Retired Army Col. Karin Watson was sworn in by Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero as the new adjutant general of the Guam National Guard on Monday, although the process of her appointment raised concerns by Brig. Gen. Mike Cruz, who stepped down from the position Friday.
Watson, a graduate of John F. Kennedy High School, said she was glad to be back on the island.
“It’s a special honor for me to return home to Guam and continue my service to our beautiful island and her people. The Guam National Guard has a reputation for being the best, and I look forward to working with these incredible citizen soldiers, airmen and families,” Watson said.
Leon Guerrero, who serves as the commander-in-chief of the Guam National Guard, said Watson “represents the very best of Guam - raised and educated here, shaped by our values, and driven by a profound commitment to service that has defined her 26 years of honorable military leadership.”
“A proud graduate of the University of Guam and an ROTC commissionee into the Military Police Corps, Col. Watson has gone on to build a remarkable career of command and national-level responsibility,” the governor stated.
Watson’s appointment is subject to legislative confirmation.
‘Procedural irregularities’
If confirmed, she will replace Cruz, who resigned from the position Friday. Before announcing his resignation, Cruz sent a Nov. 13 letter to the governor documenting concerns about the leadership transition.
Cruz said he accepted the appointment in March 2023, stepping down from his role as president and CEO of Guam Regional Medical City to protect the credibility of the Guard.
At the time, a two-year investigation by the National Guard’s Office of Complex Administrative Investigations concluded with 25 substantiated violations against his predecessor, according to Cruz.
Brig. Gen. Esther Aguigui, who became adjutant general in 2019, announced her resignation in December 2022.
Cruz said he was told that “due to the delay in the replacement of my predecessor the (Guam National Guard) could either be placed under the receivership of another state or face losing its federal recognition. I was told that I would be approved as (the adjutant general) should you appoint me. Given this urgent federal concern, I accepted your appointment.”
In March of this year, Cruz announced his intent to retire on Sept. 30, 2026.
In the letter last week, Cruz noted that the governor could select a replacement at any time, but he was concerned about “procedural irregularities in how the transition has been executed.”
Cruz said he knew a successor had been selected, but he did not know the effective transition date.
“Yesterday, 12 November, I was informed, not by your office, but by the civilian quartermaster within the Department of Military Affairs, that the new (adjutant general) would begin her tenure on Monday— the first and only notification received,” he wrote.
He said the process conflicted with Army, National Guard and military transition norms, and that someone cannot assume command unless there was a legal vacancy.
Although he submitted a letter of intent to retire, he had not resigned or been suspended, terminated, relieved of command, formally removed or notified of any change in status.
“Therefore, no lawful vacancy exists for a successor to fill,” he wrote.
He also said that as a retired Army colonel with prior command experience, Watson would know that command transitions require formal notification to the sitting commander, “assuming command without proper notification or lawful vacancy undermines institutional credibility.”
Governor’s spokesperson Krystal Paco-San Agustin confirmed that Adelup had received Cruz’s letter and said, “we’re looking into this.”
‘Daughter of this island’
Watson was born in the Philippines. Her family moved to Guam, where she attended primary and secondary school and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UOG.
She served as garrison commander of Army Garrison Fort Gregg-Adams, which has been renamed Fort Lee, Virginia; division chief of Detainee Affairs, Joint Staff J-37 Directorate of Special Operations and Counterterrorism, Pentagon; facility commander, Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and executive officer to the Provost Marshal General, Pentagon.
She has supported Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Bright Star. She has a master of arts degree in management and leadership from Webster University and a master of science degree in national security strategy with a concentration in cyber security leadership from the National War College.
She has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal and multiple commendations.
“With this appointment, Guam gains a leader of exceptional caliber—a daughter of this island who has carried our values with her across the world, and who now returns home to guide the Guam National Guard into a new era of readiness and resilience,” the governor said.
“She brings home the experience of a seasoned commander, the perspective of a national security professional, and the heart of someone shaped by the village communities and schools of Guam,” Leon Guerrero added.
Watson retired from the Army on May 31, 2024.
