Greetings Fellow SGAUS Members:
I am very excited to host and welcome you to the 2022 SGAUS Annual Conference in Albany, New York at the Crowne Plaza – Desmond Hotel, which has just been refurbished. We have an excellent program planned, which includes the first ever SGAUS sponsored CYBER competition, which will include both State Guard and National Guard teams competing. Cyber is a growing opportunity for our State Defense Forces. There will also be a nation-wide communications exercise for all State Defense Forces worldwide. There will be SGUAS Academy sessions for MEMS, Engineering, Public Affairs, JAG, and Chaplain.
Recruiting is a critical issue for each SDF. We will be hosting a session to bring together our respective recruiting sections to share best practices. Our annual Leadership Forum on Saturday afternoon will focus on how our SDF’s can leverage the lessons learned from the COVID-19 missions to better integrate with our National Guard partners. We will have leadership from our SDF’s and the National Guard on the panel.
Operations and training are the heart of a military organization and designing and implementing them are key to keeping our SDF soldiers motivated and prepared. We have scheduled a block of instruction on this important topic. There will also be forums for our CSM’s and senior NCO’s and our SDF Commanders to meet and exchange information and best practices.
Registration information for both the Conference and Hotel is available on the SGAUS Website at the below Links: (Note that separate registrations are required and that the Hotel Reservation Cut-Off is October 27, 2022.). There is free 24 hour shuttle to the Desmond Hotel from Albany County Airport.
Conference Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2022-sgaus-annual-conference-tickets-391306727957
Hotel Registration: https://www.desmondhotelsalbany.com/
Register with The Crown Plaza Hotel – The Desmond directly to secure the conference room rate of $114/night (not including the 14% guest and state taxes).
Guests that would like to Call-in Reservations please use Group Code SGA and call the Hotel direct at 518-869-8100.
PLEASE NOTE THE RESERVATION CUT-OFF DATE OCTOBER 27, 2022
Our State Defense Forces performed fabulously during the last 30 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. With travel restrictions relaxed and the COVID mission over or winding down I look forward seeing everyone at the Conference to build upon our recent successes.
BG David J. Warager
President,
SGAUS
