Reno, Nevada, was the setting for the 46th Annual Conference and Expo of the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS), held August 26–30, 2017. Sonoran Desert Institute (SDI) has the honor of being a platinum sponsor for the organization and was fortunate enough to have its Chief Military Liaison, Walter Howard, attend.
The annual conference provided varying degrees of work and play to the over 1,000 airmen and soldiers who attended the meetings for business and professional development. The conference, as described by EANGUS, was “four days of meetings, keynote speakers, special events, professional development, and access to the EANGUS industry trade show.”
In order to bring a mood of fun and socialization to the event, the conference kicked off with a golf tournament at Wolf Run Golf Course and was followed up by an evening social. Attendees then got down to business. Caucuses were held for each of the seven areas that make up the EANGUS membership base, which is divided into regional groups of states. Afterward, the evening culminated in a Welcome Night event, leaving attendees enthusiastic for the rest of the weekend’s activities.
One of the primary reasons for holding the conference was to make key decisions on policies to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of EANGUS and the help it provides to service members. National directors had a chance to meet with regional directors and state officials. This was not unlike the work done throughout similar organizations. The treasury report was given with in-depth reviews of the organization’s finances, and various amendments were voted on concerning the organization’s bylaws. One of the most essential services provided by EANGUS—scholarships—was discussed in detail.
Walter Howard described the four-day event as an “absolute success.” While organization events related to service can be quite political in nature, Walter’s account was both positive and unbiased, “[It was] a phenomenal interaction between attendees. I was able to attend an ESO briefing hosted by the Nevada ESO and attended by the ESSs of South Dakota along with five other schools. Topics covered were Federal Tuition Assistance, State Tuition Assistance, and VA Benefits. I was also able to set up a meeting with the EANGUS Scholarship Committee Chairman. Together, we are going to work out how EANGUS selects the scholarship recipient for the SDI/EANGUS Scholarship.”
Walter Howard went on to say that he found the EANGUS conference to be very productive. “This event is great to network with various leaders within the National Guard and showcase our education program. It further allows us to strengthen our relationship with EANGUS while building new relationships/partnerships with the other states and vendors.”
Sonoran Desert Institute was honored to attend such an important event for service members and their families. The school was invited to various state events and is excited to have had this opportunity. EANGUS has several decades of service to our nation’s military and SDI is happy to be a small part of it.
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