McHugh confirmed as Army Secretary

North Country Congressman John McHugh was confirmed last night as Secretary of the Army. His long service representing this vast region of New York has come to an end.

It’s fair to say that the region will miss him and his advocacy.

In a time when Washington politics degenerated into something unseemly and vitriolic, John McHugh often stood out as a man of common sense and independence.

It’s also fair to say that the Republican Party would have been a far greater force for good and progress in American society with more leaders like McHugh.

Fortunately, his service will continue in a venue where it is even more desperately needed. The Army is being stretched and tested in ways not seen for more than a generation.

From our local service-members at Fort Drum to the North Country men and women who sign up and deploy to other bases around the world, they now inherit a thoughtful, deliberate voice.

The debate over our future in Afghanistan and Iraq is only just beginning.

While that argument continues, it will be John McHugh’s job to make sure that soldiers (and their families) have every necessary resource — both for the battlefield and the return to civilian life.

It’s hard to imagine a better person for the job.

Tags: military