Milwaukee: A Conference Primer

HEADLINERS

Featured speakers scheduled for the business and separate sessions

Gen. Dan Caine
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.
Recipient of the Harry S Truman Award
First Business/Professional Development Session

Gen. Randy A. George
Chief of Staff of the Army
First Business/Professional Development Session

Gen. Steven S. Nordhaus
Chief of the National Guard Bureau
First Business/Professional Development Session

Gen. John D. Lamontagne
Commander of Air Mobility Command
Second Business/Professional Development Session

Lt. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs
Director of the Army National Guard
Army Separate Session

Lt. Gen. Mark Landes
Commanding General, First Army
Army Separate Session

Maj. Gen. Duke A. Pirak
Acting Director of the Air National Guard
Air Separate Session

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BEYOND THE BUSINESS SESSIONS

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTIONS

Representatives from every state, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia will gather to review standing resolutions, draft resolutions and late or “emergency” resolutions. Deliberations are set to begin Aug. 22 and continue through Aug. 23. Approved resolutions, which are subject to a floor vote by conference delegates Aug. 25, will form the basis of next year’s NGAUS legislative action plan for deliberations on fiscal 2027 defense legislation.

COMPANY-GRADE OFFICER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The conference will once again provide OPD for company-grade officers. Formal sessions, which begin the morning of Aug. 23, will include talks by Gen. Steven S. Nordhaus, the chief of the National Guard Bureau; Lt. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, the director of the Army National Guard; and Maj. Gen. Duke A. Pirak, the acting director of the Air National Guard.

INDUSTRY EXHIBITION

This year’s trade show will be another big one. More than 350 companies and organizations had purchased booths by mid-August. An updated list is available on the conference app. The show opens at 9 a.m. Aug. 23 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The traditional complimentary brunch begins at 9:30 a.m. The NGAUS booth (No. 1031) again will be near the middle of the show floor. This is where you can speak with NGAUS staff and purchase the 2025 National Guard Educational Foundation holiday ornament.

NGB SPOUSES SEMINAR

The third annual NGB Spouses Seminar is set for the morning of Aug. 24 in Grand Ballroom C of the Baird Center. It will feature presentations on family issues and resiliency. Speakers include Shannon Nordhaus, the spouse of the chief of National Guard Bureau, and Tina Strub, the spouse of the adjutant general of Wisconsin, Maj. Gen. Matthew J. Strub.

TASK FORCE MEETINGS

All 13 of the NGAUS task forces will meet Aug. 24, which include subject matter experts in their military capacity related to Guard readiness, modernization and force structure. Meetings are open. Consult the official conference program or the conference app for exact times and locations.

ARMY & AIR SEPARATE SESSIONS

The separate sessions are set for the morning of Aug. 25. Both will feature presentations by senior leaders. Lt. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, the director of the Army National Guard, and Lt. Gen. Mark Landes, the commanding general of First Army, a mobilization, readiness and training command, headline the Army breakout. The Air breakout features Maj. Duke A. Pirak, the acting director of Air National Guard.

ELECTIONS

Delegates will select the three representatives (adjutant general, Army and Air) on the NGAUS board of directors for Area I and Area IV, and the Air company-grade and Air retired/separated reps. Final tallies are subject to ratification by a floor vote Aug. 25.

TOTAL AUTHORIZED DELEGATES

Alabama 25
Alaska 12
Arizona 15
Arkansas 33
California 18
Colorado 14
Connecticut 14
Delaware 15
District of Columbia 13
Florida 18
Georgia 36
Guam 9
Hawaii 24
Idaho 12
Illinois 28
Indiana 19
Iowa 17
Kansas 29
Kentucky 22
Louisiana 32
Maine 9
Maryland 21
Massachusetts 34
Michigan 18
Minnesota 27
Mississippi 52
Missouri 17
Montana 9
Nebraska 17
Nevada 20
New Hampshire 13
New Jersey 17
New Mexico 15
New York 19
North Carolina 21
North Dakota 18
Ohio 35
Oklahoma 18
Oregon 14
Pennsylvania 20
Puerto Rico 11
Rhode Island 8
South Carolina 32
South Dakota 20
Tennessee 53
Texas 32
Utah 24
Vermont 11
Virgin Islands 8
Virginia 20
Washington 17
West Virginia 15
Wisconsin 34
Wyoming 9

TOTAL 1,113