Max Friedhem (right) shows
Sgt. Nena Slate of Joint Force Headquarters how an aqueous
waterless cleaning system can clean almost anything, including
wedding rings. The cleaning system is being marketed as a more
effective way to clean servicemembers’ weapons, and is just one
of many exhibitions that Soldiers and Airmen were able to take
part in while at the 37th annual Enlisted Association of the
National Guard of the United States conference Aug. 18-21.
Sgt. Seth Miltimore of Joint
Force Headquarters, Sgt. Nena Slate of Joint Force Headquarters
and Staff Sgt. Jonathan Cockrell of Company B, 2nd Battalion,
19th Special Forces Group listen closely as Lt. Gen. H Steven
Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, outlines his view for
the direction of the National Guard. Blum was one of many
speakers Soldiers and Airmen had the opportunity to hear from at
the 37th annual Enlisted Association of the National Guard of
the United States Conference Aug. 18-21.
Staff Sgt. Jonathan
Cockrell (left) of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces
Group gets the opportunity to meet and talk physical fitness
with Staff Sgt. Ken Weichert at the 37th annual Enlisted
Association of the National Guard of the United States
Conference Aug. 18-21. Weichert, known to many as “Sgt. Ken”
through his regular column in GX Magazine, showed Soldiers
first-hand how to achieve an effective workout without weights. |
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Story and photos by Spc. Sam Beavers
196th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
Ohio Army National Guard
SAVANNAH, Ga.—In the conference rooms and on the streets of
Savannah more than 2,000 Army and Air National Guardmembers
gathered Aug. 18-21 for the 37th annual Enlisted Association of
the National Guard of the United States conference.
About 20 Ohio National Guard Soldiers and Airmen attended the
conference, which was an opportunity to learn about EANGUS,
attend professional development classes and network with
National Guardmembers from all 54 states and territories.
“Ohio does not have the patent on good ideas,” said Sgt. Ryan
Teague of the Ohio Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention
Battalion. “I want to learn and grow from other states’
successes.”
The opportunity to learn was readily available through various
professional development sessions held each day. The topics
ranged from physical fitness, noncommissioned officer
responsibilities, the enlisted promotion system and education
opportunities.
“I learned a lot,” said Senior Airman Seth Murray of the 178th
Fighter Wing. Murray cited the Air Force breakout sessions as
particularly helpful in developing as a noncommissioned officer.
Sgt. Steven Schultz of Joint Force Headquarters shared the same
sentiment.
“The conference was informative,” Schultz said. “I got questions
answered and it gave me an understanding of policy and
regulations.”
The conference also gave junior enlisted Soldiers and Airmen the
opportunity to meet and speak with several high-ranking senior
officers such as: Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National
Guard Bureau; Lt. Gen. Clyde A. Vaughn, director of the Army
National Guard; Lt. Gen. Craig R. McKinley, director of the Air
National Guard; as well as many states’ adjutants generals.
Some of the generals present—including Blum, Vaughn and
McKinley—briefed the Soldiers and Airmen present on many
National Guard issues including the direction of the National
Guard, training issues and combat readiness issues. Following
the briefing, the generals took time to answer questions from
junior-enlisted National Guardmembers.
Sgt. Seth Miltimore of Joint Force Headquarters appreciated the
generals being there.
“It’s not often you get to be briefed by a three-star general,”
Miltimore said.
Many high-ranking senior enlisted members were present as well
including: Command Sgt. Maj. John D. Gipe, command sergeant
major of the Army National Guard; Chief Master Sgt. Richard A.
Smith, command chief master sergeant of the Air National Guard;
former Sergeant Major of the Army Jack L. Tilley; Chief Master
Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley; Command Sgt. Maj.
David Ray Hudson, senior enlisted leader of the National Guard
Bureau; as well as many states’ command sergeants majors and
state command chief master sergeants, including both of Ohio’s
Army and Air highest enlisted members—Command Sgt. Maj. William
L. Gilliam and Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Muncy.
“It was pretty sweet! Not too many Soldiers can say they shook
hands with the command sergeant major of the National Guard,”
said Spc. Jennifer Romanello of Headquarters and Headquarters
Company, 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, after meeting Gipe.
The speakers gave Soldiers and Airmen a rare chance to look at
the people who work to improve National Guard issues on the
national level.
“It’s nice to see the legislative part of it and to see how we
get our benefits,” said Senior Airman Christopher Tadijanac of
the 179th Airlift Wing.
Many of the learning sessions provided information through
Powerpoint slide-show presentations, but Staff Sgt. Ken Weichert
used hands-on learning to teach his class on physical fitness.
Weichert, known to many as “Sgt. Ken” through his physical
fitness column in GX Magazine, talked about his physical fitness
program and then gave the conference attendees a basic-training
style “smoking” with numerous pushups, crunches and
side-straddle hops to show Soldiers how to achieve an effective
workout without weights, and in a short amount of time.
Weichert also took the time to talk to some Soldiers
individually.
“I talked to Sgt. Ken and he gave me some exercises to work on
and told me to e-mail him my progress,” Schultz said.
The opportunity to network at the conference was also readily
available with planned and unplanned social events. The planned
events included the Georgia host state welcome night, the
all-area hospitality night, and the all-states awards and
recognition banquet.
One of the more popular planned social events was the all-area
hospitality night, known to many as “kissy pins.” The event is a
tradition in the EANGUS conference dating back many years, in
which the goal is to collect a pin from all 54 states and
territories present at the conference. One gets these pins by
trading a pin from your home state for pins from other people’s
states, or a person may give a kiss on the cheek in exchange for
a pin, explained Tech. Sgt. Kevin Robbins, Ohio National Guard
Enlisted Association president.
“It’s a chance to get to know counterparts from other states and
a chance to mingle with senior leaders and for everyone to be
equal, for one night,” Robbins said.
EANGUS is the largest enlisted association in the nation, and
was created in 1970 to give a voice on Capitol Hill to enlisted
National Guard issues, according to their website.
Some of their 2007 accomplishments presented at the conference
included a 3.5 percent pay raise across the board for the
National Guard, and a thwarted attempt to raise Tricare fees on
National Guardmembers.
“Without EANGUS, our livelihood and rights as Citizen-Soldiers
and -Airmen would not be as great as they are today. Because of
EANGUS, we are equal to our active duty counterparts,” Robbins
said.
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