2022 NGAUS Conference Extras
Sections
A Primer
THE HOST CITY
Bigger Than You Think
While best known as the state’s capital and home to one of the largest colleges in the nation, the Ohio State University, Columbus is so much more. It’s one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. It’s also the largest and most visited city in Ohio. Thrillist, a website that covers food, drink, travel and local culture, calls Columbus “surprisingly cool.” The city, according to Thrillist, “has a thriving arts scene, a pulsing nightlife and natural beauty within city limits.” Much of it is just outside the Greater Columbus Convention Center in the Short North Arts District, which features 300 dining and entertainment venues.
THE VENUE
Renovated, Accessible
Conference meetings and the industry exhibition will be in the Greater Columbus Convention Center, a multipurpose, 1.8 million-square-foot facility connected to Hilton and Hyatt Regency hotels. It was originally built in 1993, expanded in 1999 and again in 2016. Among its most unique features is the Battelle Grand ballroom, with its signature LED lighting fins in the ceiling capable of 65,000 color combinations. The States Dinner will be there. The facility also has a food court that offers an array of options.
THE CONFERENCE
An Annual Tradition
There haven’t been 143 previous NGAUS conferences, but pretty close to it. The “144th” refers to the number of years since militia officers from across the nation established the association to provide a unified voice to petition Congress for more resources. They held their first formal conference the next year, but national meetings were sporadic early on, normally involving less than 100 senior officers. They grew larger and more regular after that, and there has been a NGAUS conference every year since 1943. The one anomaly was 2020, when the event was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.
THE THEME
In the Heart of It All
After 385 years, the National Guard remains central to the nation’s defense. The Guard is critical to daily Army and Air Force worldwide operations. The State Partnership Program, now with links in 93 nations around the globe, is at the forefront of many combat commander’s diplomatic efforts. And at home, the Guard is every governor’s most-trusted tool when disaster strikes. Additionally, with a presence in more than 3,000 communities across the nation, the Guard is connected like no military component to the American people.
Headliners
Featured speakers scheduled for the business and separate sessions
Gen. James C. McConville
Army Chief of Staff
Harry S. Truman
Award Recipient
First Business Session
Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr.
Air Force Chief of Staff
First Business Session
Lt. Gen. Laura Potter
Deputy Army Chief of
Staff—Intelligence
Second Business Session
Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson
Chief of the
National Guard Bureau
Second Business Session
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards
Army Chief of Staff
Harry S. Truman
Award Recipient
First Business Session
Gen. Andrew P. Poppas
Commanding General,
Army Forces Command
Army Separate Session
Lt. Gen. Jon A. Jensen
Army National Guard Director
Army Separate Session
Maj. Gen. Michael D. Wickman
Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army
Europe and Africa
Army Separate Session
Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Jarrard
Chief of the
National Guard Bureau
Second Business Session
Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh
Air National Guard Director
Air Separate Session
Beyond the Main Session
Legislative Resolutions
Army and Air National Guard representatives from every state, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia will gather to review standing resolutions, draft resolutions and late or “emergency” resolutions. Most contain multiple items. Deliberations are set to begin Aug. 26 and continue through Aug. 28. Approved resolutions, which are subject to a floor vote by conference delegates Aug. 29, will form the basis of next year’s NGAUS legislative action plan for deliberations on fiscal 2023 defense legislation.
Elections
Delegates will vote for the three representatives (adjutant general, Army and Air) on the board for Area I and Area IV, the Army company-grade and Air retired/separated reps. Final tallies are subject to ratification by the full conference Aug. 29.
Company-Grade Officer Professional Development
The conference will once again provide OPD for company-grade officers and junior warrant officers. Formal sessions will include presentations by National Guard Bureau senior generals, the NGAUS legislative staff and leadership experts from nearby Ohio State University. The full agenda is on the conference app.
Army & Air Separate Sessions
The separate sessions are set for the morning of Aug. 29. Both will feature presentations by senior leaders. Gen. Andrew P. Poppas, the new commanding general of Army Forces Command, and Lt. Gen. Jon A. Jensen, the director of the Army Guard, headline the Army session. Maj. Gen. Michael D. Wickman, the deputy commanding general for Army National Guard, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, and Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Jarrard, the former deputy commanding general for Army National Guard, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, will also speak. The Air session agenda will feature Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh, the Air Guard director.
Industry Exhibition
This year’s trade show is the largest in more than a decade. More than 340 companies and organizations had purchased booths by mid-August. An updated list is available on the conference app. Exhibitor descriptions are available in the official conference program. The show opens at 10 a.m., Aug. 27 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by a complimentary brunch. A complimentary lunch is available on the exhibition floor Aug. 28. The NGAUS booth (No. 1636) again will be near the middle of the 200,000-square-foot show floor. This is where you can speak with NGAUS staff and purchase the 2022 National Guard Educational Foundation holiday ornament. It features the flags of the 13 nations (12 in Europe and one in Asia) that established the Guard State Partnership in 1993.
Task Force Meetings
All 13 of the issue-related NGAUS task forces (Army Fire Support, Army Combat Vehicle, Army Sustainment, Army Aviation, Army C4I, Army Engineer, Mobility Air Forces, Combat Air Forces, Air Combat-Mission Support, Space, Joint Cyber, Joint Domestic Operations and Joint Personnel/Medical Benefits) will meet the afternoon of Aug. 28. Meetings are open to all attendees. Consult the official conference program or the conference app for exact times and locations.
Total Authorized Delegates*
Alabama | 22 |
Alaska | 12 |
Arizona | 18 |
Arkansas | 31 |
California | 22 |
Colorado | 15 |
Connecticut | 15 |
Delaware | 15 |
District of Columbia | 13 |
Florida | 17 |
Georgia | 42 |
Guam | 9 |
Hawaii | 23 |
Idaho | 11 |
Illinois | 26 |
Indiana | 19 |
Iowa | 21 |
Kansas | 29 |
Kentucky | 19 |
Louisiana | 32 |
Maine | 8 |
Maryland | 22 |
Massachusetts | 33 |
Michigan | 18 |
Minnesota | 27 |
Mississippi | 58 |
Missouri | 14 |
Montana | 10 |
Nebraska | 18 |
Nevada | 19 |
New Hampshire | 12 |
New Jersey | 19 |
New Mexico | 14 |
New York | 19 |
North Carolina | 22 |
North Dakota | 17 |
Ohio | 30 |
Oklahoma | 17 |
Oregon | 15 |
Pennsylvania | 18 |
Puerto Rico | 9 |
Rhode Island | 8 |
South Carolina | 30 |
South Dakota | 19 |
Tennessee | 54 |
Texas | 27 |
Utah | 23 |
Vermont | 11 |
Virginia | 20 |
U.S. Virgin Islands | 8 |
Washington | 14 |
West Virginia | 17 |
Wisconsin | 33 |
Wyoming | 8 |
TOTAL | 1,100 |
*Based on total NGAUS members in a state/territory and other criteria in the association bylaws
Individual Awards
Harry S. Truman Award
Gov. John Bel Edwards, Louisiana
Gen. James C. McConville, Massachusetts
Montgomery Medal
Rep. Tim Ryan, Ohio
Charles Dick Medal of Merit
Rep. Cheri Bustos, Illinois
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Illinois
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan
Rep. Betty McCollum, Minnesota
Rep. Don Bacon, Nebraska
Sen. Deb Fischer, Nebraska
Gov. Pete Ricketts, Nebraska
State Sen. William F. Burt, New Mexico
Sen. Rob Portman, Ohio
Rep. Steve Stivers, Ohio
Patrick Henry Award
State Rep. Lester “Bubba” Carpenter, Mississippi
State Sen. Dean Kirby, Mississippi
Nathan Upchurch, Mississippi
Mary Beth Sewald, Nevada
Nevada Office of the Governor staff
Josh Carter, North Dakota
Courtney Fellows, Oklahoma
Collen Lewis, West Virginia
State Rep. Donald Burkhart Jr., Wyoming
Distinguished Service Medal
Brig. Gen. David Fleming III (Ret.), Delaware
Brig. Gen. Robyn J. Blader, Wisconsin
Meritorious Service Award
Capt. Thomas F. Van Dorple Jr., Arkansas
Maj. Scott T. Aihara, Hawaii
Brig. Gen. Moses Kaoiwi Jr., Hawaii
Lt. Col. Kurt Neddenriep (Ret.), Nevada
Col. Nicole Bixler (Ret.), New Hampshire
Lt. Col. David West (Ret.), New Hampshire
Lt. Col. Jeffrey S. Hovdenes, North Dakota
Maj. Lucas Klettke, North Dakota
Brig. Gen. Robert L. Lawson (Ret.), Ohio
Lt. Col. Kelly A. Barton, Oregon
Lt. Col. Ryan L. Barton, Oregon
Lt. Col. Christopher A. Jenkins, Oregon
Col. Todd Nehls (Ret.), Wisconsin
Col. Bart Van Roo, Wisconsin
Meritorious Service Certificate
1st Lt. Sheronette Mills, U.S. Virgin Islands
Lt. Col. Alphonso E. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Maj. Marcia Spencer, U.S. Virgin Islands
Valley Forge Cross for Heroism
Staff Sgt. Scott E. Kreiner, Maryland
Lt. Col. Magregoir Simeon, New Jersey
Valley Forge Certificate
Maj. James Kevin Polk, Mississippi
Staff Sgt. Hannah Kasner, Nevada
1st Lt. Brittni Swanson, Wisconsin
Garde Nationale Trophy
Maj. Morgan T. Brown, Kentucky
Maj. Gen. Randy Manner (Ret.), Nevada
Theodore Roosevelt Leadership Award for Company Grade Officers
1st Lt. Austin R. Bray, Arkansas
Capt. Nathan M. Sosebee, Arkansas
Capt. Charles K. Morris, Hawaii
Capt. Joseph L. Johns, Iowa
2nd Lt. Jackson Sliefert, Iowa
Capt. Brandon A. Maxwell, Kansas
Capt. Douglas C. Mitchell, Kansas
2nd Lt. Jason D. Sanderson, Kentucky
Capt. James R. King, Massachusetts
Capt. Thomas M. Brewer, Mississippi
Capt. John Miller, Nevada
Capt. Michael Daly, New Jersey
Capt. Sheldon Spence, New Jersey
2nd Lt. Kyle Lynch, New Mexico
Capt. Jesse Moch, North Dakota
Capt. Joseph P. Terveen, North Dakota
Capt. Erich C. Buhagiar, Ohio
Capt. Derek M. Moore, Ohio
Capt. Noah K. Irshad, Oregon
2nd Lt. Clint B. Brower, Wyoming
Capt. Jeffrey Gradowski, Wyoming
Eagle Rising Award for Warrant Officers
Warrant Officer William C. Evans, Arkansas
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Phi Tran, Kansas
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jaime E. Acker, Massachusetts
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Dustin P. Robinson, Mississippi
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Steven Minifie, Nevada
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Richard L. Blumler, North Dakota
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Westley Sykes, Ohio
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Krispin Z. Chairet, Oregon
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eli Lilley, Wyoming
NGEF Brigadier General William W. Spruance Legacy Award
Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Jan Young (Ret.)
Unit Awards
ARMY NATIONAL GUARD
Major General Milton A. Reckord Trophy
(Overall Readiness)
2nd Squadron, 107th Cavalry Regiment
Ohio Army National Guard
AIR NATIONAL GUARD
Major General Milton A. Reckord Trophy
Spaatz Trophy
(Top flying unit)
119th Wing
North Dakota Air National Guard
Distinguished Flying Unit Plaque
114th Fighter Wing
South Dakota Air National Guard
126th Air Refueling Wing
Illinois Air National Guard
154th Wing
Hawaii Air National Guard
177th Fighter Wing
New Jersey Air National Guard
193rd Special Operations Wing
Pennsylvania Air National Guard
Mission Support Trophy
(Top support unit)
147th Attack Wing
Texas Air National Guard
Distinguished Mission Support Plaque
Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center
Wisconsin Air National Guard
127th Wing
Michigan Air National Guard
140th Wing
Colorado Air National Guard
175th Wing
Maryland Air National Guard
William W. Spruance Safety Award
114th Fighter Wing
South Dakota Air National Guard
Winston P. Wilson Trophy**
(Outstanding fighter or recon unit)
114th Fighter Wing
South Dakota Air National Guard
Curtis N. “Rusty” Metcalf Trophy**
(Outstanding airlift or refueling unit)
133rd Airlift Wing
Minnesota Air National Guard
Major General John J. Pesch Flight Safety Trophy**
114th Fighter Wing
South Dakota Air National Guard
177th Fighter Wing
New Jersey Air National Guard
Awards based on 2021 performance
**Denotes National Guard Bureau award