West Virginia troops back from southern border assignment

Sep. 7—After a month of volunteer service at the southern border, 54 members of the West Virginia National Guard are now back home.

Gov. Jim Justice confirmed the return of the local troops Wednesday during his weekly administration briefing. Justice said a "welcome home celebration" will be held for the guardsmen today at 10 a.m. at the West Virginia National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters in Charleston.

"They stepped up," Justice said of the West Virginia troops who were a part of Operation Lone Star. "They went to our southern border, protected our nation and helped in every way they possibly can."

The troops departed West Virginia in late July for the southern border. Their assignment was to assist the Texas Military Department with that state's ongoing efforts to secure the southern border. Specifically, the West Virginia troops worked with Texas to detect and deter criminal activity between points of entry at the border.

"What is going on at our southern border is ridiculous," Justice said Wednesday, adding that America is being flooded with drugs and illegal migrants due to the Biden administration's open border policies.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott launched Operation Lone Star earlier this year in response to the flood of migrants who are crossing the southern border. The Texas governor directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to "use available resources to enforce all applicable federal and state laws to prevent the criminal activity along the border, including criminal trespassing, smuggling, and human trafficking."

During Wednesday's briefing, Justice didn't address the pay issue that several troops brought up last month.

Two troops who contacted the Daily Telegraph from the southern border said they were under the impression that they would be receiving the same level of pay as the Texas soldiers.

However, Major Holli Nelson with the West Virginia National Guard Communications/Governmental Affairs Office later clarified that each state outlines how much money a guardsman will make. Nelson said when soldiers or airmen are serving in a state active duty status, their pay and benefits are dependent upon what is authorized in state code or regulatory guidelines for each state. Members of other National Guard states supporting Operation Lone Star — including Texas — may receive differing pay and benefits based upon their state code in comparison to service members from West Virginia, according to the earlier report from Nelson.

In other business Wednesday, Justice defended West Virginia University President E. Gordon Gee, who received a vote of "no confidence" from the WVU Faculty Assembly Wednesday.

"Well I don't know the details about the vote, but let me just tell you this," Justice said in response to a media question on the issue. "I do have a lot of confidence in Gordon Gee and I have confidence in our university board of governors."

Justice said WVU is dealing with problems — a number of programs are targeted for elimination as part of ongoing budget cuts — and that he is willing to help in any way that the state can.

"This our charter university, and I do believe Gordon Gee has been a great president and a great man for the state of West Virginia," Justice added.

Justice, who is not allowed by state code to seek a third term as governor, also was asked if he intended to make an endorsement in the 2024 gubernatorial race.

"I would say that's a possibility," Justice said. "You know me well enough to know that if I endorse a candidate I'll sure get out and work for them."

Republicans who are seeking the GOP nomination for governor include incumbent Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, incumbent Secretary of State Mac Warner and incumbent Delegate Moore Capito.

Justice is seeking the Republican nomination for West Virginia's high-profile U.S. Senate seat. If he wins, he will presumably face incumbent Democrat Joe Manchin — who has not yet said whether he actually intends to seek re-election or not — in a race that could help to determine which political party controls the U.S. Senate in 2024.

Republican U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney also is seeing the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate race.

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com. Follow him @BDTOwens