2014 NGAUS: Chairman’s Annual Report
By Danner, Steve | |
Proquest LLC |
I SOUGHT THE CHAIRMANSHIP of this organization two years ago for two simple reasons. The challenges ahead of us were great and I wanted a hand in bringing the proper amount of resources to the
Thanks to the support of our members, the board of directors, my fellow adjutants general and the wisdom I gained by attending state conferences, we have been able to build on past achievements and put our organization on even more solid footing for the future.
Together, we have made our point to
Is there anyone who does not now know that the Guard is a mote cost-effective force than a large standing military? That's been the message of NGAUS as it addressed issue after issue in the nations capital.
Does anyone doubt the contributions of the Guard in the 13 years since 9/11? That has been our mantra in the quest for training dollars, modern equipment and equal benefits.
During my two years as NGAUS chairman, the budget has been the focal point of nearly everything, from sequestration to force cuts to the attempt to cap cost-ofliving-allowance increases for some retirees.
Yet the Guard remains a trained and ready force for any task assigned to it by our governors or the president. We have survived the budget battles so far because NGAUS has been a real force and a trusted voice-your voice-on
I was no stranger to this association when I became chairman, having served on the board. But I realize now I was seeing only the tip of the NGAUS iceberg. As chairman, I have been able to watch closely the hard work put in by retired Maj. Gen.
Gus is constantly talking up the Guard to the power brokers in
In fact, when some current and former Army leaders began denigrating Guard service in their push to take away our Apache helicopters, Gus became the face and the voice of NGAUS and, often, the Guard. His written statements and many press interviews set the record straight.
And we have won that battle so far because of the support of our governors, who know firsthand the value and the capabilities of the Guard. As for me, I could not have succeeded as chairman without the full support of my boss, Gov.
He is a member of the
Our success so far this year is also due to our many friends on the Hill. There are too many to mention here, but 1 would be remiss if I didn't mention our two stalwarts in the
I also want to mention my two senators from
Our supporters in
I will discuss our legislative accomplishments a little later, but I can say now that I step away from this job knowing that the Guard's position has been strengthened in
However, if there is one highlight that stands above the others for me, it is standing on the stage at the annual conference last year and shredding the mortgage of our headquarters building. Owning outright the National Guard Memorial means our association has no long-term debt, which puts us in a very strong financial position moving forward.
Some fine financial stewardship and teamwork made this possible, particularly by the people on our finance committee led by retired Lt. Col.
To find good uses for the money we will save on the mortgage, I created a Futures Committee to provide some strategic direction and explore new ideas to shape NGAUS' future. Among other things, we will provide two company-grade officers from each state and territory annually with an inside look at how things work in the nation's capital. We also will add to the NGAUS staff two members as association fellows, who will learn how we accomplish so much on
The committee also recommended, and the board approved, returning more dues money to the state associations to enhance state programs. This 25-percent return of collected national dues can be spent at the discretion of each state.
It also has been a pleasure to see the
I can't talk about NGEF or my time as chairman without noting the honor I had representing you and the
That's why I hope to take on a task as the immediate past chairman to develop annual tours to Normandy for Guardsmen and our friends. My goal is to provide more people the opportunity to walk on that hallowed ground, to see the beautiful monument maintained by the foundation and to learn more about that incredible day. It would also be a fundraiser for NGEF.
Before I get into the department reports, let me say again what an honor it has been to be the chairman. I have enjoyed every second of my time in this position and wish whoever follows in my footsteps the same wonderful experience that I have had.
The Greek historian Polybius, musing on the rise of the Roman Empire, said, "Those who know how to win are much more numerous than those who know how to make use of their victories."
I hope I have made good use of these last two years for the benefit of our members and families, the association and the Guard.
LEGISLATION
Sometimes in the world of legislative action, success should be measured by what did not happen rather than what did happen. This past year has examples of that.
The Army plans to remove all Apache helicopters from the Army Guard barely got off the ground because NGAUS successfully pushed for legislation to create a commission to study the structure of the Army, including aviation. Apaches will stay in the Guard pending the commission's report, which we think will show the value of having citizen-soldiers flying the formidable attack helicopter.
The commission would also stall the
The
Their work also resulted in added protection for dual-status technicians, who were furloughed during last year's government shutdown. Because of NGAUS, key elements in support of Guardsmen are included in all four relevant defense bills. In addition, more money flows into the
NGAUS appears to have doused the
Staying airborne for one more issue, NGAUS is trying now to allow the
FISCAL OPERATIONS
We continue to be in excellent financial shape. You can read retired Brig. Gen.
While many associations are struggling, we are actually getting stronger. NGEF did a wonderful job last year of increasing donations, mainly from growing membership in Legion de
Our overall investment value increased from contributions and from strong market gains. We are continuing to build our investments in the educational foundation in an attempt to reach self-sufficiency.
We have moved forward with our plans to eliminate the financial liability related to the National Guard Memorial, which, as mentioned above, we now own. NGAUS should not incur any more mortgage related tax expenses.
Lastly, at a time when empty office space is common in the nation's capital, our building is rented to near capacity. The association hopes to find a tenant for the 6th floor office space, which recently became vacant. This rental revenue is vital to our continued financial health.
COMMUNICATIONS
If you have a Twitter account and are not on the receiving end of tweets from NGAUS, you are missing out. In fact, if you are not yet on Twitter, set up an account now and follow us @NGAUS1878. It's a great way to keep up to date on NGAUS and legislative issues of importance to you.
That's only one of the ways the
This has been another typically busy year for our communications staff. With issues popping on the Hill and the Army trying to dismiss Guard capabilities, the commo team has been dispatching press releases and statements to keep the news media fully informed.
The communications staff keeps NGAUS members informed by ways other than social media. The weekly newsletter, Washington Report, is a good example of that. Of course, our award-winning magazine,
NGAUS-IT
This is due in no small part to our partnership initiative that compensates participating state and territory associations a onetime
This year we are launching three new insurance products. Long-term care, shortterm recovery and a
INDUSTRY RELATIONS
The Corporate Associate Membership Program is now in the hands of
As you well know, the current fiscal climate due to sequestration has made it a challenging time for many of our industry partners. We are humbled that so many look to our organization, utilizing our many assets for assistance in these uncertain times.
Our
We will host our 18th Annual Industry Day
The 16th Annual NGEF Charitable Golf Tournament is
NGEF
The Legion de
In November, we will cut the ribbon on a permanent gallery in our
Thanks to our partner,
We are honored that DRS Technologies has made this possible through its continued generosity and commitment to our Guardsmen and their families.
MEMBERSHIP
We have upgraded our ability to manage our membership rolls and better serve our members with new software. Like with anything new, we've had some setbacks implementing
In addition to serving as the Guard's voice on
Membership, of course, is an association's lifeblood. NGAUS is always searching for ways to reach more people and convince them of the benefits of association membership. Please feel free to let your association know how it can better do that. A larger membership only makes the NGAUS voice on
We have survived the budget battles this year so far because NGAUS has been a real force and a trusted voice-your voice-on
By Maj. Gen.
Copyright: | (c) 2014 National Guard Association of the United States |
Wordcount: | 2616 |
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