the men at the top probably don’t want her there, which is a sign that she should be there.
Go Rosanne!
How can Rosanne Greco lead our State’s National Guard when she is so venomously opposed to its mission? That’s like hiring a Priest to run Planned Parenthood !!
Roseanne Greco is a woman of tremendous courage, compassion, and knowledge. She would be a great commanding officer who would speak truth to power while protecting Vermont’s most populous county and listening to the voices of the communities that have weighed in on the F-35, unlike our congressional delegation and Miro Weinberger. When all of the towns that are most closely in the path of the F-35 have voted against it, it would be nice if our elected officials in Montpelier listened to those who voted. Her credentials are stellar.
Barbara,
What are your credentials to judge what would make “a great commanding officer”? Additionally it should be remembered that even commanding officers must follow orders, and the Guard’s job now is to implement, not obstruct, the F35 beddown.
This is fantastic news! It’s time to challenge the male hierarchy that has resulted in the sexual harassment, assault and discrimination of females that has occurred at the Vermont’s National Guard. And the time is long past for any more tolerance of the way that the top male politicians have looked the other way in the face of serious allegations of unethical and illegal actions on the part of VT National Guard leadership and pilots. These actions include dangerous lack of judgement, problems with alcohol, treatment of civilians and women, and misuse of government property and taxpayer dollars.
It’s time for a change!
Roseanne will never pass the Federal Recognition test, required for all Guard officers.
As a female, just because she is the same gender as me, does not mean she is right for the job. The only thing that matters is can she do the job? Roanne Greco cannot as she clearly has an issue with the military.
Just love how all the stooges and flunkies of the military/industrial complex come out on here to assail a candidate like Rosanne Greco who cares about the well-being and safety of Vermont citizens and not about helping weapons manufacturers make endless profits from endless phoney wars or maintaining toxic military bases that poison the environment and the people nearby. Tough to handle an inconvenient truth like that, isn’t it.
Greco has spent the last few years spreading half truths, bent facts, propaganda and out right lies about the F35, the Air Force and the men and women of the Vermont Guard. She will have at most the earnest suppport of a hand full of the people she intends to lead at best. That is a non starter right there. She wants to be AG for the first two critical years of the F35 program? Insanity. She would be happy to watch the program fail and waist millions of tax payer dollars alongside years of work/ the livelihoods of hundreds of Vermonters.