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Senior National Guard leaders need company-grade officers to understand the issues impacting their service, the then-director of the Army National Guard told attendees at the NGAUS Capitol Summit July 29.
Lt. Gen. Jon A. Jensen — who retired Monday — added the Guard's senior leaders push Guardsmen to become effective at communicating with elected officials at every level of government.
"You have to be informed and you have to understand what the impact is on the organization," he told the CGO attendees. "If you speak on behalf of the organization, you have to be nested under your adjutant general, your wing commander. Otherwise, you’re out on your own.
"Senior leadership is all about communication," continued Jensen. "Those of us in uniform can’t lobby — we can inform.
"In the Pentagon, it is all about money. And money is all about relationships. These relationships at the federal and state level are some of the most important things we do."
As an example, Jensen cited his relationships with the nation’s adjutants general as an advantage when working on Capitol Hill.
"What really allows me to walk into any office over there is my relationship with the adjutants general," he said of his time on Capitol Hill. "It gives me immediate credibility with the elected officials and their staff."
Jensen spoke at the second NGAUS Capitol Summit of 2024, which took place at the National Guard Memorial, the association’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. Besides Jensen, the CGOs heard from Maj. Gen. Gary W. Keefe, the adjutant general of Massachusetts; retired Maj. Gen. Tim Williams, the former adjutant general of Virginia; former Rep. Geoff Davis, R-Ky., and senior congressional staffers.
The Capitol Summit is a biannual event which gives Guard CGOs the opportunity to learn about the legislative process and engage directly with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. It is open to NGAUS members between the ranks of second lieutenant to captain and warrant officer 1 to warrant officer 2. Each of the 54 Guard organizations nationwide may send one participant. NGAUS covers all travel, lodging and meals related to the event.
"One big thing I learned is that you are the voice of your unit, of your people," said 1st Lt. Brittany Thomas, an executive officer with South Carolina’s 169th Fighter Wing. "If you’re not talking to your elected representatives, then you’re really not getting the word out there for what your unit or your people may need."
The dates for the next Capitol Summit have not been determined, said retired Col. Mike Hadley, the NGAUS vice president, government affairs, but the next summit will likely occur in early spring 2025.
Jensen called the Capitol Summit "an incredible program" which can help Guardsmen navigate the legislative process. He urged participants to share what they had learned at the Capitol Summit with their fellow Guardsmen.
"They are the strongest advocate we have," he said of NGAUS. "Go recruit the next batch of your peers."
— By Mark Hensch
