Delaware National Guard 3rd Annual Senior Leaders Conference highlights accomplishments, future goals
By Sgt. Joe Nye, 1/444th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
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Sen. Joseph R. Biden, one of Delaware's two senators who addressed the Senior Leaders Conference, discusses his recent trip to Afghanistan . (click the image for a larger photo)Photo by Spc. James O. Pernol |
The 3rd annual Delaware National Guard Senior Leaders Conference was held at Gunning Bedford Middle School in Delaware City on Saturday, Feb. 9.
All officers of the Delaware National Guard as well as all senior enlisted members and several guest speakers attended the conference. U.S. Senators Joe Biden and Tom Carper were among the conference's key speakers.
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The 153rd MP Company recieves the Award of Excellence . Photo by Sgt. Joe Nye |
"The conference was an initiative of mine three years ago to annually bring all the leadership of the Guard together in one place at one time and lay out my strategic vision," said Maj. Gen. Vavala.
"We’re fortunate due to the size of our state to be able to do that, and the fact that we had both of our U.S. Senators on hand sends out a tremendous message. It also enables our leadership to network and work on the 'jointness' aspect of bringing the army and air together."
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The 166th Aerial Port Flight recieves the Award of Excellence. Photo by Sgt. Joe Nye |
Other guest speakers included: Maj. Gen. William Lynch, Adjutant General of the Pennsylvania National Guard, Brig. Gen. Paul Kimmel, Assistant for Operational Readiness for the National Guard Bureau, and Maj. Gen. Walter Pudlowski, Commander of the 28th Infantry Division. Pudlowski detailed the division’s upcoming rotation to Bosnia-Herzegovina. The rotation includes a volunteer platoon of military policeman from the Delaware Guard’s 153rd Military Police Company.
Sen. Carper made a surprise visit to the conference and awarded Vavala the Legion of Merit, for his tenure as the state’s Assistant Adjutant General from 1993-1999.
Sen. Biden, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, discussed his recent seven-day visit to Afghanistan and outlined some of the difficult choices ahead for the nation. He also reiterated that the "single most important Delaware priority he has now is the Guard."
Vavala presented both Senators with a signed and framed flag that recently flew over a base camp supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in the Afghanistan Theater of Operations. We currently have members of our Air Guard’s 142nd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron serving at various locations in that area.
The conference concluded with three awards that were presented to the Blue Hen Chapter of the Army’s Signal Corp Regimental Association, highlighting a tremendous membership increase over the past two years.
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Click on images for larger photos |
Photos
1. Sen. Tom R. Carper presents Maj. Gen. Francis D. Vavala, adjutant general of the Delaware National Guard, with the Legion of Merit Award for service during the time period of 93-99.
2. Brig. Gen. Ronald B. Stewart, assistant adjutant general of the Delaware National Guard, discusses the importance of command structure in the DE Guard.
3. Maj. Gen. Francis D. Vavala, adjutant general of the Delaware National Guard, presents the Maj. Gen. William B. Lynch, PA TAG, with an award of apperation of his visit.
4. Maj. Gen. Francis D. Vavala, adjutant general of the Delaware National Guard, presents Maj. Gen. Walter F. Pudlowski of the PA Army National Guard with an award in apperation of his visit.
5. Brig. Gen. Ronald B. Stewart, assistant adjutant general of the Delaware National Guard, discusses the importance of command structure in the DE Guard.
6. Maj. Gen. Francis D. Vavala, adjutant general of the Delaware National Guard, presents Brig.Gen. Paul Kimmel, of the NGB for the Air National Guard,with a plaque in appreciation of his visit.
7. Maj. Gen. Francis D. Vavala, adjutant general of the Delaware National Guard, presents a flag that flew in Operation Enduring Freedom in Southwest Asia to Sen. Joseph R. Biden.
8. Sen. Joseph R. Biden discusses his recent trip Afghanistan with the command of the DE Guard
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