Resigned adjutant general hits Guam governor's anomalous pattern of leadership change at National Guard

Retired Col. Karin Watson is sworn in by Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero as acting adjutant general of the Guam National Guard today. Photo courtesy of the Office of the Governor of Guam

By Mar-Vic Cagurangan

As retired colonel Karin Watson officially takes over today as the new adjutant general of the Guam National Guard, her predecessor, Dr. Michael Cruz, questioned what he considered an anomalous manner in which Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has carried out the change of command within the organization.

Cruz stepped down on Friday as the GUNG adjutant general, smarting from the governor’s move to appoint Watson as his replacement behind his back.

Leon Guerrero, the Guard’s commander-in-chief, appointed Watson as the new adjutant general on Oct. 13. According to the appointment letter, Watson was to assume the post on Oct. 31. Cruz was unaware he was being replaced.

“I regret that our soldiers, airmen and civilians have again

 experienced such a transition as they deserve the stability

and dignity that proper processes provide,” Cruz said in his resignation letter.  

Michael Cruz

Krystal Paco-San Agustin, the governor’s communications director, said the appointment letter "was provided in anticipation of the change in leadership.”

Watson was a former commander of the U.S. Army garrison in Fort Lee, Va. She graduated from the University of Guam in 1998 with a bachelor’s in psychology, minoring in military science. She received a commission into the U.S. Army, where she branched into the Military Police Corps.

“It’s a special honor for me to return home to Guam and continue my service to our beautiful island and her people," Watson said after she was sworn in as acting adjutant general of the Guam National Guard today. "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."

Cruz noted the abrupt transition, which he said "does not reflect the customary standards afforded in military changes of command or assumptions of command."

“While I have documented concerns regarding the lack of notification, irregular timing and absence of standard military transition practices in this current process, I acknowledge that a start date for the new adjutant general has now been established for Monday, Nov. 17, 2025,” Cruz said.

"I will honor the necessity of providing clarity for the organization,” he added.

While he has yet to announce his political plans, Cruz is predicted to run for governor under the Republican Party. He served as Guam’s lt. governor from 2007 to 2011 during the administration of Gov. Felix Camacho. In 2010, he sought to run for governor but was defeated by Eddie Calvo in the Republican primary.

When he was the president and CEO of Guam Regional Medical City, Cruz, a surgeon, served as the governor’s chief medical advisor for Guam’s Covid-19 response in 2020.

Cruz’s relationship with the Democratic governor turned sour on the heels of an Aug. 29 op-ed piece, in which he criticized the administration’s handling of Guam’s health care system, noting that the “crisis is rooted not in buildings or equipment, but in governance, accountability and sustainability.”

The op-ed piece also frowned on the governor’s pet project—a new hospital.

“Guam can build a new hospital, but without reforming how healthcare is governed, we’ll simply put old problems into new walls. The time to implement a new model is now—before the first brick is laid,” Cruz wrote.

The governor responded with her own op-ed piece, defending her insistence on building a new hospital.

Cruz was named adjutant general in 2023, following the retirement of Esther Aguigui, who took the helm of the GUNG in 2019. Aguigui replaced Brig. Gen. Roderick Leon Guerrero, who, in the same manner, questioned his abrupt removal from the post.

“I also express my sincere apologies that during your tenure as commander-in-chief of the Guam National Guard, all three TAG transitions have occurred in this manner–abruptly, without the smooth and professional turnover the military normally upholds,” Cruz said.

In response, Paco-San Agustin said, "all actions taken in this transition follow the requirements of Guam law and the established authorities governing the Department of Military Affairs and the Office of the Adjutant General."

She said the administration “has adhered to all legal standards and continues to ensure that our processes remain responsible and consistent with the statutes that guide us.”

In his letter to the governor, Cruz said he has opted to step down ahead of Watson’s official takeover “to avoid ambiguity in command authority and in service to the organization, rather than to myself.”

“Despite these circumstances, it has been the honor of my career to lead the

Guam National Guard and to serve the people of Guam,” he wrote.

In his farewell message, Cruz asked Guam's soldiers and airmen to "continue to serve with honor" and "continue to be the force Guam relies on, that the Indo-Pacific counts on, and that our nation trusts without hesitation."

"My seemingly abrupt departure is not a reflection of you, nor of our mission, nor of the extraordinary progress you have made these past years. It is simply a step taken to preserve continuity and allow the incoming adjutant general to begin her tenure without ambiguity or conflict in command authority," he added.

 Paco-San Agustin said the administration now prioritizes “a smooth transition for the Guard, provide stability for our soldiers, airmen and civilian personnel, and ensure continuity of mission.”

“We remain confident in the strength and professionalism of the Guam National Guard and the men and women who serve our island with honor,” she said in a media statement.

“We thank Brigadier General Mike Cruz for his many years of honorable service to the people of Guam and to the men and women of the Guam National Guard. His dedication, professionalism, and lifelong commitment to service are deeply respected.”

Sen. Shawn Gumataotao, chair of the Committee on Public Safety, Emergency Management and National Guard, said Cruz’s resignation came as a great surprise.

“The ceremonial transfer of our Guam National Guard leadership will not happen. This is disappointing for all the soldiers and airmen who deserve a formal process that symbolizes tradition, stability and pride,” he said.

Gumataotao said his committee will prepare the confirmation process for the incoming adjutant general.

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