Guard Unit Trains as Dukakis Objects
- Share via
BOSTON — Despite the objections of Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, 13 Massachusetts National Guard public affairs specialists left Saturday for two weeks of training in Panama and Honduras.
Dukakis, front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, opposes the Reagan Administration’s deployment of National Guard troops in Central America on constitutional grounds and has appealed a U.S. District Court ruling that upheld the assignment.
The governor did not seek to block the departure pending resolution of the appeal because he could not prove that the detachment would suffer irreparable harm, but his press aide said Dukakis would continue to contest the issue.
The detachment, which consists of writers and photographers for the Guard’s newsletter, will observe U.S. forces in the field and prepare accounts of their actions.
“It’s important training for the unit. It will be germane to their overall mobilization training that they have this experience,” said Lt. Col. Stuart Taubert, director of press relations for Adjutant General Wayne Wagner of the Massachusetts National Guard.
Maj. Warren Pierce, commander of the 65th Public Affairs Detachment, said last week that he had no reservations about the assignment. “We’re looking forward to it,” he said.
More to Read
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.