HONOLULU (AP) — Congresswoman and former presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard has left the Hawaii Army National Guard for a new assignment with a California-based Army Reserve unit, military officials said.
Gabbard’s new part-time assignment as an Army Reserve civil affairs officer follows 17 years with the Hawaii National Guard.
The Hawaii National Guard confirmed Gabbard, who holds the rank of major, made the switch in June, but the transfer to an out-of-state unit was not formally announced, even to the state’s National Guard personnel.
Gabbard’s new posting, the 351st Civil Affairs Command, is based in Mountain View, California, but has subordinate units in other Western states.
The Army Reserve supports the active-duty Army and has more commands and promotion opportunities. Like the National Guard, most Army reservists serve part-time.
“The House in Congress isn’t scheduled to be back in session til Nov. 16th so I’m taking advantage of the time to do some great Army Civil Affairs training! I’m grateful to be able to do it in Hawaii,” the 39-year-old Democrat said in a social media message posted Thursday.
Gabbard’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Gabbard served in the Hawaii Legislature and Honolulu City Council before being elected to the U.S. House in 2012.
She has said a deployment to Iraq and Kuwait with the Hawaii Guard greatly shaped her outlook.
She received a Combat Medical Badge in 2005 for “participation in combat operations under enemy hostile fire in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III,” the Hawaii National Guard said.