EANGUS Conference Report

THE 51ST ANNUAL EANGUS CONFERENCE HELD IN LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, WAS A HUGE SUCCESS. NGAT was represented by 22 attendees that included the Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Texas Army National Guard, CSM Michelle Thompson, the Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Texas Air National Guard, CCMSgt Matthew Crawford, and Senior Enlisted Advisor for the 36th Infantry Division, CSM Jose A. Escobedo.

Throughout the conference our attendees spent time participating in committee meeting, visiting EANGUS Corporate Partners and listening to National Guard leaders from NGB and across the United States. They also had the opportunity to enjoy the many evening activities planned at the conference.

EANGUS hosted 150 National Guard Enlisted Soldiers and Airmen ranging from the rank of E4 to E6 to participate in professional development at the conference. Texas sent 3 Army Soldiers and 2 Airmen on Professional

Development. These Soldiers and Airmen heard from and interacted with Senior Leaders of the National Guard in addition to participating in question and answering sessions. Texas native

CSM (Ret) John Sampa, the 12th Command Sergeant Major of the Army National Guard served as the EANGUS Professional Development Team Chair.

During the Conference the NGAT News Magazine was selected as the Best Publication of a Combined Association. Congratulations to MSG (Ret) Theresa Billeck-Zuniga and Terri Sheets from MediaNation.net, they put their heart and soul into the quarterly magazine. The NGAT website www.ngat.org was also selected as the Best Website of an association. Congratulations again to MSG (Ret) Theresa Billeck-Zuniga and SMSgt Michael Wolff who maintain our website and strive to keep us informed. H

The following is our new EANGUS leadership which includes our very own SFC Mireya Cruz who won a reelection bid to continue to serve as the EANGUS Secretary.

President ............ Daniel Reilly............ CT Vice President ........ Robert Sweeney ....... WA Secretary ............ Mireya Cruz ............ TX Treasurer............. Stephen Hagan......... MT Parliamentarian . . . . . . Ethan Toyama.......... HI Past President ....... Karen Craig ............ AZ Area IV Chair.......... Ashley Brodnax ........ AR Area IV Director ....... Marion Logan .......... OK Area IV Director ....... Eugene Bradley ........ KS

CCMSGT MATTHEW CRAWFORD

(center), Senior Enlisted Advisor for the Texas Air National Guard poses with Texas Air National Guard Professional Development attendees at the EANGUS Conference TSgt

LaTrivia Edwards

(right) and TSgt Ada Ramirez (left).

SFC MIREYA CRUZ (LEFT), NGAT PRESIDENT-ELECT, AND MSG (RET) THERESA BILLECK-

ZUNIGA, NGAT Deputy Executive Director, proudly display the Awards that NGAT received for their magazine and website during the EANGUS Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas. SSG STEVEN SMITH (far left), a member of the Texas Joint Forces Headquarters, attending the EANGUS Conference as a Professional Development attendee, had the opportunity to address the Army and Air National Guard Senior Enlisted Advisors about issues within the training and retention arena during the EANGUS Conference.

OVER 150 JUNIOR ENLISTED NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL attended the 51st Annual EANGUS Conference from August 7-10, 2022, in a Professional Development status and was led by EANGUS PD Committee Chairs, CSM (Ret) John Sampa (far left) and CMSgt (Ret) Raquel Ramos (far right). The PD program included participation in the Senior Enlisted Leaders Panel, separate Army and Air National Guard Breakouts, as well as the very popular “Speed Mentoring” session and hearing from other DOD, VA, and NGB speakers. They also prepared and briefed their own CAPSTONE project to National Guard Senior Enlisted Leaders. (Photo courtesy of EANGUS)

SGM MIKEAL CRUMMEDYO (center) and CSM Michelle Thompson (left) participate in “Speed Mentoring” with a Soldier during one of the EANGUS Professional Development training sessions at the EANGUS Conference.

OKLAHOMA CITY TO HOST EANGUS AREA IV MID-WINTER MEETING

The National Guard Association of Oklahoma will host the EANGUS Area IV Mid-Winter Meeting on January 13-14, 2023, at the Embassy Suites, Oklahoma City Downtown Medical Center, 741 N. Phillips Ave, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73104. Reserve your hotel room by calling 1-800-445-8667 and ask for the NGAOK rate. Attendee registration is $75 per person and can be made on the NGAT website or at www.ngaok.org/2023-eangus-mid-winter-conference-oklahoma-city.