The guidance I got from General Dennis Reimer was “I want you to be with soldiers, and I want you to keep your eyes on the future.” That’s pretty good guidance. And that’s in addition to what he said earlier, “I want a full-time Sergeant Major of the Army who can be a forceful advocate for the soldier issues and an adviser to the Army leadership on all matters pertaining to enlisted affairs.” Another thing that General Reimer said during the swearing-in ceremony is that I’m the Sergeant Major of the Army for The Army. That incorporates the Active, Guard, and Reserve. I’ve had a previous tour with 1st Army, dealing with the Guard and Reserve and active-duty soldiers who were out supporting Guard and Reserve units, so I have a healthy respect for what these components can bring to the battlefield.

That’s a great Task Force over there in Bosnia. And, when you really look at the make-up you see Active, Guard, and Reserves. As I visited the hilltops, observation posts, motor pools, and mission sites, there were Active and Reserve Components actively participating in every mission. And it was invisible to me, other than the patch they wore on their sleeve, which ones were Guard and Reserve soldiers. There was no we-versus-they type of finger pointing- no weekend warrior stuff. There were only soldiers going about their daily tasks, bringing peace to a war-torn region. I see every deployment just like this- a total Army.

SMA Robert E. Hall

My assignment to the National Guard was rewarding because I worked with dedicated NCOs who had a lifetime invested in their unit.

SMA William A. Connelly

My motivation to join the National Guard reflected the great strength of that institution- unit cohesion. Most people don’t really realize how much we depend on the National Guard and the Reserves. They train far more than people know. They are good and we need them.

SMA George W. Dunawa