The state and nation have relied heavily on the Massachusetts National Guard, from continuing deployments abroad to activations during Hurricane Sandy and other disasters. That is enough tumult for any organization, but a leadership vacuum and a decision to shift headquarters made 2012 a trying year. The Guard’s permanent relocation to a new facility at Hanscom Air Force Base, along with the appointment of a permanent leader, marks a fresh start for 2013.

Former adjutant general Joe Carter resigned when a decades-old allegation of sexual misconduct resurfaced. The position has now gone to the acting head, L. Scott Rice. Rice provides not only the sense of judgment accruing from a lifelong commitment to the Guard, but also a wry sense of humor.