NSF/MOAA SPECIAL EVENT
Making the Transition:
Nevada National Guard and Onward Ops
Thursday, November 14, 2024
NOTE THIS SPECIAL EVENT IS BEING HOSTED BY
DR. KEVIN SCHALLER (NSF, BOARD PRESIDENT) AT:
Montreux Clubhouse
18077 Bordeaux Dr, Reno, NV 89511
(Tell the guard that you are attending the NSF Special Event)
Cost: $30 for NSF/MOAA and Montreux Members, $35 for Guests
Breakfast served 8:00-9:00am, Forum 9:00-10:15am
Virtual on Zoom
Forum 9:00-10:15am PST
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ek9DMUT2SSmJWpM8dBmeyw
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:
BGen D. “Dan” Rodger Waters
Adjutant General, Nevada National Guard
Mr. John Hoffman
Founder, Onward Ops
NSF remains committed to keeping you informed about issues beyond the headlines and from multiple perspectives. Stay up to date on NSF programs by subscribing to our mailing list at: NSF Mailing List or better yet become a member at: Become a Member.
Please note that NSF is holding this special event in partnership with the Military Officers Association of American (MOAA). In-person event is being hosted by Dr. Kevin Schaller at the Montreux Clubhouse. Please join us in-person at Montreux or on Zoom.
You can email Kimberly at: [email protected] or me at: [email protected] if you have questions or need more information.
And now for the details about our upcoming breakfast forum on Thursday, November 14th…
“I am committed to addressing today’s challenges while preparing for the future, forging a force of character and courage. Working together, I am confident the Nevada National Guard will continue to set the example for excellence across the nation.” (BGEN Dan Waters, Adjutant General, Nevada National Guard)
In honor of Veterans Day, NSF and the MOAA Lake Tahoe Chapter, welcomes the new Adjutant General of the Nevada National Guard, BGen Dan Waters, to share his thoughts on evolving roles and responsibilities of the Nevada National Guard in strengthening in responding to crises both in the homeland and abroad. BGen Waters assumed command on October 19th 2024 from MGen Ondra Berry. We are exceptionally honored to host BGen Waters on one of his first formal engagements of his tour. Many from NSF and MOA fondly remember MGen Berry’s rousing and inspiring address a couple of years ago at the NSF 10th Anniversary Celebration.
“From 2020–22, the National Guard saw extensive use domestically to respond to a wide variety of crises, including natural disasters, civil unrest, pandemics, and border security in addition to overseas deployments. As these emergencies perpetuate, balancing the National Guard’s use domestically and overseas is critical to preserving a sustainable and capable force. It is important for a broader understanding across local, state, and federal governments of the sustainability of these cumulative effects on this force.” (Michael Anderson, JAMS 2020, Vol 13(1), https://doi.org/10.21140/mcuj.20221301006)
As the Nevada National Guard expands its mission to meet every increasing national security challenges it faces the growing challenge of ensuring its members can transition back to civilian life safe, securely, and with dignity. Unfortunately, Nevada ranks among states with the highest suicide rates among veterans in the country.
“For every 100,000 veterans in Nevada, about 50 die by suicide, while nationally, that number is closer to 34.” (KTNV Story 16SEP2024)
Our national security depends on ensuring our military and National Guard members are as welcome at home and abroad, in uniform or in civilian attire, during their service and beyond. To help us learn more about making that a realty, we are honored to have John Hoffman, Founder and Board Member for the Onward Ops Foundation, share some amazing success stories about supporting veterans on their journeys to civilian life. BGen Waters and John Hoffman will also be revealing a new partnership to help Nevada National Guard veterans make the transition.
“Too often, we are told that Veterans are broken. It isn’t the Veteran that is broken, it’s the system that exists to prepare them for life after the military.” (BGen Mike Eastman, ED Onward Ops, https://www.onwardops.foundation)
Together our speakers will share challenges and opportunities for supporting the men and women of the Nevada National Guards as they fight to protect us at home and abroad. Please join us for a very important and timely program and be ready to share your thoughts and questions with our speakers
BGen D. “Dan” Rodger Waters is Nevada’s first Army Guard adjutant general since 1985. An Air Guard officer has been adjutant general for 60 of the past 76 years. Before becoming Adjutant General, Waters served as the Director of the Joint Staff for the Nevada National Guard. As a Sparks resident he enlisted in the military in 1985 and was commissioned in 1992, he has spent more than 40 years in the military. After his basic and advance training, Waters spent time in the Republic of Panama at Fort Kobbe. He transferred with his unit to Fort Campbell, Kentucky in 1987. After finishing his active duty commitment, Waters moved to Arizona where he transferred to that state’s Army National Guard. Although he completed his initial officer training in aviation, Waters also attended the infantry advanced officers course. He graduated in 1992 as a Distinguished Honor Graduate. He has flown many aircraft, including the UH-1, OH-58, CH-47, UH-60, and UH-72. Waters has deployed overseas on a numerous occasions. As commander of the “Wolf Pack” company, he led the unit to Kosovo in 2002 as part of a NATO peacekeeping mission. He also deployed to Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division as an Afghan National Army planner and operations officer as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. As a lieutenant colonel, he became the first commander of the 17th Special Troops Battalion and as a colonel, he commanded the 991st Multifunctional Brigade. Waters was also a staff director to the U.S. House of Representatives Select Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism, chair for the Department of Military Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a Brookings Institute Legislative Fellow. In addition to his military education, Waters earned a Master of Business Administration at the University of Nevada, Reno and a post-graduate certificate in Advanced Public Policy Leadership from George Washington University. He is a graduate of both the Harvard University Senior Executive Fellows and Syracuse University National Security Management Programs.
John Hoffman, has over 35 years of global high technology management experience as Chairman and CEO primarily in the semiconductor equipment and information technology markets. John is a founder and serves on the ETS-Onward Ops Board of Directors. He is also the Chairman of the Onward Ops Foundation. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy and holds a MBA (AEA) from Stanford University. He and his wife Debbie reside in Incline Village. Nevada and they have five children.
The National Security Forum is a non-partisan, educational, nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering civil discourse and informed discussion about timely and important national security topics. We bring expert speakers from around the U.S. to talk about national and international security, domestic and foreign terrorism, economic and financial threats, the safety of our food and water supply, energy policy, electrical grid stability, and a variety of other topics that affect all Americans. The National Security Forum partners with the Washoe County School District to host an annual Youth Security Forum to encourage future generations national security leaders.
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