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The National Guard Educational Foundation recognized another large group of major donors Saturday evening during a special reception at the National Guard Memorial, the NGAUS headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The 20 honorees contributed a combined $240,000 to the NGEF through its Legion de Lafayette program, which is reserved for gifts of $10,000 or more.
The NGEF preserves and shares all 389 years of the Guard story. Among the foundation’s programs is the National Guard Memorial Museum, which includes 5,600 square feet of artifacts, images and interactive exhibits.
The foundation also administers the USAA Guardian Scholarship Fund, which provides college scholarships to the children of Guardsmen killed in action since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Nine individuals or couples, 10 corporations and NGAUS were among the benefactors recognized.
Many of the honored individual donors said they were simply giving back for the opportunities the Guard offered.
“There is no more powerful combination for opening a world of possibilities than a good education and leadership training,” said retired Washington Army Guard Maj. J. Stephan Riley. “The Army gave those to our family, and now we are privileged to be able to pass it on to others.”
Retired 1st Sgt. Moe Gomez said the sense of purpose and structure he learned in the Guard motivated his contribution.
“During periods of uncertainty, the National Guard provided the direction I needed,” he said. “Being able to continue my service through this foundation allows me to assist in the preservation of the Guard’s legacy of honor.”
Retired Maj. Gen. Patrick Hamilton said his donation was also a way of thanking NGAUS.
“In 1986, when I joined the Guard, we were truly treated like second-class citizens,” he explained. “With tremendous leaders and the phenomenal support from NGAUS, through 25 years of conflict, we are now an essential part of our nation’s defense.”
Hamilton spent more than 35 years in the Texas Army Guard. His last assignment was as commander of the 36th Infantry Division.
Individual donors recognized also included retired District of Columbia Army Guard Col. Robert Chin, retired Delaware Army Guard Brig. Gen. Dave Fleming III, retired Missouri Army Guard Col. Ed Gruetzemacher, retired Alabama Army Guard Brig. Gen. Wendell and Judi McLain.
Retired South Dakota Army Guard Brig. Gen. Mike and Jo Oster and retired Michigan Army Guard Brig. Gen. Bob Taylor were also honored for their contributions.
Oster is the current Retired/Separated-Army representative on the NGAUS board of directors. Taylor was chairman of the board from 2004 to 2006.
All the individual contributors except Fleming, Riley and Taylor were making their first $10,000 donation to the NGEF.
Two of the corporate donors honored — ADS and Shepard Audio Visual — was also a first-time major contributor.
Armed Forces Benefit Association, Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, AM General, BAE Systems, Military Benefit Association, Spargo, Textron and USAA were all adding to earlier gifts.
“As a trusted partner in live-event production, we are honored to contribute to the recognition and celebration of those who dedicate their lives to service,” said Mary McKinnon, the national sales manager at Shepard.
The Atlanta-based company has provided contract AV support at the last four NGAUS general conferences.
Lakeshia Williams, the executive assistant to retired Maj. Gen. Francis M. McGinn, the association and foundation president, represented NGAUS at the ceremony.
The NGEF established the LdL program in 1987 to recognize patrons who significantly advance the foundation’s work.
The program was named after the Marquis de Lafayette, the French military officer from the Revolutionary War who gave the Guard its enduring name.
Lafayette commanded the famous Garde Nationale de Paris in France. During his visit to New York in 1824, the militia unit that provided his honor guard adopted the designation “National Guard” out of respect to his unit in France.
The name stuck, growing in popularity until early in the 20th century when National Guard became the official name of the organization of state militias nationwide.
For more information on the foundation, visit www.ngef.org.
─By John Goheen
