Candidate Statement:

I’m Naziroh Brockman and I’m nominating myself for President of NGAW.

I began my journey with NGAW in March 2019 at the annual convention, where I was asked to give a 10-minute speech highlighting why education was important to me and how having a state education benefit would do wonders for the Washington National Guard. This 10-minute speech turned into a 2-hour workshop to discuss the advocacy of NGAW and what we wanted for its future. I found my voice there, and it has grown louder since then. Advocacy is a combination of voices, a harmony with purpose to secure benefits for our Soldiers and Airmen, retired and currently serving. I truly believe your voice matters and it makes our efforts resonate stronger on the Hill.

I could go in to all the things I have done to contribute to the mission of NGAW, but I want you to know I’m running for President not to rest on my laurels, but because there is more good to be done. I want you, Airmen & Soldiers, to be a part of that. I want this community to be one where you can share your opinions with our Board, raise your voice on the concerns that affect your livelihood, and know that we will listen. I will work with our Board to increase education and awareness of legislative decisions that impact our Guard. I will continue to support events that bring us together to include involving our retired Guardsman and our friends on the East side of the state. I have confidence in the power of joint, enlisted, and officer collaboration to determine the best outcome for all Washington Guardsman. We will act on what we can accomplish, together.

Thank you for considering my nomination. It would be my absolute honor to serve as NGAW President.

Candidate Statement: 

I am honored to accept nomination for the position of President for the National Guard Association of Washington.

I am a member of the Army National Guard. I started as a drilling member in 2004 and was fortunate to be selected for an AGR position in 2008. I have been in the military for just about 19 years of total time. I have been married to my wife, Liz, for 13 years. Unfortunately, we do not have children but we have two dogs, named Chuck and Baby. I enjoy sports, namely soccer, football, and hockey and I have a hobby as a co-host and producer of a podcast for about the last 15 months.

I am grateful to have been trusted by you, the membership, as the Vice-President for the Association for about the last 3 and a half years. We have endured during some historical and challenging times and now is the time for us to begin looking to the future for our association. It was during this period that I reflected on the journey our current administration has begun with the writing of the Strategic Plan, improvements to our operational infrastructure, and hiring of a communications director. I believe we now have the foundation to accomplish so many good things in the future.

I recognize that the President is the “face” of the Association and that the next President will need to be front and center representing the Association as we work to get our industry day events, corporate sponsorship programs, membership and community events, and all other programs back to running as close to normal as our current environment allows.

If elected as President, I will represent our Association in the best manner possible. I will work closely with the elected council to appoint passionate members to our board to identify improvements and implement innovations and work through the challenges to meet our organizations goals and objectives.

Some of the challenges and goals I believe our Association needs to focus on include identifying and advocating for state and federal legislation that maintains our current benefits and provides new benefits for Guard members and their families. This will not only assist Guard members and families in the present, but also far into the future. Identify ways to facilitate connections between Army and Air Guard and cross communication between the two. Find easy ways to involve our membership in more of the Associations efforts.  Continue enhancing our communication with our current members and with future potential members and finding more ways to incentivize membership. Continue building a community environment through the NGAW as a vehicle for comradery and growth of the Association. Give the membership their voice and effect change from this voice in every way possible. Continue review and assessment against our Strategic Plans and Annual Lines of effort. Complete the implementation of our new infrastructure and continue to enhance communication with current and future members. Lastly, through building stronger relationships and partnerships with other Associations, Non-Profits, and all our Guard units, we will become more adaptive and gain advantage toward achieving our goals and objectives, learn best practices to influence our innovation efforts, and strengthen many of our other programs.

Thank you all for your consideration for the position of President of the NGAW and I hope to interact more with all of you in the future.

Candidate Statement:

I have one goal for the Association: be the voice of the Guard Family. We built a strategic plan and developed a very worthy vision and mission. Getting it off the ground is an arduous task, but it is one I feel uniquely suited to help accomplish. The current team built the plan. This next team will get it running. Our successors will then soar to new heights.

Candidate Statement:

As your incumbent Secretary, I intend to further the growth and development of the NGAW by providing accurate and accessible knowledge management through meeting minutes, By-Laws analysis, and amendment proposals. At a time of unprecedented momentum, my specialty is keeping the administrative and compliance domains ‘on the rails’ as we make YOUR organization empower Guard families across the state.

Candidate Statement:

I am a member of the Army National Guard. I started as a drilling member in 2010 and was fortunate to be selected  for an AGR position in 2015 as a Recruiter. I have been in
the military for just about 20 years of total time on Christmas Eve. I have been married to my wife, Pearl, for 32 years. We have two children who have or are serving in the Washington Army National Guard, our daughter who served 7 years and our son who is currently in Poland. Even their spouses are also serving in the Washington Army National Guard. I enjoy spending time with the family and the grandkids the most.

I spent the last 15 years serving in different positions working with non-profit organizations raising funds to assist Veterans in the local area. I also have run my own
business (Brothers Pizza and Brew), which is currently in transition from a brick and mortar to a mobile trailer.

From March 2015 to March 2021, I recruited for the WAARNG in Bremerton, Port Orchard, Lakewood and Kent. My last year in Kent was my favorite year as we were the most successful recruiting office in the state assisting Washington in becoming the number one state in the Nation for our size. Being from a recruiting background can aid me in this position. My time in recruiting has provided me valuable insight in organizational recruiting efforts and the skills for innovating membership programs. I have also facilitated education and training in recruiting skills for others therefore enhancing recruiting programs.

Spending time interacting with Units in the state, I recognized that there were Guard Members who did not know what the NGAW is or does for our Soldiers and Airman in our State. This could due to multiple reasons; however now I understand that if currently serving members of the Association get out to the Units and inspire them to see the big picture we will more effectively spread the mission and importance of the Association
and gain more members.

There are many things that can be done to increase membership and it would be my pleasure to work with the rest of the NGAW board to ensure we as a state grow the
membership to give us an even bigger voice to affect positive changes for Guard members now and for years to come.

Thank you all for your consideration for the position of Director of Member Relations of the NGAW and the opportunity to work more closely with all of you.

BYLAWS PROPOSAL 1

Bylaws Proposal 1 recommends eliminating the elected Public Affairs position from the list of required elected officials. This position is currently vaccant and there are no nominees. This position was made redundant by the creation of the Communications Manager hired position.

BYLAWS PROPOSAL 2

Bylaws Proposal 2 recommends changing the Service Advisory Directors (Officer Guilds Army/Air, Enlisted Guilds Army/Air, Retiree Guild, and State Guard Guild) from elected positions to appointment. All appointments are made by the NGAW President and confirmed by the Board of Directors.