National Guard Association of Texas (NGAT) Conference
31 Mar - 2 Apr 2017 - San Antonio, TX
Welcome to the NGAT Conference. We are excited that you will be joining us in San Antonio. We have an EXTRAORDINARY Conference planned. here is everything you need to know.
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION.Conference Registrations can be picked up Thurs, 30 Mar 17 from 12-5, Fri, 31 Mar 17, 8-6 and Sat, 1 Apr 17, 7-3. Registration is located in the Wyndham Hotel on the 2nd floor in the Foyer.
HOTEL RESERVATIONS. The conference hotel is the Wyndham Riverwalk Hotellocated at the following address: 111 E. Pecan Street, San Antonio, TX 78205. The majority of events will be held at the Wyndham Riverwalk Hotel.
DOWNLOAD THE APP.All the conference information to including updates are available on the NGAT App. Download it and stay connected during the conference from the Google Play Store or the ITunes App Store.
CONTACT INFO. POCs for the Conference is MSG (Ret) Theresa Billeck-Zuniga at or 512-454-7300/512-983-7268. Additional information is available at the NGAT web site at
FRIDAY, 31 MARCH, 2017
Uniform – Business Casual clothing for all events on Friday. Clothing that is not appropriate is shorts, t-shirts, and flip flops. Nice jeans, collared shirts, slacks are OK. Dress to look professional.
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION 0800 - 1800 hrs (Meaning you need to pick up your packet with your name tag, schedule, information for events etc) at the registration counter located on the 2nd floor of the hotel. Just follow the signs to the NGAT Registration area and remember Registration closes at 1700 hours. Normally they will be outside the conference hall during the welcome party so when you do arrive on Fri you will want to get this packet. Your Friday night Welcome Party badge is in this packet, also you need to have your name tag to get into all events.
The exhibit hall is open on Fri from 1300 - 1700 hrs. The exhibit hall has all kinds of vendors selling and showing the latest military equipment as well as military professional organization, family readiness groups, veteran groups and more. In your packet will be a card you will want to get stamped by each vendor and turn in at the NGAT booth. On Sat afternoon they draw for a flat screen TV from these cards. Your entry is your card stamped by all the vendors.
Check out the 14th Annual Silent Auctionlocated in the San Antonio Ballroom on the 2nd floor of the hotel. This event is to raise money for NGAT Educational Foundation, so bring your checkbook. We have lots of great gifts that have been donated for you to bid on. If you or your business would like to donate an item for the NGAT auction just bring it with you. Onsite donations are always accepted.
OPTIONAL EVENTS: All optional events are available to all attendees. There is an additional fee to attend a optional event. Please see the website or the NGAT App for more information. Space is still available for the optional events.
Golf TournamentFun RunTour of the Center for the Intrepid
Wine TastingSpirits TastingRiver Boat Cruise
License to Carry CourseOSHA TrainingSan Antonio Missions Tour
Ghost Tour
FREE OPTIONAL EVENTS – We do have two free optional events this year. A License to Carry Certification class and a tour of the Center for the Intrepid.
FRIDAY NIGHT WELCOME PARTY – 1830 - 2100 hrs. The welcome party will be held at the hotel. The dress is casual civilian clothes. There is a meal at this event, as well as music. There will also be a trivia game on military history and military movies. You can win a variety of gift cards if you know the answers.
HOSPITALITY ROOMS 2100 – until All hospitality rooms will be listed on a sheet in your packet. These hospitality rooms host just that FUN, FUN, FUN. Free drinks (both alcoholic and nonalcoholic), free food, music, dancing you name it. A chance to get together and talk, network and have fun. You’re going to want to visit them all.
GET SOME REST YOU HAVE A LONG DAY TOMORROW.
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SATURDAY, 28 MARCH 2009
Uniform for the following events is business casual, appropriate civilian clothes.
NGAT Breakfast & Business Session. It is important that you attend the NGAT Breakfast and Business Session. We will be voting on bylaw changes and electing a President-Elect.
0730 - 0945 – NGAT BUSINESS SESSION - Find out what your Association is doing for you and how we have improved. This is why you came to the conference so check out your association business. Also hear from the Texas National Guard senior leadership.
The exhibit hall is open on Sat from 1000 - 1600 hrs. The exhibit hall has all kinds of vendors selling and showing the latest military equipment as well as military professional organization, family support groups and more. In your packet will be a card you will want to get stamped by each vendor and turn in at the NGAT desk. To win the flat screen TV you do not have to be present to win.
DON'T MISS the variety of extraordinary breakout sessions:
1030 - 1430Education Fair Breakout Sessions
Wyndham Hotel – Executive Salon 3
1030 - 1100Hazelwood Act & Hazelwood Legacy
1300 - 1400Helping Students with Go Army Ed/FTA
1400 - 1430Transferring your GI Bill Benefits
1130 - 1330Spouse Luncheon at the Tower of the Americas
Guest Speaker – SGT MAJ (Ret) Chermaine Harrell
(Meet in the hotel Lobby at 1100)
1300 - 1600Breakout Sessions
Wyndham Hotel
1300 - 1400How to Maximize Linked-In – Executive Salon 1
1400 - 1500Junior Officer Symposium – Executive Salon 2
1500 - 160010 Things Every Guard Member Should
Know About the Law – Executive Salon 2
SATURDAY EVENING EVENTS
Uniform for the following is Dress Blues, Semi Formal, Mess Dress, Class A with
White Shirt and Bow Tie and formal wear for civilians and spouses
1800-1900 hrs No host Reception at the Conference Area - Know what table you are assigned to. You can find this information at the registration desk when you check in. They normally have someone taking photos before and after the dinner if you want your photo taken alone or as a group.
1900-2100 hrs Awards Dinner. At this dinner NGAT individual awards are presented and this year we will have a guest speaker Steadman Graham. You don’t want to miss his presentation.
After the Awards dinner you may change into Casual Civilian clothing again this is a personal preference. Some like to stay in their uniform and visit the hospitality rooms.
2100-until Hospitality Room Room numbers are listed in your packet. You want to visit them all.
JUST A FEW NOTES
You must wear the name tag in your packet at all times except during the awards dinner. This is for security reasons we wear the name tags.
Conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times. Name tags have ranks on them so please pay attention to the personnel that attend this conference; many times they tend to be high ranking.
I can't thank you enough for your participation. NGAT is our professional organization and I hope you leave the conference having a better understanding of what NGAT does for all National Guard soldiers/airmen. ENJOY YOURSELF and make some new friend. This is just the place to do it. If you’re not a member of NGAT I hope that this weekend will encourage you to join. Attached is a membership form. NGAT fights for your benefits that you don’t have time to fight for. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. See you soon......
More details about the Conference is located at the following web site:
or DOWNLOAD THE NGAT APP!!!!
Thursday, 30 March
1200 - 1700Registration & Dinner Seating
Wyndham Hotel – 2nd Floor Foyer
1600 - 1700NGAT Board Meeting
Wyndham Hotel – Executive Salon 1
Friday, 31 March
0730 - 1400Golf Tournament
Fort Sam Houston Golf Club – Transportation is on your own.
0730 - 0900Fun Run
Brackenridge Park (Meet in Lobby at 0700)
0800 - 1800Registration & Dinner Seating
Wyndham Hotel – 2nd Floor Foyer
0800 - 1200License to Carry Certification
Wyndham Hotel – Directors 1
0800 - 1500OSHA Training
Wyndham Hotel – Executive 1
0900 - 1500San Antonio Missions Tour
(Meet in the hotel Lobby at 0830)
1000 - 1130San Antonio River Boat Tour
(Meet in the hotel Lobby at 0930)
1100 - 1200Wine Tasting
Wyndham Hotel – Room 416
1130 - 1230Center for the Intrepid Tour
(Transportation on your own)
1230 - 1330Spirits Tasting
Wyndham Hotel – Room 416
1300 - 1700Exhibits
Wyndham Hotel – Fiesta Pavilion
1500 – 1530NGAT Sponsored Briefing
Wyndham Hotel – 2nd Floor Foyer
1300 - 1700Silent Auction
Wyndham Hotel – San Antonio Ballroom
1830 - 2100Welcome Party – Geeks Who Drink
TapSnap Photo Booth
Wyndham Hotel – Texas Ballroom B&C
2000 - 2100Sisters Grimm Ghost Tour
(Meet in the hotel Lobby at 1930)
2000 - 2400Hospitality Suites – Contest Judging
Wyndham Hotel
Saturday, 1 April
0700 - 1500Registration & Dinner Seating
Wyndham Hotel – 2nd Floor Foyer
0700 - 1700SFP Youth Symposium
Wyndham Hotel – Executive Salon 4
0730 - 0945NGAT Breakfast / Business Session
Wyndham Hotel – Texas Ballroom
1000 - 1100Advisory Council Meeting
Wyndham Hotel – 3rd Floor Board Room
1000 - 1600Exhibits
Wyndham Hotel – Fiesta Pavilion
1000 - 1600Education Fair
Wyndham Hotel – San Antonio Ballroom
1000 - 1400Silent Auction – Auction Closes at 1400
Wyndham Hotel – San Antonio Ballroom
1030-1100Council for a Strong America – (Flag Officers Only)
Wyndham Hotel - Executive Salon 1
1030 - 1430Education Fair Breakout Sessions
Wyndham Hotel – Executive Salon 3
1030 - 1100Hazelwood Act & Hazelwood Legacy
1300 - 1400Helping Students with Go Army Ed/FTA
1400 - 1430Transferring your GI Bill Benefits
1130 - 1330Spouse Luncheon at the Tower of the Americas
Guest Speaker – SGT MAJ (Ret) Chermaine Harrell
(Meet in the hotel Lobby at 1100)
1200 - 1330Lunch with Exhibitors
Wyndham Hotel – Fiesta Pavilion
1200 - 1330Retiree Lunch
Wyndham Hotel – Executive Salon 5
1300 - 1600Breakout Sessions
Wyndham Hotel
1300 - 1400How to Maximize Linked-In – Executive Salon 1
1400 - 1500Junior Officer Symposium – Executive Salon 2
1500 - 160010 Things Every Guard Member Should
Know About the Law – Executive Salon 2
1600 - 1700Lone Star Chapter of the National Infantry
Association Meeting
Wyndham Hotel – Executive Salon 1
1800 - 1900No-Host Reception
Wyndham Hotel – Texas Ballroom Foyer
1900 - 2100Dinner – Awards
Guest Speaker – Stedman Graham
Wyndham Hotel – Texas Ballroom
2100 - 2400Hospitality Suites
Wyndham Hotel
Business Session schedule
(0730-0945)
Call to Order
Introductions
Committee Reports
Annual Report of the President
New Business
Election of New Officers
Introduction of New Officers
Old Business
NGATEF Scholarship Presentations
Texas Medical Command Update
Texas National Guard Family Readiness
Volunteer Awards Presentations
TEXAS GUARD LEADERSHIP UPDATE
(0900-0945)
TMD – Maj Gen John Nichols
Strategic Framework & TMD Values
TXARNG – BG Tracy Norris
Force Structure Initiatives
TXANG – Maj Gen David McMinn
Wing Initiatives
DOMOPS – BG Pat Hamilton
Border Operations
Adjournment