Legislators hear Guard outline
successes during annual dinner
Atlanta -- More than 150 Georgia legislators, Georgia Air and Army National Guardsmen and National Guard friends gathered Feb. 4, for the annual National Guard Legislative Dinner at Maggiano’s Restaurant. The purpose of this annual dinner is to provide members of the legislature with an update on the Georgia National Guard and to socialize with friends and supporters of the National Guard.
Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbitt recognized that this was the seventh legislative dinner and was clearly the largest with more than twenty ranking Georgia legislators in attendance. Speaking on behalf of the legislators at the dinner, Senator Eric Johnson, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, thanked the National Guard for its continuing contributions to the safety and well-being of the people of Georgia.
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| Above right, Sen. Jack Hill (R-4) of Reidesville, a retired member of the Georgia Air Guard, enjoys a discussion with Maj. Gen. Terry Nesbit during the annual legislative dinner Feb. 4. |
Georgia legislators heard summaries from the Adjutant General and fro
m commanders of both the Air and Army National Guard. Maj. Gen. Scott Hammond, Commander of the Georgia Air National Guard, proudly announced that five Georgia Air National Guard units were recently awarded the prestigious Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. The Governor made a formal announcement of the award the following day.
Brig. Gen. Maria Britt, recognized by Maj. Gen. Nesbitt as the first woman general in Georgia National Guard history, summarized a year in which Army Guard recruiting reached an all time high of more than 10,000 Georgia Army National Guardsmen. She also noted the addition of two new brigades in the state and the continuing efforts of Georgia Guardsmen deployed for the Global War on Terrorism as well as on the nation’s border.
Maj. Gen. Nesbitt recounted the continuing success of Georgia’s Youth Challenge Program and acknowledged individual efforts currently underway by several prominent Savannahans in attendance to begin a new Starbase program in that coastal city.
Also attending the dinner were former Georgia Adjutants General, Lt. Gen. David Poythress and Maj. Gen. Bill Bland.