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'''Martha Rainville''' ([[née]] '''Trim''', born April 9, 1958) is a |
'''Martha Rainville''' ([[née]] '''Trim''', born April 9, 1958) is a retired [[U.S. Air Force]] officer who attained the rank of [[Major General (United States)|major general]]. She is most notable for her service as the [[state adjutant general|adjutant general]] of the [[Vermont National Guard]], and was the first woman in U.S. history to become a state adjutant general. In 2006 she ran as the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] candidate for [[Vermont's at-large congressional district]] and was defeated by [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] candidate [[Peter Welch]]. Rainville was later appointed to senior executive roles at [[FEMA]], and then became Chief Operating Officer of Civil Support International LLC, a disaster preparedness and crisis response consulting firm. |
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==Early life and education== |
==Early life and education== |
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Rainville was born in [[New London, Connecticut]] |
Rainville was born in [[New London, Connecticut]] while her father was serving in the [[United States Navy]], and she was raised in [[Mississippi]] after her father's retirement.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ring |first=Wilson |agency=Associated Press |date=February 9, 2006 |title=Rainville to run for Congress |url=https://www.timesargus.com/news/rainville-to-run-for-congress/article_a746c1b4-13aa-5c50-bf97-815d315ec0c9.html |work=Barre Montpelier Times Argus |location=Barre, VT}}</ref> She graduated from [[Chamberlain-Hunt Academy]] in 1975, and received a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in [[Education]] from the [[University of Mississippi]] (1979).<ref name=Response>{{cite web |url=http://responsesystemspanel.whs.mil/Public/docs/meetings/Sub_Committee/20140108_ROC/Biography_Rainville.pdf |title=Résumé, Martha T. Rainville |date=June 27, 2014 |website=Response Systems Panel.whs.mil |publisher=Response Systems to Adult Sexual Assault Crimes Panel |location=Washington, DC}}</ref> |
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==Military career== |
==Military career== |
Revision as of 06:56, 17 October 2018
This biography of a living person includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2018) |
Martha Rainville | |
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Birth name | Martha Trim |
Born | New London, Connecticut, U.S. | April 9, 1958
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/ | United States Air Force |
Years of service | 1979-2006 |
Rank | Major General |
Unit | Air Force New York Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Vermont Air National Guard |
Commands held | 158th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Vermont National Guard |
Awards | Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Meritorious Service Medal |
Other work | Counselor, Deputy Administrator, Assistant Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency |
Martha Rainville (née Trim, born April 9, 1958) is a retired U.S. Air Force officer who attained the rank of major general. She is most notable for her service as the adjutant general of the Vermont National Guard, and was the first woman in U.S. history to become a state adjutant general. In 2006 she ran as the Republican candidate for Vermont's at-large congressional district and was defeated by Democratic candidate Peter Welch. Rainville was later appointed to senior executive roles at FEMA, and then became Chief Operating Officer of Civil Support International LLC, a disaster preparedness and crisis response consulting firm.
Early life and education
Rainville was born in New London, Connecticut while her father was serving in the United States Navy, and she was raised in Mississippi after her father's retirement.[1] She graduated from Chamberlain-Hunt Academy in 1975, and received a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Mississippi (1979).[2]
Military career
Following graduation, she entered the United States Air Force, and was a 1979 Distinguished Graduate of the United States Air Force Officer Basic Military Training Program at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.[2] She served on active duty from 1978 to 1984, then transferred to the New York Air National Guard. She also served in the Air Force Reserve before transferring to the Vermont Air National Guard.[3]
Adjutant general
In February 1997, Rainville won the Vermont General Assembly's election for adjutant general of the State of Vermont in March 1997. In most states the adjutant general is appointed by the governor; in Vermont the state legislature chooses the adjutant general. The election for a two-year term is is held in February of each odd-numbered year, and the term starts in March.) The first woman in the history of the National Guard to hold this position, Rainville commanded 3,800 members of the Vermont Army and Air National Guard.
Along with her work in Vermont, Rainville served on the Reserve Forces Policy Board, the executive committee of the Adjutant Generals Association of the United States, and was elected vice chair for Air of the National Guard Association of the United States board of directors.[2]
Effective dates of promotion
- Second Lieutenant, September 19, 1979
- First Lieutenant, September 19, 1981
- Captain, October 19, 1984
- Major, January 5, 1991
- Lieutenant Colonel, August 28, 1995
- Colonel, June 28, 1998
- Brigadier General, October 29, 1999
- Major General, March 30, 2001[3]
Military assignments
- September 1979 - March 1980, student, 3353 School Squadron, Chanute Tactical Training Center, Ill.
- March 1980 - September 1980, assistant officer-in-charge, 4756th Aircraft Generation Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
- September 1980 - November 1981, assistant maintenance supervisor, 325th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Air Force Base, Fla
- November 1981 - May 1982, unit logistics program officer, 49th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Griffis Air Force Base, N.Y.
- May 1982 - October 1982, officer-in-charge, Plans Program and Mobility, 49th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Griffis Air Force Base, N.Y.
- November 1982 - January 1984, officer-in-charge, Maintenance Control, 49th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Griffis Air Force Base, N.Y.
- January 1984 - July 1985, officer-in-charge, Avionics Branch, 174th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, New York Air National Guard, Syracuse, N.Y.
- July 1985 - July 1987, education training safety officer, 934th Combat Support Squadron, United States Air Force Reserve, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
- July 1987 - July 1988, unit plans officer, 934th Combat Support Squadron, United States Air Force Reserve, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
- August 1988 - July 1991, aircraft maintenance officer, 158th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Vermont Air National Guard, Burlington, Vt.
- July 1991 - February 1997, commander, 158th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Vermont Air National Guard, Burlington, Vt.
- March 1997 - April 2006, adjutant general of Vermont, Camp Johnson, Colchester, Vt.[3]
Military awards
- Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
- Legion of Merit
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
- Air Force Achievement Medal
- Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
- Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
- National Defense Service Medal
- Armed Forces Reserve Medal
- Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver oak leaf cluster
- Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
- Air Force Training Ribbon
- Vermont National Guard Outstanding Unit Award
- Vermont National Guard Service Ribbon with 2 bronze service stars
- Vermont National Guard Duty Ribbon with 4 bronze service stars[2][3]
Campaign for Congress
In 2005, Rainville began consulting with members of the Republican and Democratic parties regarding a possible run for the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate. She was courted by members of both parties and announced in the spring of 2006 that she would run for Vermont's U.S. House seat as a Republican, intending to base her campaign on government reform and ethics, homeland security, and a strong national defense. She won the Republican nomination with 71 percent of the primary vote, to 28 for Mark Shepard, a member of the Vermont Senate.
Rainville was the Republican nominee against Democrat Peter Welch for the seat Bernie Sanders was leaving to run for the U.S. Senate. Rainville signed a Clean Campaign Pledge in which she vowed to not attack her opponent, and condemned negative TV ads by outside parties. Rainville’s campaign, though a positive one, made some gaffes. An incident in which one of her staffers was found to have plagiarized portions of issue position statements posted to Rainville's campaign website resulted in a drop in the polls.[4]
A strong national anti-Republican wave, based partially on dwindling support for the post-invasion Iraqi occupation, combined with a desire to restore Democrats to a Congressional oversight role of the George W. Bush administration, made winning the seat an uphill battle. On Election Day, Welch won the seat 53.2 percent to 44.5, with minor candidates splitting the rest of the vote.
FEMA
In 2007, Rainville was appointed counselor to the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator and deputy administrator for Continuity Programs. Rainville served as the assistant administrator from 2007–2009 and was responsible for ensuring that FEMA performed its role as Lead Agent for Federal Executive Branch Continuity Programs, including preparation and implementation of Continuity of Operations, Continuity of Government and Contingency Programs across a full threat spectrum. Additionally, she oversaw implementation of continuity taskings assigned to FEMA/DHS in HSPD-20/NSPD-51 including developing and promulgating Federal Continuity Directives, conducting biennial assessments of all Federal Executive Department and Agency continuity capabilities and developing continuity guidance for state, local, territorial and tribal governments and the private sector.[5]
Personal life
Rainville is the daughter of the late Nick and Lucille Trim of Port Gibson, Mississippi. Rainville resides in Virginia and has three children. She was divorced from her husband Norman Rainville in 2003, and in 2009 she married Paul McHale, a former Congressman from Pennsylvania and former Assistant Secretary of Defense.[6] McHale is a member of the Democratic Party.
See also
References
- ^ Ring, Wilson (February 9, 2006). "Rainville to run for Congress". Barre Montpelier Times Argus. Barre, VT. Associated Press.
- ^ a b c d "Résumé, Martha T. Rainville" (PDF). Response Systems Panel.whs.mil. Washington, DC: Response Systems to Adult Sexual Assault Crimes Panel. June 27, 2014.
- ^ a b c d General Officer Management Office (2006). "Biography, Major General Martha T. Rainville". National Guard.mil. Arlington, VA: National Guard Bureau.
- ^ Julie in VT. Rainville's Stolen Ideas Reason and Brimstone. (October 1, 2006)
- ^ The Associated Press (April 18, 2007). "Rainville takes job at FEMA". Rutland Herald.
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(help) - ^ "Paul McHale ready to return to civilian life, but not in Lehigh Valley". lehighvalleylive.com. 2009-01-12. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
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External links
- People from New London, Connecticut
- Spouses of members of the United States House of Representatives
- National Guard of the United States generals
- Female generals of the United States Air Force
- University of Mississippi alumni
- 1958 births
- Living people
- Vermont Republicans
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- Candidates in United States elections, 2006
- 21st-century American politicians
- Women in Vermont politics
- 21st-century American women politicians
- Vermont National Guard personnel