National Guard Association of Georgia (NGAGA) Awards Program
The Adjutant General of Georgia; Assistant Adjutants General Army and Air; Director of the Joint Staff; State Public Affairs Officer; Commander, 48TH Infantry Brigade Combat Team; Commander, 78TH Troop Command (Homeland Response Force); Commander, 78TH Aviation Troop Command; Commander, 648TH Maneuver Enhancement Brigade; Commander, 560TH Battlefield Surveillance Brigade; Commander, 165TH Airlift Wing; Commander; Commander, 116TH Air Control Wing; Commander, 283d Combat Communications Squadron; Commander, 530TH Air Force Band; Commander, 202d Engineer Installation Squadron; Commander, 139th Intelligence Squadron; Commander, Combat Readiness Training Center; Commander, 117TH Air Control Squadron; Commander, 165th Air Support Operations Squadron; Commander, 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron
- This packet is the current version of the instructions for the National Guard Association of Georgia (NGAGA) Awards Program.
- The suspense for the receipt of nominations for all NGAGA and National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) individual awards is 15 March. Nominations should be emailed to Chris Corley at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Particular attention should be paid to the criteria for each award and the presentation of the factual reasons why the individual deserves the award. - The NGAGA point-of-contact for individual awards is Chris Corley at (404) 275-9707 or
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . All information contained herewith is available on the NGAGA website at www.ngaga.org.
Purpose of the NGAGA Awards Program
The National Guard Association of Georgia Awards Program is designed to recognize individuals and organizations that, by superior performance, acts of heroism or meritorious service, make a contribution to the goals of the National Guard Association of Georgia and the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS), to the purpose and effectiveness of the Georgia National Guard, the broader National Guard or to the stability and security of the United States of America.
Note: All National Guard officer nominations must be a member of NGAGA and NGAUS.
The roots of this program are nested with and are an extension of the NGAUS Awards Program that began in 1936 with the NGAUS presentation of the first Pershing Plaque for marksmanship. In 1950, the first individual award, the Distinguished Service Medal, was adopted by NGAUS. Since the NGAUS program’s inception, nine more individual awards have been established: the Harry S. Truman Award for Distinguished Service in the nation’s defense (the highest NGAUS award); the Montgomery Medal; the Meritorious Service Award; the Valley Forge Cross for Heroism; the Charles Dick Medal of Merit; the Patrick Henry Award; the Garde National Trophy; and the Theodore Roosevelt Leadership Award for company grade officers. The Eagle Rising Award for warrant officers is the newest addition to the NGAUS individual awards program and was presented for the first time during the 134th NGAUS General Conference in Reno, Nevada 9-12 September 2012. The selection for one of these awards is determined by the NGAUS awards committee and is based on national nominations submitted to NGAUS by the NGAGA or other state National Guard officer associations throughout the United States.
As an extension of the NGAUS awards program, the NGAGA awards program has established six more individual awards: the Georgia Minuteman Award (the highest honor bestowed on a member of NGAGA); the Terrell T. Reddick Leadership Award for company grade officers; the James Edward Oglethorpe Outstanding Service Award; the Georgia Patriot Humanitarianism Award; and the NGAGA Certificate of Appreciation. The selection for one of these awards is determined by the NGAGA awards committee and is based upon state level nominations submitted by any active member of NGAGA or the Georgia National Guard. In instances where nominations have been submitted for a national level NGAUS award, the NGAGA awards committee may also consider these nominations for state level NGAGA award eligibility and selection. Suspense for submission of these awards is 15 March each year.
Awards Procedures
Presentation of Awards
NGAUS awards are presented during the Association’s annual General Conference to afford maximum national visibility to award recipients by their National Guard peers. By the same token, NGAGA awards are presented during the Association’s annual State General Conference to also afford maximum state visibility to award recipients by their Georgia National Guard peers and leadership.
NGAUS and NGAGA Committees on Awards
The NGAGA Awards Committee is responsible for reviewing the NGAGA and NGAUS Awards Program for adequacy, administrative effectiveness and makes program changes/recommendations to the NGAGA or NGAUS Board of Directors, as necessary. The NGAGA Awards Committee reviews all nominations for NGAGA and NGAUS awards and makes the final selection recommendations to the NGAGA Board of Directors. NGAGA state awards are determined by the NGAGA Board of Directors based upon NGAGA Award Committee recommendations. Georgia NGAUS award nominations are vetted by the NGAGA Awards Committee and provided to the NGAGA Board of Directors for consideration and submission to the NGAUS Awards Committee.
Award Nomination Process
The first enclosure of this packet is the nomination form to be used for making a recommendation for either a NGAUS or NGAGA individual award. Each recommendation for either a NGAUS or NGAGA award must contain the information required on the enclosed nomination form or other correspondence utilizing the same format.
Any member of NGAGA or the commander of any Georgia National Guard Army or Air unit may submit a recommendation for either a NGAGA or NGAUS individual award that they consider appropriate. In order to prevent duplication of effort, it is requested that all recommendations for NGAUS and NGAGA awards be forwarded through major subordinate command headquarters (or separate battalion/ squadron headquarters) to the NGAGA Awards Committee. NGAUS or NGAGA awards that require membership will be verified. If the nominee does not meet the membership requirements of the award, the nominee recommendation will not be considered.
Nomination(s) should be mailed to NGAGA Awards Committee, P.O. Box 7591, Marietta, GA 30065. Nomination(s) may also be faxed to (404) 434-9049 or emailed to
Award Nomination Suspense Date(s)
The suspense for the receipt of nominations for all NGAGA and National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) individual awards is 15 March of each year. Particular attention should be paid to the criteria for each award and the presentation of the factual reasons why the individual deserves the award.