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Donald E. Edwards

{{short description|American state military officer}}

{{Infobox military person

| name = Donald E. Edwards

| image = Donald E. Edwards (2).jpg

| caption = Edwards during his tenure as adjutant general of Vermont

| birth_date = {{birth date |1937|6|15}}

| birth_place = Bellows Falls, Vermont, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2018|8|16|1937|6|15}}

| death_place = South Bristol, Maine, U.S.

| placeofburial =

| allegiance = United States

| branch = {{Army|United States}}

| serviceyears = 1959–1997

| rank = 25px Major General

| unit = United States Army Armor Branch
U.S. Army Transportation Corps

| commands = 413th Supply and Service Battalion
Vermont National Guard

| battles = Vietnam War

| awards = Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Army Commendation Medal

| laterwork = Member, Vermont House of Representatives
Staff assistant, U.S. Rep. Bernie Sanders

}}

Donald E. Edwards (June 15, 1937 – August 16, 2018) was an American military officer. He was most notable for his service as adjutant general of the State of Vermont from 1981 to 1997. The adjutant general is the senior uniformed officer in the state and responsible for the organization, training and equipping of nearly 4,000 members of the Vermont Army and Air National Guard. His position as Adjutant General also included appointment as Inspector General and Quartermaster General, and head of the State Military Department, including the Veterans Affairs office.

Early life and start of military career

Donald Everett Edwards was born in Bellows Falls, Vermont, on June 15, 1937, the son of attorney Ralph Everett Edwards and Anne Jane (Edmunds) Edwards.Vermont Birth Records, 1909-2008, entry for Donald Everett Edwards, accessed August 6, 2012 He attended school in Saxtons River, Vermont and graduated from Vermont Academy in 1955.{{cite book |date=1995 |title=Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VyH0AAAAMAAJ&q=%22donald+e+edwards%22+%22vietnam%22 |location=Montpelier, VT |publisher=Vermont Secretary of State |page=367}} He began his military career as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Armor Branch in 1959 after graduation from Norwich University and completion of the Reserve Officer Training Corps program. He later became qualified as a Transportation officer, and served with the regular Army until 1971, with assignments including three years in West Germany, two in Vietnam (1965–66, 1968–69) during the Vietnam War, and two in England (1969–71) as part of a professional exchange program with the British Army.{{cite news |last=Davis |first=Neil |date=March 5, 1981 |title=New Adjutant General Has Attained Goal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105218095/adjutant-general/ |work=Burlington Free Press |location=Burlington, VT |page=13 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Edwards served in the Army Reserve from 1971 until his appointment by the Vermont General Assembly as Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard in 1981, and his Reserve service included command of a battalion.Vermont Secretary of State, Legislative Directory, 1977, pages 103 to 104Associated Press, Rep. Edwards Elected State Adjutant General, North Adams Transcript, February 20, 1981

Civilian career

Between leaving active duty in 1971 and being appointed Adjutant General in 1981, Edwards was employed as a dealer in fine arts and antiques and an appraiser of real property, antiques and household effects.Bennington Banner, The Guide Moves to new Location, February 3, 1973 He also served as a member of Grafton, Vermont’s School Board and Planning Commission as well as the Windham Regional Planning Commission. From 1975 to 1981 he was a Democratic member of the Vermont House of Representatives.Vermont Secretary of State, Legislative Directory, 1975, page 657

Education

Edwards was also a graduate of the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.Vermont Secretary of State, [https://books.google.com/books?id=VyH0AAAAMAAJ&q=%22donald+e.+edwards%22+command+and+general+staff+college Legislative Directory], 1995, page 367

Assignments

Awards and decorations

Effective dates of promotion

Military retirement

In 1997 Edwards was defeated for reappointment as adjutant general, losing the legislature's election to Martha Rainville.Vermont General Assembly, [http://www.leg.state.vt.us/DOCS/1998/JOURNAL/JA970220.HTM Journal of Proceedings], February 20, 1997 (In Vermont, the adjutant general is elected for a two-year term by a secret ballot of the Vermont General Assembly.)Vermont Emergency Management Agency, [http://vem.vermont.gov/sites/vem/files/vtseop%20agency%20annex%20O%20adjutantgeneral_v2%2009_30_09%20revised%2003_31_11%20to%20print.pdf Annex O, Vermont Emergency Management Plan]{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, 2011, page 1 Rainville became the first woman to ever be appointed as a state adjutant general.Deseret News, [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gCFOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wu0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5818,2809210&dq=martha+rainville&hl=en Guard Commander], February 21, 1997Boston Globe,[https://archive.today/20130201035123/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/11177234.html?FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:FT&type=current&date=Mar+03,+1997&author=(AP)&pub=Boston+Globe&desc=Vt.+Guard+is+first+headed+by+woman&pqatl=google Vt. Guard is First Headed by Woman], March 3, 1997 Edwards retired from the military upon Rainville assuming the adjutant general's duties.

Later career

After his military retirement General Edwards served on the staff of U.S. Representative Bernie Sanders for two years.Norman Runnion, [http://www.ourherald.com/news/2006-03-02/Front_page/f03.html Dubie Brothers Are a Hit At Statehouse] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728125422/http://www.ourherald.com/news/2006-03-02/Front_Page/f03.html |date=2012-07-28 }}, Randolph Herald, March 2, 2006 Later he was an on-air commentator for Fox NewsFox News Channel, [https://www.foxnews.com/story/topics-and-guests-for-monday-july-28 Topics and Guests for Monday, July 28], July 28, 2003 and the Executive Vice President of an Information Technology company.Walker Research, [http://www.walkersresearch.com/Profilepages/Show_Executive_Title/Executiveprofile/D/Donald_E_Edwards_100006810.html SRA International profile, Donald Edwards], 2009

Retirement

In retirement Edwards continued to comment on public affairs in magazine articles and other media.Progressive Policy Institute, [https://archive.today/20130415154430/http://www.progressivepolicy.org/2010/02/cheneys-terrorists/ Cheney's Terrorists], by Donald Edwards, December 30, 2009 He was a member of the National Veterans Steering Committee during John F. Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign.Kerry-Edwards 2004, [http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/kerry/kerryvets091504st.html Press release, 148 Military Brass and Veteran Luminaries Endorse John Kerry for Commander-in-Chief], September 15, 2004 Edwards resided in South Bristol, Maine and Ashburn, Virginia.Progressive Policy Institute, [http://www.progressivepolicy.org/author/dedwards/ Author's profile, Donald Edwards] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140609173908/http://www.progressivepolicy.org/author/dedwards/ |date=2014-06-09 }}, accessed August 6, 2012Tom Porter, [http://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/9295/Default.aspx War Veterans Stump for Climate Change Bill] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053948/http://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/9295/Default.aspx |date=March 4, 2016 }}, Maine Public Broadcasting Network, October 8, 2009

Other achievements

Edwards served as president of the Adjutants General Association of the United States and was a vice president of the National Guard Association of the United States.SRA, Inc., [https://archive.today/20130222000105/http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=131092&p=irol-newsArticle&t=Regular&id=367990& Press release, Donald Edwards Joins SRA], January 7, 2003

Death and burial

Edwards died in South Bristol, Maine on August 16, 2018.{{cite news |date=August 23, 2018 |title=Obituary, Donald E. Edwards |url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/burlingtonfreepress/obituary.aspx?n=donald-e-edwards&pid=190026704&fhid=20923 |work=Burlington Free Press |location=Burlington, VT |ref={{sfnRef|"Obituary, Donald E. Edwards"}}}} He was buried at Old Oak Cemetery in South Bristol.

Family

In 1960, Edwards married Mary Baldasaro; they divorced in June 1965.{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.com |title=Vermont Divorce Index 1925-2003, Entry for Donald Everett Edwards and Mary Baldasaro |date=June 15, 1965 |website=Ancestry.com |publisher=Ancestry.com, LLC |location=Provo, UT |access-date=August 23, 2018 |url-access=subscription }} Later that month, Edwards married Julie Ellen Schmid, a native of Iowa.{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.com |title=Virginia Marriage Records 1936-2014, Entry for Donald Everett Edwards and Julie Ellen Schmid |date=June 26, 1965 |website=Ancestry.com |publisher=Ancestry.com, LLC |location=Provo, UT |access-date=August 23, 2018 |url-access=subscription }} In 1982, Edwards married Elizabeth M. Deppman of Middlebury, Vermont.{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.com |title=Vermont Marriage Records 1909-2008, Entry for Donald Everett Edwards and Elizabeth M. Deppman |date=April 18, 1982 |website=Ancestry.com |publisher=Ancestry.com, LLC |location=Provo, UT |access-date=August 23, 2018 |url-access=subscription }} They divorced in 1991.{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.com |title=Vermont Divorce Index 1925-2003, Entry for Donald Everett Edwards and Elizabeth M. Edwards |date=December 30, 1991 |website=Ancestry.com |publisher=Ancestry.com, LLC |location=Provo, UT |access-date=August 23, 2018 |url-access=subscription }} In 1992, Edwards married Jennifer Suzanne Wool of Essex Junction, Vermont.{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.com |title=Vermont Marriage Records 1909-2008, Entry for Donald Everett Edwards and Jennifer Suzanne Wool |date=March 31, 1992 |website=Ancestry.com |publisher=Ancestry.com, LLC |location=Provo, UT |access-date=August 23, 2018 |url-access=subscription }} In 2008, he married Susan Marie Bean in Loudoun, Virginia.{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.com |title=Virginia Marriage Records 1936-2014, Entry for Donald Everett Edwards and Susan Marie Bean |date=March 31, 2008 |website=Ancestry.com |publisher=Ancestry.com, LLC |location=Provo, UT |access-date=August 23, 2018 |url-access=subscription }}

Edwards was the father of two sons, William E. and Edmund E. Edwards.{{sfn|"Obituary, Donald E. Edwards"}} In addition to them, he was survived by his wife Sue, and his step-children Elijah, Josiah, Ariadne, and Nathaniel.{{sfn|"Obituary, Donald E. Edwards"}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Htk0O4C4To4 YouTube video of Donald E. Edwards commenting on video of sniper in Iraq]. Hannity & Colmes, Fox News Channel. October 24, 2006.

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{{Succession box| title=Vermont Adjutant General | before=Reginald M. Cram | after=Martha Rainville | years=1981–1997}}

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Category:1937 births

Category:2018 deaths

Category:People from Bellows Falls, Vermont

Category:Democratic Party members of the Vermont House of Representatives

Category:People from Ashburn, Virginia

Category:People from Lincoln County, Maine

Category:Military personnel from Vermont

Category:United States Army reservists

Category:National Guard (United States) generals

Category:United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War

Category:Norwich University alumni

Category:University of Tennessee alumni

Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni

Category:United States Army War College alumni

Category:Vermont National Guard personnel

Category:Vermont Academy alumni

Category:20th-century members of the Vermont General Assembly