<div id="subtitle">First black woman to lead any state's National Guard takes charge in California</div><div><p>The first black woman to head the National Guard in any state has taken charge in California.</p><p>Brigadier General Mary Kight (kite) was sworn in Tuesday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger at a former Air Force base outside Sacramento.</p><p>She is also the first woman to lead the 21,000 members of the state's Army and Air National Guard.</p><p>Schwarzenegger called the 59-year-old Kight a pioneer for breaking gender and racial barriers. She has spent nearly 25 years with the California guard after seven years in the Air Force.</p><p>She assumes command from General William Wade, who is leaving to help command a North Atlantic Treaty Organization force in Italy.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=68335395&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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