Elected officials, cabinet-level secretaries, a service secretary and senior commanders headline the list of those speaking at the 128th NGAUS General Conference and Exhibition, Sept. 15 to 18, in Albuquerque, N.M. Among those accepting speaking invitations are New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff and Secretary of Veterans Affairs R. James Nicholson. All three will address the conference's Third Business Session, Sept. 18. Speakers in the First Business Session Sept. 16 include Gen. Ronald E. Keys, Air Force Air Command commander, and Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, National Guard Bureau chief. The opening session will also feature New Mexico cultural presentations, the Roll Call of States and some special welcomes from local elected officials. Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey and Gen. Duncan McNabb, Air Force Air Mobility Command commander, headline presentations in the Second Business Session Sept. 17.
The Army and Air separate sessions Sept. 18 are also attracting prominent speakers. They include Lt. Gen. Clyde Vaughn, Army Guard director, Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, First U.S. Army commander, Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz, Army Reserve chief, Gen. Bruce Carlson, Air Force Materiel Command commander, and Lt. Gen. Craig McKinley, Air Guard director. Speakers are expected to reflect on this year's conference theme: National Guard: Pathway to America's Defense. A complete conference agenda is available at www.ngaus.org. As always, the agenda is subject to change, most notably from world and domestic events. Last year, the response to Hurricane Katrina dramatically altered the availability of several defense leaders.
----------
Health Policy Benefits Deployed Guardsmen and Civilians
Senior Defense Department officials said Aug. 23 that DoD civilians and contractors who are deployed overseas are to be included in military health protection measures as part of a new policy, "Deployment Health," DoD Instruction 6490.03. National Guard and Reserve members also are included in the new deployment health policy, said Ellen P. Embrey, deputy assistant secretary of defense for force health protection and readiness. The policy leverages technological advances like electronic medical recordkeeping in the quest to improve the quality of military healthcare, added Dr. William J. Winkenwerder Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs. The new policy specifies mandatory post-deployment health reassessments across the services and updates health care policies for overseas deployments. It also improves the capability of computerized records to keep track of localized health trends among deployed service members, defense civilians and contractors. Use of pre- and post-deployment health assessments and the implementation of globally transmittable electronic health care records are making a major impact on preventing, identifying and treating health care problems for deployed service members, Dr. Winkenwerder said. The new policy's intent is to document the deployed reserve-component members' health care information while they're on active duty, Ms. Embrey said. After they depart active-duty status, reserve-component members can work with the Department of Veterans Affairs to address post-deployment health care concerns, she said. The VA provides health care for veterans of combat operations for up to two years following their deployment, according to Ms. Embrey.
----------
Real Estate Company Provides Opportunity for Military Spouses
International realty company RE/MAX announced the launch of a new program, "Operation RE/MAX" Aug. 14, which assists military spouses in developing careers in real estate. RE/MAX personnel are examining the program's needs and services, and explaining it at military installation's career fairs around the country. The company's vice president of training, LaVerne Bintner, said they began discussing the idea with the Department of Defense nearly a year ago. "They have determined that offering career opportunities for spouses may help accomplish one of their highest priorities - retention of quality military personnel." Local real estate license training schools are handling license preparation for spouses participating in "Operation RE/MAX." Spouses can take advanced sales training courses via the RE/MAX Satellite Network.
A recent American National Standards Institute survey indicated real estate as one of the top five careers suited for military spouses, due to its shorter educational and licensing period as well as high-income potential and portability. Other career paths recommended to military spouses include paralegal, nursing, dental assistant/technician, and teaching. "RE/MAX is an ideal career field for military spouses because of our focus on technology, including the RE/MAX Satellite Network, our brand reputation and our extensive network of offices and agents around the world," Mr. Bintner said.
Spouses who would like to more information should contact the Spouse Employment Office or Family Center at their military installation. They also can visit www.military.com/spouse or send inquiries to operationremax@remax.net.
----------
NGAUS Seeks Deputy Legislative Director
NGAUS is looking for a deputy director of legislative programs. The candidate will be responsible for assisting legislative director in the daily operations and execution of legislative agenda. Duties include direct lobbying, strategy development and implementation, conducting and overseeing administrative duties and assisting in staff management. The successful candidate will have three to five years of legislative and/or political experience and a strong knowledge of the defense community. The candidate must have a bachelor's degree, preferably in political science and government affairs. Strong advocacy and communication skills are a must; experience in legislative campaign project development and the ability to supervise personnel and lobbying efforts are also required.
Closing Date: September 15, 2006.
Send cover letter and resume to:
National Guard Association of the United StatesYou can also send a resume and cover letter via e-mail to: Richard Green.
Legislative Director
One Massachusetts Ave, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001.
----------
This Week in Guard History
August 26, 1969: In Lia Khe, Vietnam, New Hampshire's 3rd Battalion, 197th Artillery suffers its highest loss of life when a truck carrying soldiers is blown up by a landmine less than two weeks before the unit was scheduled to return home.
Five men, all Guardsmen from Manchester's Battery A, are immediately killed. The shock wave to hit the city was devastating. These deaths brought to six the total number of Guard members from the battalion killed in action.
A bronze plaque now stands in front of the Manchester Armory to their memory.
----------
NGAUS History
"One cannot serve in the position of high responsibility in a national organization such as ours without learning a great deal. "Certainly, I am no exception to that. Particularly in the area of legislation I have learned that one must have patience because the legislative process is a mill, which grinds slowly and the passage of a bill, no matter how worthy, takes a great deal of time. "We look to the Congress for support in nearly every area of our program. By and large, general support for the Guard has been forthcoming and generous. "I have learned that we cannot expect to get action on every request even though we may be convinced of the merits of the request."
-Maj. Gen. James F. Cantwell, NGAUS president, August 1972
Technorati tag: NGAUS.
Category: NGAUS.
This post was moved here from DoD Daily News-2.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please be respectful of others, so they may be respectful to you. Have a blessed day.