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Staff Report
For media inquiries and interview opportunities of Maj. General Tonini, contact Lt. Col. Kirk Hilbrecht, Director of Public Affairs, Kentucky National Guard at 502-607-1556.
Major General Ed Tonini was elected the President of the Adjutants General Association of the United States during the mid-June member conference held in Greenville, South Carolina.
FRANKFORT, KY — Kentucky’s Adjutant General, Major General Ed Tonini, was elected the President of the Adjutants General Association of the United States during the mid-June member conference held in Greenville, South Carolina. The Adjutants General Association of the United States is made up of the 54 Adjutants General of the sovereign states, territories, and the District of Columbia.
The purpose of AGAUS is to ensure that the units within National Guard of the United States are organized, equipped, and postured to fulfill their responsibilities across the full spectrum of operations inherent in the National Military Strategy (NMS) and the constitutions of the United States, states, and territories.
AGAUS holds elections for its top leadership positions every other year during its spring meeting. Elected officers typically serve a single two-year term. Tonini succeeds Maj. Gen. William D. Wofford of Arkansas.
“The AGAUS president is an important voice in matters involving the National Guard in Washington,” said retired Maj. Gen. Gus L. Hargett Jr., the NGAUS president. “General Tonini is a seasoned leader and a gifted communicator. He will be a real asset in the challenging discussion ahead. We look forward to working with him.”
Tonini has been Kentucky adjutant general since December 2007. He has nearly four decades in uniform, much of it as an Air Guard public affairs officer.
“During our 376 years, the National Guard citizen-soldier and airman have answered every call to service as an organized, trained, and equipped force for the dual state and federal mission,” said Tonini. “It is my job as AGAUS president to ensure we continue to empower the outstanding soldiers and airmen who have answered the call to serve their state and nation.”
The adjutants general also selected Maj. Gen. David Baldwin of California as vice president-Army, Maj. Gen. Mike Edwards as vice president-Air, Maj. Gen. Dave Sprynczynatyk of South Dakota as treasurer and Maj. Gen. Scott Rice of Massachusetts as secretary.
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THE NATIONAL GUARD
The National Guard is comprised of more than 458,000 personnel serving in 3,600 communities throughout the country. The Guard represents the 11th largest army in the world, the 5th largest air force and approximately 38% of the total U.S. military force structure.
The National Guard has provided the country’s homeland defense for more than 376 years. The Guard has been a part of every conflict, battle or war the United States has ever fought. The Guard is the lead military force employed during state emergencies and disasters.
National Guard operations consist of land and air units that serve in state, federal, joint, combined, and multinational roles for a variety of missions. Guard missions include state and federal emergencies, humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping and peacemaking missions, major theater wars, and conflicts involving the potential use of weapons of mass destruction.
Photos by Lt. Col. Kirk Hilbrecht, Director of Public Affairs, Kentucky National Guard
Staff report
CLICK HERE to see more pictures from Keeneland’s Military Appreciation Day
Lexington’s Keeneland Horse Track and the Kentucky National Guard hosted a Military Appreciation Day to celebrate Kentucky military families at the track on April 22. (Photo by Lt. Col. Kirk Hilbrecht, PAO, Kentucky National Guard)
LEXINGTON, Ky (April 22, 2012) — Keeneland Horse Track and the Kentucky National Guard hosted a Military Appreciation Day to celebrate Kentucky military families at the track on April 22.
Military members and their families in attendance at Keeneland received free admission to the track, free food live music, children’s activities and special winner’s circle recognition throughout the day for military members.
Kentucky Guardsmen deployed to Kuwait and Afghanistan gave pre-recorded messages of ‘thanks’ to Keeneland and their military families on Keenelands video boards. (Photo by Lt. Col. Kirk Hilbrecht, PAO, Kentucky National Guard)
Kentucky Guardsmen deployed to Kuwait and Afghanistan gave pre-recorded messages of ‘thanks’ to Keeneland and their military families on Keenelands video boards.
“This truly is a welcoming community and a great venue for the military and their families,” said Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Muncy, command chief to the director of the Air National Guard. “What a tribute to us all.”
Keenland’s Military Appreciation Day extended to all branches of military, family members, veterans, retirees, and other military related organizations.
CLICK HERE to see more pictures from Keeneland’s Military Appreciation Day
Keeneland Horse Track and the Kentucky National Guard hosted a Military Appreciation Day to celebrate Kentucky military families at the track on April 22. (Photo by Lt. Col. Kirk Hilbrecht, PAO, Kentucky National Guard)
Story by Lt. Col. Kirk Hilbrecht, Director of Public Affairs, Kentucky National Guard
Pictures by Tech. Sgt. Jason Ketterer, Public Affairs, Kentucky National Guard
The engagement of the Kentucky National Guard with the University of Louisville will reinvigorate, strengthen, and bind our communities in a successful partnership that includes, but not limited to, jointly developed initiatives in strategic areas of education, health, engineering, business, medicine, leadership, and intercollegiate athletics, and specific to the needs of soldiers and families. This partnership will promote a professional exchange between University faculty, staff, students, Soldiers and their families.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The University of Louisville and Kentucky National Guard have established a partnership that will promote an ongoing professional exchange among Soldiers and their families with UofL faculty, staff and students.
University President James Ramsey and Maj. Gen. Edward Tonini, adjutant general of the Kentucky National Guard, signed the document last Friday.
“We are your neighbors, we stay here, we are always going to be here,” Tonini said. “And our responsibilities are not only for the federal mission but also for the state mission, so we really are a part of the home team.”
The two organizations will work together develop a wide array of joint initiatives such as research in post-traumatic stress disorder, degree programs for Soldiers, training in language and culture, and summer academic and athletic camps for children of Kentucky National Guard families, according to the memorandum.
“I think it’s very exciting as a U of L alumni and a Kentucky National Guard member to see where they are going to move in the future,” says Tech. Sgt. Jason Ketterer, Kentucky Air National Guard.
The school’s Executive Director of Military Initiatives and Partnerships, Renee Finnegan, says the program is modeled after a similar agreement with Fort Knox.
Finnegan says the program is modeled after a similar agreement with Fort Knox.
UofL recently began offering discounted tuition to Kentucky National Guard Soldiers, a benefit it was already offering to active military and veteran students, Finnegan said. This year, some 700 veterans are attending the university and another 140 active duty and civilian students at Fort Knox are pursuing bachelor’s degrees in workforce leadership.
[flickr video=6916572681 show_info=true secret=39d96e53bf w=619 h=348]
WDRB, Fox 41 reports on the engagement of the Kentucky National Guard with the University of Louisville will reinvigorate, strengthen, and bind our communities in a successful partnership that includes, but not limited to, jointly developed initiatives in strategic areas of education, health, engineering, business, medicine, leadership, and intercollegiate athletics, and specific to the needs of soldiers and families. This partnership will promote a professional exchange between University faculty, staff, students, Soldiers and their families.
CLICK HERE to see other reports from Louisville media.
