ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the 29th chief of the National Guard Bureau, delivered an upbeat message to the force about why National Guard members and their missions are vitally important.

Speaking in Reno, Nevada, at the 2023 conference of the National Guard Association of the United States, Hokanson said it is worth stopping for a moment to recognize why men and women serve in the National Guard.

After 30 years, the National Guard’s State Partnership Program and the relationships it fosters are more critical now than ever, the component’s top general said. 

“These relationships matter more than ever,” said Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau. “Russia’s violent, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has increased interest in the State Partnership Program. Other countries are looking at Russia and are concerned that they, too, will need to defend their sovereignty.” 

As the National Guard’s State Partnership Program marks its 30th anniversary, the program is poised to continue expanding, bolstering its mission of building enduring relationships with America’s partners and allies around the world.

“The Guard is currently partnered with more than half of the world’s nations, and we expect to see continued growth in the coming years,” Maj. Gen. William Zana, director of strategic plans and policy and international affairs at the National Guard Bureau, said during a meeting with members of the media.

Amid a tough recruiting environment, the Army National Guard is pleased with its recruiting and retention efforts across the country, leaders from the component said.

“This has been a good year for us so far in the recruiting environment. We’re up 11% in enlistments since the last fiscal year,” said Col. Josh Barrow, commander of the Washington Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Command. “We’re still in an uphill battle here, in terms of winning the war on talent, but I’m excited for the future and … where we’re headed.”

Education benefits are vital to recruiting talented people into the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve, two senior officers told the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense.

Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, and Lt. Gen. Jody Daniels, chief of the Army Reserve and commander of Army Reserve Command, testified June 1 that tuition assistance and access to health care benefits are “vital for recruitment.”

As the nation continues to experience stronger storms and more frequent natural disasters, the demand for National Guard assistance has increased, leaders from the component said.

“In the post-Katrina environment, the goal is not to be late to need,” said Brig. Gen. Jonathan Beddall, vice director of the National Guard Bureau’s Joint Operations Center, referring to the August 2005 hurricane that devastated New Orleans and swaths of the southeastern U.S.

The National Guard’s State Partnership Program remains critical to the force and “has paid huge dividends,” particularly in Ukraine, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said.  

“Building enduring, trusted relationships” with global partners is a key part of the component’s readiness, Gen. Daniel Hokanson said, citing as an example the partnership between the California National Guard and Ukraine, which dates to 1993. 

From expanding benefits to modernizing its combat forces, the National Guard continues to prioritize its people after a challenging year, the component’s top general said. 

“What does the future look like for our National Guard? What are our priorities going forward? They’re … people, readiness, modernization and reform,” said Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau.

Software developed by an Army sergeant could better equip the military as it seeks new ways to counter the rising and evolving threat of drones. 

During a recent deployment to Saudi Arabia, Massachusetts Army National Guard Sgt. Mickey Reeve used his free time to develop a counter-unmanned aerial systems software. His work won the inaugural Innovation Oasis competition hosted by U.S. Central Command.