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NGA-VT / NGAUS Invitation to Attend
146
th
General Conference and Exhibition
22-27 August 2024 in Detroit, Michigan
Your NGA-VT and NGAUS invites you to attend the NGAUS 146th General Conference &
Exhibition from August 22-27, 2024, in the "The Motor City," Detroit, Michigan. This year's
theme is The National Guard: Built to Defend America.
In alignment with the 2024 Presidential election, NGAUS has invited the presumptive
Democrat and Republican nominees to speak to our attendees.
Overview. The NGAUS General Conference is your National Association’s annual business
meeting. More than 2,000 Army and Air National Guard officers from all 50 states, three
territories and the District of Columbia gather to network, set their legislative agenda and hear
from America’s civilian and military leaders. Family members, industry representatives and
local officials also attend. See the very latest equipment for Army and Air forces being
exhibited by our many Corporate Partners.
Listen to senior leaders from the Army and Air Force talk about your future, meet your
counterparts across our great nation and most importantly learn firsthand what the National
Guard Association does for all of us. Recent speakers include congressional leaders, cabinet-
level secretaries, Army and Air Force Secretaries and Chiefs, and other senior Pentagon
officials.
Details. For conference details and schedule see link: https://www.ngaus.org/events/146th-
general-conference-exhibition
Registration. Visit the ngavt.org/Events website for additional information and registration.
Download the Registration Form and send to execu[email protected]
Registration and rooms. On 01 May 2024, conference registration and room reservations
will be available on the NGA-VT website or via smartphone at https://www.ngavt.org , Then
“Events”. Actively serving members registration is $0. Registration covers most food and
drink, admission to all business sessions, company-grade officer professional development,
the exhibition, the mixers, the States Dinner and the Governor’s Farewell.
The Vermont delegation has 25 rooms and a dedicated social suite reserved at the
Marriott Courtyard. Room rates are $150 a night for a standard room.
Uniform. Conference is Class B for official duty and business casual or NGA-VT polo shirt
for non-official participants.
Transportation. Commercial bus transportation transfers from DTW to the downtown area
hotels will run continuously from 10:00 am 8:00 pm on Thursday, August 22nd and Friday,
August 23rd. The first pick up is at Evans Terminal on the :00 and next pick up is at
McNamara Terminal on the :15. Buses depart every 30 minutes.
On August 27th, commercial bus transportation transfers from downtown hotels to
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DTW Airport from 6:00 am 3:00 pm, based on load and go, continuous shuttles.
Transportation fee is $9 each way paid upon conference registration. NGAUS will post the
link for this bus service on our website so you can track bus departure and pickup times.
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is a 25-minute drive into the city, airport code
DTW.
Ribbon-cutting. The opening ribbon-cutting ceremony is Saturday, August 24 at 10:00 am,
followed by the opening of the exhibition floor for conference-badged attendees. At 12:30 pm,
the First General Business/Professional Development Session will begin with the renowned
Annual Roll Call of States and Territories. The Second General Business/Professional
Development session will start at 8:00 am, Sunday, August 25 and the third and final General
Business/Professional Development Session starts on Monday, August 26 at 11:30 am. The
Joint Resolution Committee meeting is on Friday, August 23 at 2:00 pm and the Army and Air
separate sessions are Monday, August 26 at 8:30 am. Attire for all Business/Professional
Development sessions for military state affiliates will be the Operational Camouflage Pattern
(OCP) uniforms.
Speakers. For the second year in a row, NGAUS will host Professional Speaker sessions at
the Minuteman Stage on the tradeshow floor and the NGAUS Corporate Advisory Panel
(CAP) will hold an open-and-closed event for our Defense Industry Partners featuring a New
Industry Partner Feedback Forum on Saturday. We will post the speaker topics, meeting
times, and schedule changes on our website at www.ngaus.org or the mobile app.
Events:
NGAUS Member Golf Tournament
Friday, August 23, 2024
Pine Knob G.C.
Village of Clarkston, Michigan
Pine Knob Golf Club features 27 holes of championship golf, with three distinctive nines: The
Eagle, The Hawk and The Falcon. Participants will play 18 holes; the extra holes will enable
216 players. An included breakfast buffet begins at 7 a.m. The shotgun start is at 9 a.m.
Lunch will be provided at the turn. Awards are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The course is 41 miles
from downtown. Transportation will be provided from conference hotels.
Company Grade/Warrant Officer/Field Grade Mixers
Friday, August 23, 2024
Belle Isle
Detroit, Michigan
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The National Guard Association of Michigan will partner with the Virgin Islands National
Guard Association to offer a taste of Caribbean Carnival. Events include a short parade
featuring Calypso music costumed Moko Jumbies the Caribbean's costumed stilt walkers.
There will also be a Carnival market and Carnival-style food and drink. Belle Isle is a 982-
acre state park in the Detroit River that separates the United States from Canada. It’s five
miles from downtown. Transportation will be provided from conference hotels.
5K Urbanathlon
Saturday, August 24, 2024
Downtown Detroit
The annual fun run this year is a 5K road race with obstacles, including barrels, hurdles, tires
and inflatable barriers. The route will begin on the Detroit Riverwalk. All starters will receive a
souvenir T-shirt. The race is set for 7 a.m. The award presentation will be at 8:35 a.m.
Transportation will be provided from conference hotels farther than walking distance.
Governor's Reception
Saturday, August 24, 2024
Henry Ford Museum
Dearborn, Michigan
The Henry Ford Museum is one of the area’s top attractions. The New York Times calls it
“one of the world’s coolest museums.” The collection includes the presidential limousine of
John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln’s chair from Ford’s Theatre, the Rosa Parks bus and
many other historical and cultural exhibits. It’s visited by more than 1.7 million people a year.
The museum is 12 miles from downtown. Transportation will be provided from conference
hotels. Attendees will have the museum to themselves; it’s closed to the public on Saturday
evenings.
Retiree Caucus Meeting & Luncheon
Sunday, August 25, 2024
Ovation Yacht
Detroit, Michigan
The Ovation will be docked at COBO dock, which is within walking distance of Huntington
Place, the site of conference sessions and the exhibition. Boarding begins at 11:30 a.m. A
cruise on the Detroit River, which separates the United States and Canada, is scheduled for
12:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided prior to the business session conducted by NGAUS retiree
board members. The vessel has three decks. Each has TV screens and microphones that
can be used during the business session.
Warrant Officer Luncheon & Meeting
Sunday, August 25, 2024
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United Auto Workers International Building
Detroit, Michigan
The meeting will include voting and speakers during a working lunch. The UAW Building is
downtown. Transportation will be provided from Huntington Place, the site of most
conference sessions and the exhibition. The event is scheduled from noon to 4 p.m.
Hospitality Night
Sunday, August 25, 2024
Various Locations
Detroit, Michigan
One of the signature events of the conference, this is the evening state and territory National
Guard associations take over the show. They will open their delegations’ hospitality suites to
all attendees or rent establishments for the evening in Greektown, a commercial and
entertainment district downtown. Spend the evening at one or hit several. The list of
participating locations will be provided to all state and territory associations and be posted on
the NGAUS conference app. Buses will run a continuous loop between hotels and Greektown
until 10 p.m. The free People Mover tram is another transportation option.
The New England States are hosting Hospitably Night at The Beaubien Room vicinity Greek
Town on Sunday, 25 August. The Corporate Partner Appreciation Night will be hosted by the
New England Team also at The Beaubien Room prior to Hospitality Night commencement.
Drink tickets, food and DJ.
Spouses Luncheon
Monday, August 26, 2024
Detroit Institute of Arts
The event will include lunch, entertainment and an opportunity to tour the Detroit Institute of
Arts, which is one of the nation’s largest art collections, with more than 65,000 works. It
includes Vincent van Gogh's Self-Portrait, the first Van Gogh painting to enter a U.S.museum.
The facility is 3.5 miles from Huntington Place, the site of most sessions and the exhibition.
Transportation will be provided. The event is set at 11 a.m. after the Spouses Seminar.
The Detroit Institute of Arts has been named as the nation’s best art museum in USA
TODAY’s 2024 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Taking the top prize for the second
consecutive year, the DIA outranked other institutions such as The Art Institute of Chicago.
States Dinner
Monday, August 26, 2024
Huntington Place Convention Center
This year's States Dinner will be Monday evening; theme will be WWII & Rosie the Riveter
(men WWII work/military/other attire; ladies Rosie the Riveter attire)
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The States Dinner and the post-meal entertainment is the final event of the conference. The
event is set to begin Chairman’s Head Table Reception and No Host Cocktail receptions at
6:30 p.m. The dinner program is scheduled to 7:50 p.m. A special concert is set for 9 p.m.
Recommended attire and the concert act will be announced in the weeks ahead.
As of April 1, 2024
Events will be updated as additional details become available.
Future Conferences
147th General Conference & Exhibition
Milwaukee | Aug. 22 to 25, 2025
Hosted by the Wisconsin National Guard
148th General Conference & Exhibition
Indianapolis | Aug. 28 to 31, 2026
Hosted by the Indiana National Guard
149th General Conference & Exhibition
Salt Lake City | Aug. 27 to 30, 2027
Hosted by the Utah National Guard