Valley veteran earns state appointment

For years, Charlie Huggins has worked tirelessly in the Mat-Su Valley communities, promoting veterans' issues through his position as president of the Areawide Community Council. Last week, he inherited a much larger area to cover for the same purpose.

Huggins was appointed by Gov. Frank Murkowski to be the new state director of the Veterans Affairs Office within the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Huggins said he was delighted with the appointment.

"As a retired soldier, I've always been interested in veterans' affairs and have been working with the community council," Huggins said from his new office at the Anchorage Armory at Camp Denali on Fort Richardson. "When they asked if I'd like to do it at the state level, I said 'Absolutely!'"

Huggins will advocate for the well-being of more than 70,000 veterans from around the state. Alaska's veteran population is one of the highest per capita in the nation. He will work in conjunction with veterans' groups in communities around Alaska.

Huggins' leadership wasn't lost on the state's top leader.

"Alaska has the highest per capita number of veterans in America. We need a strong leader like Charlie in this position," Murkowski said after appointing Huggins last Tuesday. "He has shown, over a 25-year career with the military that he has the expertise, skills, knowledge and desire to meet the growing needs of Alaska's veterans.

"Charlie will serve all Alaskans, most notably, those among us who gave so much and asked for so little," Murkowski said.

It's the end of a long road for a young boy growing up in Florida. Huggins went to Florida State University on a football scholarship, and it was there that he had his first taste of the military.

"Our academic advisor, Mr. Savage, told us that if you wanted an insurance policy from being drafted and going somewhere you don't want to go, you should join ROTC, and that's what I did," Huggins said. "After school I went off to airborne training and it took off."

Huggins' 25-year Army career certainly did take off after graduating from FSU. He was a company commander for the 82nd Division for some time, was an Army Ranger, completed a tour of duty with the special forces and held leadership positions throughout his career, which took him to Vietnam, Israel, Egypt, Panama and Korea. He retired as a colonel in 1994.

"We are looking forward to having Charlie join our team and take a leading role serving our veterans," said Brig. Gen. Craig Campbell, commissioner for the DMVA.

"With a Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, two Bronze Stars and a combat infantryman's badge, he has served his country during time of need and he now can focus his efforts on addressing issues facing our Alaska veterans," Campbell said.

Huggins has already identified the challenges his new position will bring. He said Alaska is one of two states that don't have a veteran's home, and that is something he is examining.

"With an aging veteran population, health care and housing are the two dominating issues," Huggins said.

On Friday, Huggins visited the Palmer Pioneer Home to talk about veteran's housing needs. Since he calls the Valley home, he knows about how important veterans' issues are to the area.

"Certainly, in Mat-Su, there is a very sizable veteran population," Huggins said. "I'd like to see some programs expand to other areas in the state. We've got Operation Stand Down going on here where we help veterans with some things they need help with, and I'd like to see that in other areas, too."

Another top priority for Huggins is getting veterans more visible in the community, to help the military now.

"Right now, we've got half our combat brigade overseas, and half waiting to go over there and replace them. There are going to be more and more military challenges, and we've got to be recruiting people," Huggins said.

"We need to get the veterans into the high schools and the elementary schools to sensitize people to all of our duties and to get them interested in serving.

"There are a lot of young people out there who are very patriotic, but many have the attitude that 'somebody else will do it.' It's not that they aren't patriotic or don't want to serve their country, but they figure if they don't, somebody else will," Huggins said. "We've mentally acquiesced in that direction. It's not a bad thing, but we have to change the way of thinking."

Huggins has already been met with support from veterans' groups, he said.

"I've been pleasantly surprised by how supportive veterans' organizations have been, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion," Huggins said. "We've got strong advocates statewide, and that's a good sign."

Huggins is married to Becky, a former Army helicopter pilot and current assistant principal at Mid Valley School.

They have three children, Chad Hallie and Cody. Chad is a Colony High School graduate who was a Jr.ROTC cadet. Now, he has his sights set on loftier goals. Chad is attending the University of Nebraska, and has shown an interest in going into special operations.