Governor Nominates Col. Douglas A. Farnham

December 28, 2015

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Contact: Adrienne Bennett, Press Secretary, 207-287-2531

AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage announced today he has nominated Colonel Douglas A. Farnham as Adjutant General, the supreme military officer of the state and Commissioner of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management (DVEM).

For the past three years, Col. Farnham has been the Wing Commander of the 101st Air Refueling Wing in Bangor, known as the “MAINEiacs.” A graduate of Brewer High School and the United States Air Force Academy, he holds an MBA from Chapman University and has 31 years of military service.

Commissioned in 1984 as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, he served as primary pilot for CINC U.S. Space Command, a C-21A pilot, a flight examiner and ground school instructor for pilots of C-21, C-12 and C-9 aircraft. As a pilot of a KC-135E aerial refueling aircraft in the Air Guard, he was activated for Operation Noble Eagle, a mission to support homeland security in response to the September 11 attacks. He also served as a KC-135 evaluator pilot, full-time Air Guard technician, 132nd Air Refueling Squadron Operations Officer, Chief of Wing Plans.

In 2005-06, Colonel Farnham served as commander of 132nd Air Refueling Squadron. From 2006-12, he served as Operation Group Commander, 101st Air Refueling Wing, then from 2012 to present as Wing Commander, 101st Air Refueling Wing.

He is also president and fourth-generation owner of Getchell Bros. Inc., a family-owned packaged ice company in business since 1888, and has been active in local civic organizations.

“The next Adjutant General will serve at an important time for Maine airmen and soldiers,” Farnham stated. “Shrinking national resources are putting intense pressure on future Department of Defense budgets. As we’ve seen, the entire relationship between the active duty force structure and the reserve components is and will continue to be under debate. Our Adjutant General needs to be engaged at the national level to insure Maine is part of the discussion on emerging missions and force structure.”

Governor LePage had first nominated acting Adjutant General Brigadier General Gerard F. Bolduc to serve as the permanent Adjutant General, but Brig. General Bolduc withdrew his name from consideration. He will continue to serve until the new Adjutant General is confirmed.