WEBVTT 00:01.019 --> 00:02.908 Position of colors for the senior 00:02.908 --> 00:04.963 enlisted advisor to the Chief of the 00:04.963 --> 00:07.075 National Guard Bureau . And I'll tell 00:07.075 --> 00:09.241 you what , it's not really my position 00:09.241 --> 00:11.352 of colors . It's a badge of honor for 00:11.352 --> 00:13.463 our enlisted force . I'm so impressed 00:13.463 --> 00:15.463 with the fact that we actually have 00:15.463 --> 00:14.979 this , you know , we've been around 00:14.989 --> 00:17.030 since 1636 and we have been an 00:17.040 --> 00:19.151 institution to be reckoned with since 00:19.151 --> 00:21.360 then . And it's an evolution of who we 00:21.370 --> 00:23.426 are as a National Guard , you know , 00:23.426 --> 00:25.314 doing those things that have been 00:25.314 --> 00:27.537 happening in other services . But we as 00:27.537 --> 00:29.426 a we isn't a list of force in the 00:29.426 --> 00:31.481 National Guard . We are a phenomenal 00:31.481 --> 00:33.703 force and this is only a recognition of 00:33.703 --> 00:35.648 something that has already been in 00:35.648 --> 00:37.759 place for hundreds of years . So what 00:37.759 --> 00:39.703 it means for the future of the cli 00:39.703 --> 00:41.703 advisor , I would say it just means 00:41.703 --> 00:43.814 that it's a reaffirmation of the hard 00:43.814 --> 00:46.037 work that needs to be done and that has 00:46.037 --> 00:48.148 been done . You know , when we go out 00:48.148 --> 00:50.203 as a National Guard and we train our 00:50.203 --> 00:52.259 partners and allies and we work with 00:52.259 --> 00:51.979 the other components . You know , it's 00:51.990 --> 00:53.934 not something that they don't know 00:53.934 --> 00:56.157 about us but what it does is it reminds 00:56.157 --> 00:58.323 those that come , um , years after the 00:58.323 --> 01:00.268 senior elicit advisor that this is 01:00.268 --> 01:02.379 something not only to aspire to , but 01:02.379 --> 01:04.601 to hold in the highest regard and to do 01:04.601 --> 01:06.768 their absolute best to represent it in 01:06.768 --> 01:08.823 its absolute best , you know , to be 01:08.823 --> 01:10.934 able to go somewhere with the flag of 01:10.934 --> 01:12.934 our enlisted National Guard force . 01:12.934 --> 01:14.990 I'll tell you what it is going to be 01:14.990 --> 01:14.620 something that will make people stand 01:14.629 --> 01:16.740 just a little taller . And I love the 01:16.750 --> 01:18.972 opportunity to be able to do that . And 01:18.972 --> 01:20.972 I'm humbled by that because there's 01:20.972 --> 01:23.083 been so many great c enlisted leaders 01:23.083 --> 01:25.306 uh to have the opportunity to do that . 01:25.306 --> 01:27.472 I , I just think that um I , I stand a 01:27.472 --> 01:29.528 little taller too , but I just think 01:29.528 --> 01:29.300 it's a great responsibility that I 01:29.309 --> 01:31.639 don't take lightly . So wearing this 01:31.650 --> 01:33.872 uniform . Now for over 40 years , there 01:33.872 --> 01:35.761 are certain things that you think 01:35.761 --> 01:37.872 you'll aspire to , but then there are 01:37.872 --> 01:37.860 things that happen that you just can't 01:37.870 --> 01:40.620 put in a word sometimes and to be here 01:40.629 --> 01:42.685 in this position as the first senior 01:42.685 --> 01:44.907 enlisted advisor with the distinct rank 01:44.907 --> 01:47.018 and now have the position of colors . 01:47.018 --> 01:49.069 It just says that uh one , I don't 01:49.080 --> 01:51.302 believe I'm lucky , I believe that I've 01:51.302 --> 01:53.469 been set up for success because of the 01:53.469 --> 01:55.580 great leaders that I've had that have 01:55.580 --> 01:57.802 come before me , the great mentors I've 01:57.802 --> 01:57.750 had and that I just see this as a great 01:57.760 --> 02:00.449 opportunity to put our enlisted force 02:00.459 --> 02:02.760 just in a greater position to do even 02:02.769 --> 02:04.769 more for our National Guard for the 02:04.769 --> 02:06.991 next 400 years . The position of colors 02:06.991 --> 02:09.102 represent the entire National Guard , 02:09.102 --> 02:11.158 not just the enlisted force . Uh The 02:11.158 --> 02:13.325 colors themselves are strong , they're 02:13.325 --> 02:15.491 powerful , they're humble and they are 02:15.491 --> 02:17.580 service oriented and that's us as a 02:17.589 --> 02:19.922 National Guard . That's our institution . 02:19.922 --> 02:22.145 Always ready . Always there . So , when 02:22.145 --> 02:24.145 you see the flag , it's , uh , it's 02:24.145 --> 02:26.033 very regal . It's uh you'll see , 02:26.033 --> 02:28.089 you'll notice in the background that 02:28.089 --> 02:30.311 it's uh a diagonal uh slice or should I 02:30.311 --> 02:32.478 say , division between the ultramarine 02:32.478 --> 02:32.195 blue , which represents the United 02:32.205 --> 02:34.261 States Air Force and the dark blue , 02:34.261 --> 02:36.594 which represents our United States Army . 02:36.594 --> 02:38.594 So that's both the Army and the Air 02:38.594 --> 02:38.414 National Guard . And then right in the 02:38.425 --> 02:40.647 middle , you'll have our National Guard 02:40.647 --> 02:42.481 symbol , which is the eagle that 02:42.481 --> 02:42.225 symbolizes our duties and 02:42.235 --> 02:44.513 responsibilities as the National Guard . 02:44.513 --> 02:47.029 You also notice around this uh outside 02:47.039 --> 02:49.250 of the eagle itself , the 45 pointed 02:49.259 --> 02:51.470 stars that represents our four star 02:51.479 --> 02:53.646 command , which is our General General 02:53.646 --> 02:55.868 Daniel Ho and the chief of the National 02:55.868 --> 02:58.201 Guard Bureau at the time . Uh Right now , 02:58.201 --> 02:59.923 I should say who is an amazing 02:59.923 --> 03:02.035 supporter of our enlisted force . And 03:02.035 --> 03:01.740 then of course , you'll see in red , 03:01.750 --> 03:04.490 you'll see 1636 and of course , the 03:04.500 --> 03:06.820 National Guard and when you look at the 03:06.830 --> 03:08.886 flag in its totality , it represents 03:08.886 --> 03:10.941 everything about us , our heraldry , 03:10.941 --> 03:13.108 the mission that we have in the future 03:13.108 --> 03:16.529 of the National Guard . 1636 we are the 03:16.539 --> 03:18.706 oldest institution when you talk about 03:18.706 --> 03:20.928 the military for our United States . So 03:20.928 --> 03:23.095 to have this at joint base , Myers , I 03:23.095 --> 03:25.220 wanna tell you , it just says we are 03:25.490 --> 03:27.601 that National Guard that everyone now 03:27.601 --> 03:29.546 has an opportunity to experience . 03:29.546 --> 03:31.768 They'll be the people that will come to 03:31.768 --> 03:34.046 the national capital region . You know , 03:34.046 --> 03:33.070 they don't know about the DC National 03:33.080 --> 03:35.302 Guard . They'll have the opportunity to 03:35.302 --> 03:37.080 go to our , our August building 03:37.080 --> 03:39.136 downtown . But now they can actually 03:39.136 --> 03:41.136 come in and experience our heritage 03:41.136 --> 03:43.247 from the beginning to up to this very 03:43.247 --> 03:45.302 day . And I wanna tell you what it's 03:45.302 --> 03:47.358 gonna be a lot more to them and it's 03:47.358 --> 03:49.413 gonna be a lot to us because now the 03:49.413 --> 03:49.149 things that we talk about the public 03:49.160 --> 03:50.938 will get a chance to see it for 03:50.938 --> 03:53.160 themselves . I've already thought about 03:53.160 --> 03:55.327 us using it for off sites so that when 03:55.327 --> 03:55.279 we come over to talk about the future 03:55.289 --> 03:57.400 of the Enlisted Force of the National 03:57.400 --> 03:59.567 Guard , we will have motivation around 03:59.567 --> 04:01.789 us the entire time . The last thing I'd 04:01.789 --> 04:03.956 like to add about the heritage room is 04:03.956 --> 04:06.122 come over , experience it for yourself 04:06.122 --> 04:06.020 and then bring for your friends when 04:06.029 --> 04:08.029 you come the next time . But if you 04:08.029 --> 04:09.918 have an opportunity to use it for 04:09.918 --> 04:12.140 whatever it may be , and you'll be able 04:12.140 --> 04:13.918 to experience the history , the 04:13.918 --> 04:15.862 heraldry and the importance of the 04:15.862 --> 04:17.973 National Guard to our country's great 04:17.973 --> 04:17.220 history .