From the Chief: I Appreciate You

Gratitude is powerful because it acknowledges the connections between us. It celebrates the people who make our lives better. It honors growth and progress, but it also forgives errors with grace. It understands sacrifice and the value of service. It recognizes moments when we were humbled, when we needed help, and someone was there to help us.

In this season of gratitude, I want to share my appreciation for everything you’ve done this year for our National Guard. This is far from a complete accounting — that would take much more than a single page — but I hope it captures my sincere thanks for your hard work and serves as a reminder of the impact you make.

For every member of our community, I could not be prouder to serve alongside you.

Thank you for deploying worldwide to every combatant command. These operations support peace around the globe. But peace is a choice — and every day, there are countless variables that can tip the balance of peace and prosperity.

We often talk about how the Guard exists to fight our nation’s wars. But the flip side of that is how the Guard also stops the erosion of peace. We stand up to those who would threaten it. In doing so, we make the world safer and our nation more secure.

Thank you for responding to disasters in the communities we call home. This was another year of violent and dangerous weather conditions: flooding in California, Alaska and Vermont; Typhoon Mawar in Guam; wildfires in Hawaii, Louisiana and Oregon; and hurricanes in Florida and along the eastern seaboard. This year also saw train derailments in Ohio and rescue efforts for lost and injured hikers, climbers and other outdoors enthusiasts all across the country.

Because of our Guardsmen and your ability to respond in times of need, countless numbers of our fellow Americans are alive to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families. Your actions and contributions not only save lives, they also restore order and provide hope when both are in short supply. We are a community-based force, and we support the communities we call home.

Thank you for continuing to strengthen our partnerships around the world. This year we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the State Partnership Program, added four new partnerships (Oman and Arizona; Norway and Minnesota; Cyprus and New Jersey; Samoa and Nevada), and executed hundreds of international engagements.

I’ve seen the benefits of this international cooperation firsthand in my visits to Vietnam, South Korea, the Philippines, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Germany — among many others. When we train together, when we exchange best practices, when we strengthen alliances like NATO and prepare our partners for membership, we send a clear message to our strategic competitors: We stand for the rules-based international order, and we stand together.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to excellence. This year, Guardsmen distinguished themselves in numerous venues: Staff Sgt. Matthew Dawson from the Virginia Army Guard as the top enlisted graduate in his Ranger School class; Sgt. 1st Class Erik Vargas of the New Mexico Army Guard and Arkansas Army Guard Staff Sgts. Benjamin Cotten and Allen Smith as the winners of the International Sniper Competition; Sgt. Rebecca Bridger as the winner of the Miss Wyoming USA pageant; and Spc. Aaliyah Kissick as the winner of Miss Illinois United States.

In addition to these individual achievements, this year also saw significant organizational progress and reform. We brought Army Guard Division Alignment to full operating capability, established a telework policy in the National Guard Bureau and welcomed the F-35A Lightning II to Wisconsin’s 115th Fighter Wing, making them the second Guard unit with the advanced fighter.

But my thanks would not be complete without acknowledging everyone who has supported the achievements of our soldiers and airmen. It is our Guard families who make our service possible, and for that I cannot thank you enough. I also want to thank the civilians who strengthen our team, the nonfederal entities who advocate on our behalf, and the leadership of our parent services who collaborate with us.

For every member of our community, I could not be prouder to serve alongside you. Thank you for all you do to make us Always Ready, Always There.

The author is the chief of the National Guard Bureau and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.