Gov. Arnold Palacios last week appointed decorated soldier and former Rep. Franklin Reyes Babauta his special assistant, Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM). Mr. Babauta now heads all emergency and disaster preparedness, mitigation, and response activities in the Commonwealth. This includes fiduciary duties over major federal disaster grant and loan programs and funds.
Mr. Babauta is a retired Lieutenant Colonel with over 25 years of service in the United States Army, Army Reserves, and Guam National Guard. He has been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and has served on Peacekeeping Missions in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Australia. His service in protecting our country was highlighted with many awards throughout his military service, including three Bronze Stars, Meritorious Service Medal, and NATO Medal to name a few. He is also a former teacher at the CNMI Public School System and a former Police Officer serving as the Police Sergeant and Deputy Commissioner for Administration. He also graduated from the University of Guam with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Minored in Military Science.
He was a member of the Twenty-first Commonwealth Legislature. He and his wife, Sen. Celina Roberto Babauta, are residents of Dandan, Saipan.
