Guard’s Missions Catch Deukmejian by Surprise

Gov. George Deukmejian said Wednesday that he was surprised by the disclosure earlier this week that the California National Guard has been flying supply missions throughout Central and South America for the past eight years.

Deukmejian, who is commander of the state’s National Guard, said he has instructed guard officials to inform him of any future proposals to send troops overseas so he can determine whether troops should be dispatched.

“I don’t like surprises,” the governor told reporters in Whittier. “I do think that the governor should be made aware of what missions are involved, especially when they’re involved in sending in some of our troops into foreign countries.”

National Guard officials testified at a legislative hearing Monday that California guardsmen had transported military supplies to Honduras and had been flying provisions to U.S. embassies in Central and South America since 1978.

Criticism From Democrats

The use of 30 California troops to guard road-building equipment in Honduras has already come under fire this election year from Democrats who contend that it is a precursor of expanded U.S. military involvement in Central America.

The state Military Department has responded that troops are assigned only to noncombat areas for the purpose of training and, in some cases, to provide a valuable service to the United States and its allies.

Deukmejian, who has been in office for more than three years, said he has never been notified of the missions to supply U.S. embassies, including the one in Nicaragua.

The National Guard, he said, was apparently operating under approval given by former Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr.

“My understanding is that apparently approval for that type of mission had been given during the prior Administration and that the guard simply continued to operate under that initial authorization,” the Republican governor said. “I was never requested by anyone to either confirm that authorization nor was I personally made aware of it.”

‘All Done Verbally’

Deukmejian said his office can find no written record of Brown’s approval of the foreign flights.

“I think it was all done verbally,” he said. “My information now is that the guard simply continued doing in effect what they had been doing, apparently believing that there was no necessity to come back to the governor to ask whether they should continue with that or not.”

Adjutant Gen. Willard A. Shank told legislators at the hearing Monday that he receives requests from the federal government and decides which ones to bring to the attention of the governor.

Assembly Democrats are seeking to strip about $40 million in funding from the California National Guard if it continues to send troops to Honduras, Nicaragua or other nations where armed conflict has recently occurred.

Deukmejian said it was “premature” to comment on the proposal, but added, “I certainly don’t think the Legislature should encroach on the powers of the executive branch.” Which foreign assignments he will approve in the future, Deukmejian said, “depends on the nature of each mission.”

The governor was in Whittier to help promote recent development projects. Earlier, Deukmejian had spoken in South Whittier at the dedication of a memorial to 344 law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty in Los Angeles County, including five in the last year.

“Their sacrifice cannot be forgotten,” Deukmejian said at the ceremony at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Academy. “Let us all pray that no more names are added to this monument.”