Blunt discusses running office while serving in Navy

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- For several hours each day, Matt Blunt is an intelligence officer in the Navy. During his free time, he's trying to run the secretary of state's office from an undisclosed location in the United Kingdom.

Blunt can't say where he's stationed, except to say he is not on a ship. A lieutenant in the Naval Reserve, Blunt reported for active duty in October following the Sept. 11 attacks. He is the first statewide elected official in Missouri to ever be called to active military duty, although four state representatives and one senator were activated during World War II.

Deputy Secretary of State Dan Ross has been in charge of the office during Blunt's absence.

Blunt, a Republican and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, said in a telephone interview with reporters Tuesday that he has been able to juggle the demands of his military duty with the duties of the state's top election official.

Secret location

For security reasons, Blunt said he could not reveal his exact location.

"I would not pretend that this is an ideal situation but it's a situation that's possible to handle," said Blunt, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Tuesday. "Essentially, I'm working two full-time jobs."

Blunt said he is kept abreast of business in Missouri via e-mail, phone and in some cases, regular mail. A six-hour time difference means evening in the United Kingdom is afternoon back in Missouri.

"E-mail is very efficient," said Blunt, who is an operations and security officer. "I can get generally 30 to 40 e-mails pretty quickly. You couldn't make 30 to 40 phone calls at the same time. You are able to transfer so much information, but phone conversations are also part of the mix."

The oldest son of U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., Blunt served five years on active duty before joining the reserves in 1998.

Blunt was an engineering officer aboard the frigate USS Jack Williams. He later spent two years as the navigator and administrative officer on the destroyer USS Peterson.

Blunt has had to make the adjustment from being a top political official in Missouri to being a junior officer in the Navy. He routinely works night duty and will be working on Thanksgiving Day.

"It's certainly good for your ego. I think it's a good management exercise," Blunt said. "You go from the position of top manager to a position in middle management and I think it's very good. It reminds you about the sort of things subordinates are looking for in the decision-making process."

Just another officer

So far, Blunt said his position in Missouri hasn't made much difference to the Navy.

"The Navy did not treat me any differently nor should they have or do," Blunt said. "There have been nights when I do duty all night. I'm on the same schedule as other people in the command."

Blunt said he was continuing to monitor efforts on election reform, an issue he has championed since being elected in 2000. Committees in the state House and Senate have held hearings on the issue.

"I think we're getting closer and closer to consensus for election reform," Blunt said. "I think there's very good likelihood that election reform is going to be the priority of a lot of people in the Legislature."

Attempts to pass election reform legislation failed last session.

Blunt said his deployment is scheduled to last a year, but that could change depending on events in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

"Being away from my family has been the toughest personal adjustment," Blunt said. "But I'm trying to look on the bright side. Before, I was always assigned to ships. This is an easier situation."