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The National Guard Educational Foundation recognized another large group of major donors Saturday evening during a special reception at the National Guard Memorial, the NGAUS headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The 18 honorees contributed a combined $220,000 to the NGEF through its Legion de Lafayette program, which is reserved for gifts of at least $10,000.
The NGEF preserves and shares all 388 years of the Guard’s story. Among the foundation's programs is the National Guard Memorial Museum, which includes 5,600 square feet of artifacts, images and interactive exhibits.
Benefactors recognized last weekend included seven individuals or couples, 10 corporations and the NGAUS Retired/Separated Caucus.
"Being a Guardsman was not easy on my family or me," said retired Washington Army Guard Maj. Stephen Riley, one of the donors honored. "But what it returned was priceless: the knowledge that we were helping our community, taking care of the troops under me, gaining skills that I will pass down to my son.
"We want to keep giving to the Guard that gave so much to me," he added.
Maj. Gen. James W. Ring, a member of the NGAUS board, and his wife, Leigh Anne, used their donation to honor his late grandfather, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Benjamin F. Williamson.
Williamson served in World War II as a member of the U.S. Occupation Force Japan from November 1945 to September 1946. He spent the remainder of his military career in the Virginia Army Guard and the 29th Infantry Division.
"Chief Warrant Officer 4 Williamson," James Ring said, "exemplified the spirit and service of the citizen-soldier and established a legacy of service to the National Guard, with a grandson who is the adjutant general of Virginia and two great-grandsons serving in the Virginia Guard."
The individual donors recognized also included retired Ohio Air Guard Maj. Gen. Mark and Christi Bartman, retired Utah Army Guard 1st Sgt. Brad Howell, retired Massachusetts Army Guard Lt. Col. Raymond Martin, retired Michigan Army Guard Brig. Gen. Robert and Jennifer Taylor and Tom Nicolett, who managed the Guard programs at Sikorsky helicopters for many years.
All of the individual contributors except Taylor, a former association chairman, were making their first $10,000 donation to the NGEF.
Three of the corporate donors honored — DripDrop Hydration, Leidos QTC Health Services and Leonardo Helicopters — were also first-time major contributors.
Airbus, AM General, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Military Benefit Association, Northrop Grumman, USAA and Valiant Integrated Services were all adding to earlier gifts.
The NGEF established the LdL program in 1987 to recognize patrons who significantly advance the foundation's work.
The program was named after the Marquis de Lafayette, the French military officer from the Revolutionary War who gave the Guard its enduring name.
Lafayette commanded the famous Garde Nationale de Paris in France. During his visit to New York in 1824, the militia unit that provided his honor guard adopted the designation "National Guard" out of respect to his unit in France.
The name stuck, growing in popularity until early in the 20th century when "National Guard" became the official name of the organization of state militias nationwide.
For more information on the NGEF, visit www.ngef.org.
— By John Goheen
