Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Pena | SEA Tony Whitehead, senior enlisted advisor to the chief, National Guard Bureau and...... read more read more
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DETROIT—National Guard leaders helped facilitate professional development events for Soldiers and Airmen during the 53rd Annual Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States Conference and Expo here recently.
“How often do we get a chance to have 2,000 service members, in one location, to hear from senior leaders across the Guard and active components?" said Command Sgt. Maj. John Raines, command sergeant major, Army National Guard. “A bonus to that is that the youngest of our Soldiers and Airmen get the opportunity to hear these updates that we didn't hear until later in our careers."
Conference organizers announced the event theme as "The Year of Future Leaders," aiming to develop the next generation of leaders and benefit from the youth in their association.
“Our objective, here, is to offer our junior and mid-grade Guard members professional development opportunities, so that they can become a better-trained workforce,” said Senior Enlisted Advisor Tony Whitehead, the top enlisted leader for the Guard and SEA to the chief of the National Guard Bureau. “We strive to provide them with the knowledge, skills, and vision necessary to ensure that their leaders recognize the right person for the upcoming mission.”
The annual conference brings together top leaders, past and present, from the Guard to share their experience and leadership expertise with thousands of enlisted members currently serving across the fifty states, Washington, D.C., and three U.S. territories – Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
The national conference also provides a platform for high-ranking National Guard leaders to have open conversations with their enlisted force and emphasize the significance of their service.
"Every day that we get up and have the opportunity to serve, it means something,” said Maj. Gen. Ondra Berry, the adjutant general for the Nevada National Guard. “Some citizens have a better quality of life, because of the less than one percent that serve in uniform. It should mean something when you wear this uniform proudly and look in the mirror and say, 'If it's going to be, it's up to me.’ We can't get this done without our enlisted force."
The SEA has served in his position for nearly four years and in the military for nearly 41. His address to an audience of almost 1,500 attendees, ranging from E-1 to E-9, marked one of his last speaking engagements before he transitioned into retirement.
Reflecting on his initial time as the SEA, Whitehead illuminated a topic close to his heart.
"When I first came into this position, I started getting notices daily of our Guardsmen dying. Some due to sickness, disease, or sudden accidents,” he said. “But some of them were suicide. After several months, I had to step back because they were coming in so frequently."
Whitehead’s reflections highlighted the profound challenge that future leaders will face: prioritizing the immediate well-being of Guard members while balancing mission demands.
"As leaders, we want to fix the problems to return to the mission, but sometimes the mission becomes working on those challenges within our formations," he said.
Whitehead added that seasoned leaders need to be transparent and share their journeys of adversity with their troops.
"We [E-9s] didn't get to where we are by being 100 percent ‘squared away’ at all times. Talk to your Soldiers and Airmen and show them we have lived through some hard times related to relationships, finances, work challenges, and more. We got to the other side, and so can they," he said.
Whitehead also provided an operational update on the Guard and thanked currently-serving military members for their steady dedication to service.
“Right now, we have nearly 40,000 Soldiers and Airmen on an active status across the globe. We are not a strategic reserve anymore, we are operational. We are a part of the larger joint fight and that’s important for the enlisted force—especially in the National Guard,” said Whitehead.
Leaders at the event emphasized the importance of conferences for personal development, too. They also encouraged conference attendees to share their stories and experiences when they return home to inspire others to join professional associations that can bring about positive change within the military.
EANGUS was officially organized in 1972 to amplify the representation of enlisted personnel in the National Guard. Over the past 50 years, its members have advocated for legislative changes. These include expanding the definition of 'veteran' to include National Guard members, enabling Guardsmen to utilize VA entitlements, advocating for TRICARE Reserve Select for National Guardsmen, providing National Guard members and their families access to base commissary and exchanges, and other beneficial adjustments.
| Date Taken: | 09.01.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.02.2024 21:53 |
| Story ID: | 479929 |
| Location: | DETROIT, MICHIGAN, US |
| Web Views: | 39 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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