A Vermont Air National Guard general says he is seeking the office of state adjutant general, the top National Guard position in the state.
Brigadier General Steven Cray of Essex Junction announced his candidacy Friday.
In Vermont the adjutant general is chosen by a secret vote of the Legislature for a two-year term. The vote is Feb. 21.
Cray would succeed Major General Thomas Drew, who assumed the job last summer after former Adjutant General Michael Dubie resigned. Drew is not seeking a full term.
Cray says he thinks the biggest challenge of the next adjutant general will be to preserve the capabilities of the National Guard, both as a fighting force and as a force that can be ready to respond to state emergencies, in difficult financial times.
Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.