Celebrating the National Guard

NEBRASKA, December 20 - Celebrating the National Guard

By Jim Pillen

December 20, 2024

 

When you are elected Governor of a state, you take on an awesome responsibility – that of commander-in-chief. It’s not something you get the chance to prepare or train for. It has been an eye-opening experience, in discovering all that our soldiers and airmen do.

 

2024 has involved multiple missions for our Nebraska Army and Air National Guard. There are too many to list, but highlights included:

 

• Assisting in the aftermath of the eastern Nebraska tornado

• Supplementing rescue operations to Iowa’s National Guard during the June floods

• Deployment to the Texas border

• Completing training operations with 7,500 Ukrainian soldiers in Germany

• A mission to Guam involving the Air Guard’s 155th Refueling Wing

 

The men and women who fill our civilian military ranks are unique. They have jobs that require their full-time attention, and they supplement that with the necessary training and dedication it takes to serve in our National Guard. These are not weekend-warriors. Far from it. They are skilled, highly trained, and highly sought individuals who sacrifice their own personal time as well as time with their families, to be ready to go at a moment’s notice.

 

This month marks two significant occasions for our National Guard. Last week, we recognized the 388th birthday of the U.S. National Guard, our nation’s oldest military organization. Each year, my office has the privilege of acknowledging the outstanding achievements of our state’s military members and using the traditional sword to cut the birthday cake.

 

Next week, just before Christmas, the Nebraska National Guard will record it’s 170th birthday. It’s fitting that this month, I joined three state senators who passed legislation aimed at supporting our Guard members by covering their education costs, programs for recruitment and retention and at my request, making duty pay exempt from state income tax.

 

In the United States, we have much to be grateful for. But the opportunities we take for granted, don’t come without cost. The men and women of our Nebraska and  U.S. National Guard carry on a nearly four century tradition that began when colonists in Massachusetts organized three regiments to provide protection for their neighbors in case of an emergency.

 

Whenever our state, or nation or another country has needed help, our National Guard has been there, committed to the ideals of neighbors helping neighbors and being ready to meet those challenges head-on.