Guam’s Bordallo awarded Montgomery Medal

Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo being presented the Montgomery Award by members of the National Guard Association of the United States during a ceremony on Thursday, June 2, 2016. She is pictured with Brigadier General Roderick Leon Guerrero, the Adjutant General, Guam National Guard, Colonel Diron Cruz, Major Manuel Duenas, Jr., president of the National Guard Association of Guam, and other members of the Guam National Guard. (Contributed Photo)

HAGÅTÑA, Guam—Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo was recently awarded to the Montgomery Medal by the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS). Bordallo was presented the award by members of the Guam National Guard Association which is an affiliate of the National Guard Association of the United States during a ceremony on Thursday, June 2, 2016 attended by Brigadier General Roderick Leon Guerrero, the Adjutant General, Guam National Guard, Colonel Diron Cruz, as well as by other distinguished members of the Guam National Guard, family and friends.

The Montgomery Medal is named after Gillespie V. “Sonny” Montgomery, who is remembered for his advocacy for veterans and contributions such as establishing the peacetime GI education bill and was staunch advocate for the National Guard. The Montgomery Award is presented to individuals or organizations who provides outstanding support in the pursuit of the NGAUS objectives and the medal is awarded only once within a calendar year. Congresswoman Bordallo was chosen as a recipient of the Montgomery Medal in recognition of her work to support and grow the Guam National Guard by securing funding for facilities and helping soldiers and airmen remain ready to serve Guam and the nation. It also recognized her efforts to support the National Guard State Partnership Program and her advocacy to increase and expand the missions that the Guam National Guard supports. Congresswoman Bordallo is the 11th awardee of the NGAUS Montgomery Medal.

“I am honored and humbled to be the recipient of the National Guard Association of the United States’ Montgomery Medal. The National Guard plays a critical role in maintaining our national security both at home and abroad. As a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am committed to ensuring that the National Guard around the country, especially our Guam National Guard, have the resources and training needed to support their missions. I will also continue to advocate on behalf of our Guam National Guard to expand the roles and missions that they participate in support of national objectives. As we continue the Asia-Pacific rebalance strategy it is only appropriate that the Guam National Guard continues to support this endeavor in a variety of ways. Further, throughout my years in Congress, I have made numerous trips to visit our deployed soldiers and airman, many of whom are deployed Guardsmen, and have witnessed firsthand the sacrifices they make for our island and nation. I thank NGAUS and the Guam National Guard for this award and their continued service to our nation.”