Gov. Heineman, Nebraska National Guard Celebrate 378th Birthday in Nebraska State Capitol

Press Release

Today, Governor Dave Heineman joined members of the National Guard to celebrate the organization's 378th Birthday at a ceremony at the State Capitol. Gov. Heineman thanked the service members for their continued service and sacrifices, noting that the families of Nebraska's National Guardsmen also contribute to the success of the Guard. Gov. Heineman has served as the Commander in Chief of the Nebraska National Guard for 10 years, the longest tenure in Nebraska's history.

Gov. Heineman was awarded the Nebraska National Guard's State Legion of Merit Medal, a distinguished honor recognizing his record tenure and exemplary leadership as the Guard's Commander in Chief. Of particular note was his service as a war-time Chief, with the National Guard having deployed thousands of soldiers and airmen around the world under the Governor's watch in efforts related to the Global War of Terror.

"I am incredibly proud of the members of our Army and Air Nebraska National Guard and the unique role they fulfill in our nation's and our state's defense," Gov. Heineman said. "The National Guard stands ever ready to serve Nebraskans in need, as we have seen many times in recent years during wildfires that affected significant portions of our state, during the historic flooding on the Missouri and Platte Rivers and the tornados in Pilger, Wayne, Beaver Crossing, Cordova, Sutton and many other parts of Nebraska. I thank our soldiers and their families for the continued sacrifices asked of them. These are the real heroes of our great state."

Governor Heineman, through his national leadership roles with the National Governors Association, worked to promote and secure the elevated position of the National Guard on the national level. In January 2012, the National Guard joined the nation's highest military council, the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This effort was in part of the recognition of the Guard's prominent role in the Global War on Terror.

State Senator Bill Avery, the chairman of the Nebraska Government, Military and Veteran Affairs Committee, also received an award. The ceremony included music by the National Guard's 43rd Army Band; speeches by Gov. Heineman, State Sen. Avery and Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac, Nebraska's Adjutant General; a moment of silence for those Nebraska National Guard Soldiers who have lost their lives since 2003 while engaged in combat operations; and the cutting of a National Guard's birthday cake by the youngest and oldest Nebraska Army and Air National Guard attendees.

Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac stated, "This is a great day to celebrate not only our current generation of National Guard soldiers and airmen, and their families, but also to celebrate the legacy of those National Guardsmen who came before us. Their work and sacrifices made the National Guard what it is today. It's also a day to thank Governor Heineman and Senator Avery for their services and the contributions that they made ensure our Nebraska National Guard's ability to be always ready and always there."

The National Guard traces its birthday back to Dec. 13, 1636, when the general court of Massachusetts Bay Colony formed existing militia companies from town surrounding Boston into the first Guard regiments. That fledgling organization has now grown into the modern Army and Air National Guard that is stationed in all 54 states, territories and the District of Columbia, and serves as a primary operational reserve force for the U.S. Army, Air Force and the Department of Defense. This has resulted in the deployments of tens of thousands of National Guard Soldiers and Airmen around the globe in support of national operations.

National Guard units also serve in their local states and communities, providing a wide array of support to local and state officials, especially during state emergencies such as occurred in Nebraska in 2014 following the tornadoes that struck Beaver Crossing and Pilger.

Closer to home, the Nebraska National Guard traces its individual lineage back to Dec. 23, 1854, when acting Territorial Governor Thomas B. Cumming issued a proclamation urging the citizens of the Nebraska Territory to organize into volunteer companies.

The Nebraska National Guard's role was further codified on Feb. 28, 1881, when the Nebraska State Legislature established the Nebraska military code, under which all units within the state became part of the Nebraska National Guard under the office of the adjutant general.

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