Richard Eckstrom became head of the State Guard during a Change of Command ceremony on Saturday. Eckstrom, a brigadier general in the Guard who also serves as the state’s Comptroller, was made interim commander. He succeeds Maj. Gen. Nelson C. Lacy, who retired after four and a half years as head of the State Guard. Eckstrom, is a Navy veteran who retired from the the Navy Reserves in 1995 as a captain. The State Guard —whose members are unpaid volunteers —works in conjunction with the National Guard to protect citizens in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency.
