Due to weather uncertainty and logistics, the Wreath laying ceremonies has been moved from Atascadero’s Faces of Freedom at 1:00 pm to Camp San Luis Obispo, Shank Hall Bldg 918 at 6:00 p.m. Friday evening. Attached please find the press release for the 2019 National Guard Association of California (NGAC) Conference. Per the our theme History, Culture, and future, the NGAC will be addressing perhaps the most pressing threat to our National Guard and military community–suicides. The National Guard of the United States has the highest suicide rate among the three components.
Although the California National Guard one of the lowest suicide rates of all the National Guards in the 54 states and territories, they are in agreement with the NGAC that one suicide is one too many and are collaborating on a joint program to lead the Nation in suicide prevention; not only within the Cal Guard, but across the entire California Military and veteran community.The NGAC will brief a joint venture of the NGAC, the California National Guard, the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) and the California Veterans Commander Council (CVCC_ that addresses the outside stresses contributing to suicidal ideation and a package of comprehensive programs that addresses relationships, financial, career, family, and mental trauma to alleviate pressures contributing to suicides. Among the speakers at the 2019 conference are:
1) Dr. Brian Rees, of San Luis Obispo. Dr. Rees will speak on Transcendental Meditation (TM) and its acceptability and applicability for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for relieving suicidal application.
2_Col. (Chaplain) Wesley Clare, state Chaplain of the California National Guard, will speak on Strong Bonds–a program for National Guard and military families to recognize alienation and bond together to avoid suicidal ideation.
3) Brig. Gen. (CA) Pete Cross speaks to the California National Guard’s and NGAC’s collaborative effort on the suicide issue and promotion of Central California Camp and Training Facilities
4) Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Jim Combs, Employer Support to the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) working with employers to help reduce career stresses that contribute to suicidal ideation.
San Luis Obispo
5) Camp Roberts Museum Historian Dirk Hale, history of Camp Roberts and San Luis Obispo
6) Brig. Gen. (Retired) John Harrell, military historian, the preparedness of the 1940 National Guard that made it one of the first National Guard units launched after the attack on Pearl Harbor–that earned them the nickname “Rattle Snake Division” in the Pacific in WWII.
NGAC will have press kids with bios of the above available at the CSLO main Gate.
