NCNGA Weekly Guardsman for December 23, 2021

Posted on: December 22, 2021 December 22, 2021
Author: ncngaweekly

December 23rd, 2021

News | About | Legislative | Benefits | Contact

IN THIS EDITION:

Black Sea NATO Allies Call for Added Security Amid Russian Buildup AFMAG
Operation ART Spring Session 1 Registration Now Open NCNGA
Play Golf and Support Scholarships for Soldiers, Airmen, and their Families NCNGA
Scholarships now open NCNGA
Registration is now open for 2022 Annual Convention – Register early. NCNGA
Members of the NCNGA, what would you like to see in the future? NCNGA
Tickets-At-Work: Members get Discounts on Tickets NCNGA
This Week in NCNG History NCNG Museum
December 23rd — Today in Guard History National Guard

Black Sea NATO Allies Call for Added Security Amid Russian Buildup AFMAG

The Russian troop buildup on the Ukrainian border and in the heavily militarized Black Sea region has led to calls by Black Sea allies to increase NATO and U.S. deterrence to prevent further Russian efforts to divide and isolate some of the alliance’s newest members.

With over 100,000 Russian troops surrounding Ukraine on three sides and activity consistent with combat preparation, the Biden administration has opted to pursue diplomacy with Russia following a Dec. 7 virtual summit between President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin. But NATO allies who are members of the Bucharest Nine (B9) group of eastern flank nations have indicated to Biden and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on a Dec. 16 call that more American presence is needed now to deter an invasion of Ukraine.

“If the U.S. and NATO are not careful, the Black Sea will be a Russian lake,” Romanian military attaché in Washington, D.C., Col. Catalin-Constantin Mihalache told Air Force Magazine, noting how Russia has increased and modernized its Western region forces.

“The goal in the Black Sea is to isolate NATO regional partners, Georgia and Ukraine, by taking advantage of the lack of strategic and comprehensive day-to-day NATO presence and strategy,” he added.

Following a Dec. 10 B9 call with Biden, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis took to Twitter to highlight the case he made to Biden.

“I … underlined [Romanian] support for an increased NATO & US military presence in #Romania & at the #BlackSea,” he wrote.

Mihalache said the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a national security concern for Romania and NATO. Russian-occupied Crimea, which has become a heavily militarized anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) bastion in the Black Sea since annexation in 2014, is just 200 miles from Romania’s shores.

Operation ART Spring Session 1 Registration Now Open NCNGA

The Joel Fund’s Operation ART Program is excited to announce fresh classes and workshops for Spring Session 1! Registration is now open for:

Virtual Writing for Hope
Virtual Writing for Truth
Virtual Writing through Grief Workshop
Virtual Writing through Burn-Out Workshop
Printmaking Introduction
Metalworking
Woodworking
Photography III
Photoshop III
Clay Sculpture Workshop

You may visit https://www.thejoelfund.org/operationart/ for more information. Also, see the attached flyer for a more detailed description of the classes and registration information. Please share with military-connected individuals in your communities! Including family members, caregivers, retirees, reservists, veterans, and National Guard.

Play Golf and Support Scholarships for Soldiers, Airmen, and their Families NCNGA

Play Golf and Support Scholarships for Soldiers, Airmen, and their Families
Thursday, March 17, 2022, 9:00AM. Individual & Team options available.

Registration can be done by completing the registration form and returning to the NCNGA or you can register on line at https://www.ncnga.org/events.php

Scholarships now open NCNGA

The North Carolina National Guard Education Foundation provides college scholarships to members of the NC National Guard and their Families. Since 1968, the Foundation has awarded over $1.5 million in college scholarships to nearly 2,000 individuals.

The 2022-2023 application period is now open and all applications must be postmarked by 1 February 2022 for college students and 1 March 2022 for high school students.

The scholarships range in value from $600 for Community College attendees, to $10,000 scholarship we award in partnership with the SECU Foundation. Most Community College scholarships are $600, while the typical four-year college scholarships are $1,200. There are two categories of scholarships. Each applicant can and is encouraged to apply for both categories.

General and Special Memorial Scholarships: Candidates are evaluated on five criteria areas including financial need, academic performance, citizenship, leadership and ‘other;’ this latter category taking into account various subjective evaluations such as special circumstances of the candidate.

Academic Excellence & Leadership: Two scholarships – one each to a current high school senior and one to a current college applicant — for excellence in academics and leadership. These applicants will complete the AEL application form and do not have to provide financial/ income information.

Click here to Apply!

Registration is now open for 2022 Annual Convention – Register early. NCNGA

Registration for the 2022 Annual Convention is now open!

Members of the NCNGA, what would you like to see in the future? NCNGA

Your opinions drive NCNGA actions and it’s your continued support that allows us to be successful. These listed benefits are not options, rather a starting point to help you brainstorm! Send us a email at info@ncnga.org – to let us know what you want.

We’re excited to partner with Hoovers Sweets and Treats for our upcoming convention! NCNGA

We’re excited to partner with Hoovers Sweets and Treats for our upcoming convention! They’re offering $2.00 off all Hoovers Milkshakes for any NCNGA members attending the Convention in March, so don’t forget to sign up at www.ncnga.org/events.php.

Tickets-At-Work: Members get Discounts on Tickets NCNGA

Tickets at Work: The benefits are endless when it comes to being a NCNGA member! Check out our Tickets-At-Work program, where members can get discounts on tickets from Busch Gardens all the way to Disney. For more information, visit https://www.ncnga.org/benefits.php#Discount

This Week in NCNG History NCNG Museum

If you know of anything significant to the NCNG that occurred on any of these dates, and would like it added to our records, please email 1LT Dearie at kory.k.dearie.mil@mail.mil

December 23rd — Today in Guard History National Guard

1814
Villere’s Plantation, Louisiana – An advance force of some 1,500 men, preceding a British army numbering nearly 10,000 troops, is attacked by General Andrew Jackson on this night. The British, having landed several days earlier on Lake Borgne, are tasked with the capture of the New Orleans. Jackson, himself a former Tennessee militia general before being appointed a general in the Regular Army, had under his command about 1,000 Regular Army solders reinforced by militia units drawn from Louisiana and Tennessee. His attack this night involved about 2,000 troops, about three quarters of them militia. They successfully surprised the British, who failed to adequately guard their camp. The American attack proved so effective that they soon overran the outer British defenses and hand-to-hand combat took place in the English camp. After about an hour of fighting, the Americans broke off the engagement and withdrew. They caused so much confusion in the enemy ranks that it was several days before the British could get themselves prepared to advance on the city. Meanwhile, Jackson had his men entrench and fortify a dry canal blocking the British advance. From this position his army, now numbering 5,300 men (mostly militia and even some pirates), repelled the British assault launched on January 8, 1815. In one of the most lopsided victories in history the American’s inflicted a decisive defeat on the enemy force, killing at least 291 and wounding more than 1,200 more. Jackson’s army suffered only 13 killed and 39 wounded. The British retreated to their ships, only learning in February that the peace treaty ending the war on had been signed in Belgium on Christmas Eve. Jackson became a national hero, eventually leading to his election to the presidency.

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