Viola Alepuyo is appointed Civilian Aide to the Army

Viola Alepuyo delivers her remarks after being announced as the new Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for the CNMI during Veterans Day ceremony at the Minatchom Atdao pavilion. (Frauleine S. Villanueva-Dizon)

The position, officials said, is equivalent to a three-star general in the U.S. Army.

Alepuyo succeeds former CASAs Manuel Villagomez, the late associate justice Ramon Villagomez, and Attorney General Edward Manibusan, making her the first woman to hold the position.

According to their website, the Secretary of the Army appoints at least one individual in each state and each CASA provides individual advice to the Secretary of the Army, the Chief of Staff of the Army, and commanders at all levels on public sentiments toward the Army. They are also committed to informing people in their areas about the Army and advising the Army on the public’s concerns and perceptions.

Veterans Affairs Office director Joseph Palacios said Alepuyo was nominated by Gov. Eloy S. Inos after Manibusan stepped down.

“We are so happy that she is now officially our CASA,” he told Saipan Tribune. “She represents the CNMI in terms of any military related [issues] within the CNMI jurisdiction. She represents the governor. She will be attending annual meetings, conferences. She is a Desert Storm veteran. And as an attorney, she has a lot of knowledge of the laws and what can be done and can’t be done,” Palacios said.

In a Veterans Day gathering at the Minatchom Atdao pavilion, Alepuyo said the position will give her “an opportunity to be a bridge between the people of the Commonwealth and the U.S. Army.”

The position is equivalent to a three-star general, but they are special government employees who serve as representatives of the Secretary of the Army without salary, wages, or related benefits.

Alepuyo was sworn in Tuesday via teleconference from Washington, D.C. She said was nominated this summer but the investiture ceremony on Aug. 4 was cancelled due to Typhoon Soudelor,

Alepuyo said she wants to be a voice for those in the Army as well as their families in the CNMI. “Being so far away from Washington, D.C., I wanted to give not just the soldiers but their families a voice so that whatever it is that they need, their frustrations, can be heard by D.C. I have high hopes. I know that it’s going to be a lot of work,” she added.

The veteran of Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield also spoke of her experiences in the Armed Forces.

“I was an enlisted member of the Army for four years and when I got out, I still was around the Army because I worked for a Department of Defense contractor,” Alepuyo said. “It was hard but that experience made me stronger so that I can handle the stress today.”

Alepuyo also honored her father, the recently passed veteran and local musician David “Taulaamwaar” Kapileo Peter.

Peter served in the Vietnam War and was known for leading the band “Rematua.” The band recorded the CNMI’s first album Gi Talo Gi Halom Tasi—Satil Matawal Pasifiko and authored the Refaluwasch verses of the CNMI national anthem.

Future initiatives

Palacios said he has already talked with Alepuyo about working together on bringing to the CNMI some of the services and benefits that are not available right now to veterans.

“I will be working with her and the Office of our Washington Delegate. They being our voice in Congress and D.C. for that matter. Their role is very important,” said Palacios.

“…What most of our veterans want is where they can actually call it ‘our clinic’ where they can just walk in freely. They have this pride that they would rather go into an official military hospital or a veterans hospital clinic. That’s one of things we want to work on, as well as the expansion of the [Army Reserve] troop store that we currently have here,” Palacios said. (With Dennis Chan)