Milwaukee: Skilled Growth, Networking, Enjoyable

Nearly 4,000 attendees packed the Baird Center final weekend in Milwaukee for the 147th General Conference & Exhibition, hosted by the Wisconsin National Guard.

The 2025 version of the convention featured a big selection {of professional} improvement and networking alternatives in addition to strategic-level insights from a U.S. senator and senior army officers — together with three of the eight members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Brew City, internet hosting the convention for the third time since 1998, dazzled attendees, lots of whom had by no means visited the town or Wisconsin earlier than, and served because the backdrop for the numerous social occasions. 

Golf outings at space programs, a sport fishing event on Lake Michigan, social mixers within the Deer District downtown and a Harley-Davidson bike experience by way of southeastern Wisconsin had been among the many highlights.

Capt. Ashley Estep, a Missouri Army Guard officer, stated she loved Milwaukee’s environment and the meals and beverage scene — significantly the cheese curds.

Inside the Baird Center although, it was all enterprise — apart from the at all times raucous Roll Call of States (above) — as senior leaders spoke to the Guard’s crucial position within the nation’s protection and shared their imaginative and prescient for its future.

“When you mobilize the Guard, you mobilize the nation,” stated Caine, who has spent most of his profession within the Air Guard in New York and the District of Columbia, informed attendees. “Rooted in all of our history is the Guard. From 1636 to 2036 and beyond, the Guard will always be there.”

He additionally articulated a novel attribute that the Guard brings to the warfight.

“It is the joint enlisted force that brings us the true exclusivity that America’s combat power has,” Caine stated. “Often times, I contend that no one in the world is better than the enlisted force in the National Guard, because you bring your civilian experience together with your military experience. You deliver exponential returns for the United States of America.”

Meanwhile, Gen. Steven S. Nordhaus, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, additionally recalled the lengthy lineage of the National Guard and the important position it continues to play right this moment.

“As we look back to 1636, our National Guard has been here for our nation, defending, saving lives, securing our homeland and our freedoms across centuries, across continents,” he informed NGAUS attendees. “Our National Guard has always been there. We are 20% of the Joint Force, and 4% of the DoD budget.”

NGAUS attendees additionally heard from Gen. Randy A. George, the Army chief of employees, who spoke intimately about transformation of the service to arrange the pressure for the trendy battlefield.

He touched on matters akin to drones, synthetic intelligence, digital warfare, streamlining pressure construction and bettering acquisition timelines. But folks, he stated, will proceed to be the precedence together with guaranteeing they’re bodily and mentally ready for the pains of contemporary warfare.

George reiterated how proud he was of the Guard and its contributions, noting that roughly 22,000 Guard Soldiers are at present serving on Title 10 federal authorizations, whereas Army Guard troops make up 34% of the Army’s pressure construction, 42% of its fight energy and 26% of its sustainment pressure construction.

Likewise, the commander of Air Mobility Command, Gen. John D. Lamontagne, praised the Guard’s contributions to his command’s core missions of world airlift, refueling and aeromedical evacuation.

“I’m telling you, nobody can tell the difference between an active-duty member and a Guard member,” he stated. “Because you’re that talented, you’ve got years of experience and credibility, and you provide outstanding capability for the nation.”

In addition to listening to from senior leaders, attendees additionally had the prospect to be taught the most recent from greater than 350 firms that market services to the Guard within the tradeshow that’s at all times a significant a part of the convention.

They additionally may additionally forge connections with their brothers and sisters in arms from throughout the 54 states and territories.

Estep stated the prospect to collaborate with different firm grade-officers on essential matters and methods of doing enterprise was precious.

“In our sessions here, just bringing back the knowledge of what we’re doing as a whole with the military, and our piece of the pie with the Guard and how we actually fit with big Army and the roles that we play,” she stated. “If I can bring that back to my company and talk in a way that gets them motivated, we’ll have even better Soldiers within the Guard.”

Colton Rossow, a primary lieutenant from the Minnesota National Guard, agreed.

“It’s just been a great time meeting all the other officers and just making those connections between our states,” he stated.

The annual NGAUS convention additionally supplied a chance for the National Guard to thank those that proceed to assist its mission.

Maj. Gen. Matthew Strub, the adjutant common of Wisconsin, helped current Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., with the NGAUS Harry S. Truman Award in recognition of her continued assist and advocacy for the Guard.

—Reported by Lt. Col. Joseph Trovato, Wisconsin National Guard