JUST WHAT IS THIS ENLISTED ASSOCIATION AND WHY SHOULD I JOIN?

The Wisconsin National Guard Enlisted Association (WNGEA) is a voluntary membership organization. Its purpose is to foster and improve the National Guard, promote the welfare, status, and professionalism of all Enlisted members of the National Guard. The WNGEA was established democratically under a charter and bylaw. The Executive Council, a body of members, representative of the membership, is charged with the operation and continuance of the association. The elected leadership of the WNGEA comes from the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Recording Secretary. Various standing and ad-hoc committees and functions are established. Each of these responsibilities and functions is setup to study a specific area. Chairpersons, liaisons, and managers report to the executive council at each quarter and to the membership at the annual meeting. The Executive Council and membership hears all reports and business, and approves or disapproves issues thru parliamentary procedure, there by setting the policy and goals of the association.

Please take the time to look at the new Power Point Presentation about the WNGEA and how you can be involved. This presentation will be kept up to date with the latest information. There is an EANGUS Presentation called: EANGUS 101. Both presentations will help members learn more about the Enlisted Association.

The Issues that the WNGEA works on are people issues. The Officers Associations work basically on equipment issues but support our people issues, and we support their equipment issues. As a member of the National Guard, you have certain benefits of membership. What if you were to loose those benefits, or they were reduced to 50%? What would happen if you lost your 100% college tuition that you receive by being a member of the Wisconsin National Guard? What if your unit couldn’t get any modern equipment as the active forces have, or couldn’t maintain a certain strength, and some active four star said, that those units, (your unit), that don’t have the proper equipment, or up to strength will be de-activated, merged into another unit, or moved to another state? This would mean you may not have a position to support your present rank, or local unit to drill at, and all your benefits of membership would be in peril. There goes your pay, your scholarships, and if you were planning to stick around for 20 years, your retirement investment.

Each unit in the Wisconsin National Guard usually has a member volunteer who is called a WNGEA Unit Representative. This person can and will answer your questions, and is to keep the members of the WNGEA in his/her unit informed as to what is happening within the association, or point them to this web site. If your unit does not have this person, contact your 1stSgt, or call the Executive Director in Madison to establish one.

The state association is part of the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS). The goals of the national organization are similar to our own goals, but on a grander scale. EANGUS works with the US Congress and the Department of the Defense.

Sometimes there are times you wish you could do something that would affect an outcome that you desire or care about, but location, military rank, military association, or age ties your hands to do it on your own. Or, you just want to keep tuned to the causes and concerns of the National Guard members that work for you. Now you can support an organization and establish a relationship with other Enlisted members that have similar concerns.

Membership in the WNGEA and EANGUS gives you a voice in how the state and federal government takes care of their soldiers and airmen and women in uniform. You may be just one little voice by yourself, but when you join the thousands of other state Guardmembers in Wisconsin and all other states, your voice is multiplied, and becomes very loud and direct, so it is heard.

The WNGEA and EANGUS are the only professional organizations dedicated to supporting rights and benefits of Enlisted members of the Wisconsin National Guard and the United States. As the downsizing of the military, and cutbacks continue, we must fight to maintain the benefits we have, and to continue our efforts to keep the National Guard a viable force in the military. Achieving the goals we have set takes time and patience, just as a military career does. It also takes members who care, who are willing to participate, and even willing to complain. The bottom line is, if we don't look out for ourselves, no one else will!

I'm a Member. How about YOU?