GEN Hokanson: Individual Readiness Makes National Guard “Always Ready, Always There” By Army Master Sgt. Jim Greenhill, National Guard Bureau | AUG. 29, 2022
every level, from local first responders to your state partner counter- parts,” Hokanson said.
“And you can make a difference by looking out for each other,” he said. “None of us serve alone – and together we have shown we can accomplish almost anything.” The readiness of the entire force is also part of why those Kentucky and Montana Guardsmen could spring into action minutes after the no-notice call came.
“The skills we have honed to fight our nation’s wars also provide an invaluable service to our communities,” Hokanson said.
Glancing in the rearview mirror of the National Guard’s contributions around the world and right here at home over the last couple of years, Hokanson mostly focused his remarks on the road ahead. A member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the general took the Guard’s senior role in the summer of 2020, during the National Guard’s larg- est mobilization since World War II.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The physical and mental readiness of each Guard member enables the National Guard to keep its promise to America to stand Always Ready, Always There, the component’s most senior general officer said Sunday. “Your health and resilience – both physical and mental – is vital to readiness,” the chief of the National Guard Bureau told Guard leaders in remarks that also provided a road map for the way ahead. “It’s not just about the miles you run or the ways you manage stress, although both are very important.
Guardsmen were still in Afghanistan and responding to hurricanes, wildfires and civil unrest at home, and there was no COVID vaccine.
“On any given day, over 60,000 Guardsmen were serving our com- munities and nation, around the globe,” Hokanson said.
“It’s about being ready to step into your formation and do your job whenever the call comes.”
Today, Guardsmen are training members of Ukraine’s armed forces in Germany and providing materiel support. They continue to respond to persistent, record-breaking natural disasters. They helped evacu- ate and resettle Afghan refugees, saved lives in fires and floods, and vaccinated millions of Americans. “We still meet every mission,” he said. “We still meet every deploy- ment. We still uphold our promise to America. I’m inspired by the difference we’re making all around the world.” The National Guard Bureau, which Hokanson heads, exists to max- imize performance and accountability through its support to “the 54” – the states, territories and District of Columbia – which ensures Guard formations remain integral to America’s defense and the Joint Force.
Peak individual readiness is why members of the Kentucky National Guard’s 123rd Special Tactics Squadron could show up and prepare their gear within an hour of news of a July 28 deadly flash flood – assembling before even tasked. Orders in hand, the team was out the door in two hours. By truck, boat and helicopter, they rescued 19 people, contributed to the rescue of 40 others, and recovered four flood victims, helping give families closure. “You can make a difference by committing to your individual readi- ness – from maintaining physical and medical fitness, to your military occupation and education, to making sure your family is prepared when you have to respond on little to no warning,” Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson told Army and Air National Guardsmen gathered for the 144th General Conference of the National Guard Association of the United States. Individual readiness is also why Montana National Guardsmen could save 87 people after this summer’s 500-year-flood devastated areas around Yellowstone National Park. “You can make a difference by investing in your relationships every day – with your family, your employer, your fellow Soldiers and Airmen, and by developing your relationships with your partners at
Among initiatives Hokanson outlined: Healthcare
About 60,000 members of the 453,000-strong Army and Air National Guards do not have health insurance.
“This means many do not get the health care they need when they’re not in a duty status,” Hokanson said. “The National Guard is 20% of the Joint Force, and our nation cannot deter or fight and win our
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