National Guard group honors several Nevadans

The state of Nevada and the Nevada National Guard received more honors than any other state or territory Saturday during the 142nd annual National Guard Association of the United States general conference.

Nevada received nine of the 52 individual awards handed out to recipients of the nation’s 54 states, territories and District of Columbia.

“Nevada was the most recognized state by far, and I would like to wholeheartedly congratulate all those who did Nevada proud and continue to serve with distinction,” Nevada Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Ondra Berry said. “Our soldiers and airmen continue to show how they are neighbors helping neighbors. They epitomize what it means to be Battle Born, Battle Ready.”

Brig. Gen. William Burks, Nevada’s previous adjutant general, won the G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Medal. State Sen. Patricia Spearman, who spearheaded the creation of Nevada’s first Youth Challenge program, received the Charles Dick Medal of Merit. The Barracuda Championship, the Nevada Attorney General’s Office of Military Legal Assistance, the Nevada Military Support Alliance and the Northern Nevada Black Cultural Awareness Society received the Patrick Henry Award.

Also, Capt. Samuel Delaney and Capt. Lewis Roberts received the Theodore Roosevelt Leadership Award for company grade officers and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Joseph Sherych received the Eagle Rising Award for Warrant Officers.

NGAUS was founded in 1878 as a congressional lobbying organization for National Guard issues. This year’s conference was originally scheduled to be held in Boston before it was rescheduled as a virtual conference because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For a complete list of award recipients, visit: https://www.ngaus.org/about-ngaus/awards/2020-award-recipients