130th NGAUS Conference  The Delegation from the National Guard Association of Pennsylvania recently returned from the 130th NGAUS conference held the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, Maryland from 20-22 September 2008.  This conference proved to be one of the most eventful for our delegation in years.  It began with the resolutions committee's debating and ultimately voting on over 100 resolutions submitted by the states.  Many of Pennsylvania's priorities were represented in the passed resolutions.   In the business sessions, several high-powered guest speakers were in attendance including Senators John McCain, Joe Bidden and Patrick Leahy, Secretary of Defense Gates and the Chiefs of Staff of the Army and the Air Force. Many commented the line up of speakers was unmatched by previous conferences.  The most significant Pennsylvania business conducted at the conference was the nomination and election of Major General Jessica Wright, Adjutant General of Pennsylvania, for Vice-Chair (Army) of the National Guard Association of the United States.  Months of work performed by General Wright's election committee paid off as we all celebrated this success for our Adjutant General and the State of Pennsylvania. Another win for Pennsylvania was achieved with the election of CPT Charles Brown as Company Grade-Army Officer for the NGAUS Board of Directors.  He is an active member of our delegation and we wish him the best in his new position.   A long standing tradition of a NGAUS conference is Hospitality Night.  This is the evening that every state invites all delegates to partake in fun, food and beverage celebrating the theme of their choice.  Our event was held in the Liberty Ballroom in the Sheraton Center City Baltimore.  A taste of Pennsylvania was the theme including soft pretzels, Philly cheese steaks, apple dumplings and none other than Yuengling beer.  What a hit!  The ballroom was packed from open to close.  Some states even closed their event to attend the taste of Pennsylvania!  A great time was had by all. A tremendous "Thank You" to many of our corporate members who hosted the entire event.  As a result, not a single dollar of NGAPA's funds were used!   The 130th NGAUS convention was definitely time well invested for our states future.  I encourage all of you to visit with those who attended and consider attending next year's conference to be held in Nashville, Tennessee in September of 2009.  By Capt Angela Stateler, 2nd Vice President,  NGAPA  Pennsylvanians Honored by NGAUS Awards As part of the 130th General Conference in Baltimore, the National Guard Association of the United States announced that several Pennsylvanians had been selected to receive NGAUS awards. Congresswoman Allyson Y. Schwartz, who represents the 13th Congressional District, was awarded the prestigious Charles B. Dick Medal of Merit in recognition of her support for the National Guard.  Congresswoman Schwartz was unable to attend the Baltimore Conference, but her award will be presented at an appropriate ceremony in the future. Three Pennsylvanians were honored by the award of the NGAUS Patrick Henry Award.  K. Scott Roy, Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Edward G. Rendell, Mark Critz, Legislative Assistant to Congressman John Murtha, and Robert Pallo of Pocono Raceway were all honored in recognition of their activities in support of the Guard. Major Brett Fedderson was awarded the Theodore Roosevelt Leadership Award for Company Grade Officers. In addition to the awards that were presented at the 130th General Conference, NGAUS announced the award of the Valley Forge Certificate to SSG Thomas J. Russo, Jr., in recognition of his heroic life-saving actions.                 Return to the PNGAS Home Page