Rules Committee OKs Nominations of Native Sons

Col. Kodjo Knox-Limbacker, nominated to be adjustant general of the V.I. National Guard, testifies Thursday before the Senate Committee on Rules and Judiciary. (Photo by Barry Leerdam, Legislature of the U.S. Virgin Islands)

Senators on the Committee on Rules and Judiciary Thursday unanimously moved the nominations of Col. Knox-Limbacker to be adjutant general for the V. I. National Guard to the full Senate.

The panel also gave unanimous support to Calvert White as commissioner for the V. I. Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation.

Sen. Kenneth Gittens said about Knox-Limbacker nomination, “Gov. Albert Bryan gets an A plus for this nomination.”

Knox-Limbacker has been on active duty for 25 years, having served in Afghanistan and Bosnia.

One issue he said he would tackle is ensuring active duty pay for soldiers working during natural disasters. This was a problem during the 2017 hurricanes.

After hearing Knox-Limbacker testimony, Sen. Oakland Benta said, “I want to congratulate you on an outstanding career.”

Senators also enthusiastically endorsed Calvert White, who has previously served as an assistant commissioner.

After a brief career as a professional basketball player, he settled in Atlanta and started his career in recreation as a recreation specialist with the Atlanta Job Corps. He told senators, “It became very clear to me that what I was doing for quote-unquote work, wasn’t work but something I truly enjoyed doing. I knew then that working with children and working in recreation, was my true calling.”

In 2007 he returned home to the Virgin Islands, getting his first job in the Parks and Recreation department as a recreation coordinator. In 2015, he became assistant director in the department.

From left, Sen. Janelle Sarauw, Calvin White and White's mother, Barbara Parson Holder. (Photo by Barry Leerdam, Legislature of the U.S. Virgin Islands)
From left, Sen. Janelle Sarauw, Calvin White and White’s mother, Barbara Parson Holder. (Photo by Barry Leerdam, Legislature of the U.S. Virgin Islands)