Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, and most importantly, the incredible military families gathered here tonight. I’m General Steve Nordhaus, the 30th chief of the National Guard Bureau. It’s my honor to be with you tonight as we celebrate the resilience, courage, and leadership of our military children—young men and women who embody the strength and fortitude of our Nation’s military families. This is the first time my wife, Shannon, and I have had the privilege of attending a Military Child of the Year Gala, and I have to say, what an amazing job they do shining a light on young leaders who excel in academics, volunteerism, and extracurriculars while navigating the many unique challenges of life as a military child.
Tonight, I am proud to introduce the 2025 Military Child of the Year for the National Guard - Emily Baldeosingh. When Emily was born, her father, Army National Guard Sergeant Juan Carlos Baldeosingh, recognized her potential right away. He said, “She is special. She is going to be something, someday.” And he was absolutely right. Tragically, Juan Carlos made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation in 2009. He was killed in Iraq alongside three of his fellow North Carolina Guardsmen. Emily was just two years old—an awful burden to bear. And yet, stories of his unshakable belief that she was destined for greatness carried her forward, shaping her into the remarkable young woman we honor today.
Emily, now 18, lives in Havelock, North Carolina, with her mother, Rebecca, and her stepfather, retired Marine Sergeant Major Skip Amaker, himself a veteran of 26 years and six deployments. She is a Gold Star daughter, a salutatorian, and the president of her senior class at Havelock HS. But her story of resilience goes far beyond titles. At age 8, Emily faced another personal challenge when she was diagnosed with hearing loss. She could have let this diagnosis stop her, but instead she embraced our Guard ethos—“Always Ready, Always There”—donning a bright blue hearing aid and stepping boldly into the world of sports and leadership.
Emily has too many accolades to mention - if I read them all, we’d be here all night! Here are just a few: she’s a varsity cheer captain, a two-time National Cheerleading Association Top All-American cheerleader, and now an instructor with the National Cheerleading Association staff. She’s a multi-sport athlete, a social media “influencer” - launching her school’s spirit Instagram account, and she’s the Havelock Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Volunteer of the Year. She earned that last honor by accruing 389 volunteer hours in just 12 months. By my calculations- that’s an average of about 7.5 hours of volunteering per week - for an entire year! She’s also a junior counselor at Gold Star Sailing, a non-profit, volunteer-based organization serving children of fallen military service members. Emily plans to study international business at High Point University in North Carolina, and dreams of a career in real estate in Fort Lauderdale, helping others find their forever homes.
Through it all, she lives to honor her father. “I do everything for my dad,” she says, “because it’s my duty as his daughter to carry on his legacy and make him proud.” She urges her fellow military children to embrace the unpredictable adventure of this life—to stay open, connected, and hopeful. Emily Baldeosingh is incredible, just as her father knew she would be. She is a testament to the strength of our National Guard families and a beacon of what it means to strive for excellence and seek fulfillment in serving others. So, with that, please join me in welcoming to the stage the 2025 Military Child of the Year for the National Guard - Emily Baldeosingh!