EANGUS State Presidents/Legislative Workshop(s)
Location: West Atrium, The Royal Sonesta Washington DC, 20 Massachusetts Ave, Washington DC 20001
Host Hotel: Courtyard Washington, DC/U.S. Capitol | $169 + tax (Room block ends on 9 Feb 2024)
When: 24-28 February 2024
Registration fee: State Presidents Workshop (only) – $75
Junior Enlisted Legislative Engagement Session (Only) – $25
Legislative Workshop – $125
Attend both conferences – $150
Guest attendance (does not include workshop) – $25
Tabletop Exhibit for the President’s Workshop – $250
No Refunds after 17 FEB 2024
THE EANGUS SONNY MONTGOMERY EAGLE AWARD

Rep. Dale Strong- AL
Congressman Dale Strong has deep family roots in North Alabama. A graduate of Sparkman High School, Dale holds a bachelor’s degree from Athens State University and an EMT license from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
No stranger to hard work, Dale grew up working at his father’s country store. Dale’s father, Horace, launched a tour bus business taking North Alabama school and church groups on charter trips across the country. Working alongside his father, Dale’s efforts helped put him, his brother and sister through college.
A true public servant, Dale has spent his entire adult life as a committed first responder. The congressman, who has served for more than three decades as an EMT, volunteer firefighter and 911 dispatcher, holds a Medal of Valor in recognition of his unwavering dedication to saving lives.
In 1996, Dale became the youngest Republican elected official in the state of Alabama when he was elected to serve on the Madison County Commission, representing District 4. In this capacity, Dale led numerous public safety and infrastructure initiatives, improving the quality of life for county residents.
Dale married Laura Toney in 1999. The couple, who has been married for 24 years, have two children: Whitney and Harrison, who are both attending Auburn University. The family attends Mt. Zion Baptist Church, the same church family Dale shared as a child.
In 2012, Dale was elected as the Madison County Commission’s first-ever Republican chairman. Taking a business-minded approach to local government, Dale reduced the county workforce, brought about department efficiency, and implement sound financial management. Without raising taxes, Dale’s leadership resulted in the construction of new roads and schools across Madison County.
Throughout his tenure as chairman of the Madison County Commission, Dale collaborated with leaders across North Alabama to successfully recruit game-changing projects such as Toyota Mazda, Polaris, Facebook, Blue Origin, and GE Aviation to the region. He also played a vital role in working alongside Alabama’s federal delegation to support Redstone Arsenal and Research Park, helping attract the FBI and Space Command to the Tennessee Valley.
In November 2022, Dale was elected to serve as the next congressman for Alabama’s Fifth Congressional District. Upon assuming office, Dale immediately began to advocate for his constituency, receiving assignments to serve on the House Armed Services, Homeland Security, and Science, Space and Technology Committees for the 118th Congress.
AGENDA'S
CONGRESSIONAL PANEL
Christopher Bennett
Chris Bennett serves as a Professional Staff Member for the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, which means he focuses on service members’ transition out of the military, veteran education benefits, housing, and employment. Prior to working on the Committee, Chris worked for Representative Walz as a Legislative Assistant handing veterans, education, and postal service issues. Chris started on the Hill in 2015 as a fellow for Representative Palazzo handling national security issues and his co-chairmanship of the House National Guard and Reserve Components Caucus.
Chris grew up near New York City. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame and commissioned into the Tennessee Army National Guard in 2011 as a cavalry scout. In 2013 he deployed with the 1-294th IN, Guam Army National Guard to Kabul, Afghanistan. Chris continues to serve in the West Virginia Army National Guard.
Matthew N. Reel
Matt is the Staff Director for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Matt manages the committee staff in this role and serves as the top policy and political advisor to Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) and Democratic party members. Before joining the committee staff in 2017, Matt served a brief stint as a congressional liaison officer with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Matt began his congressional career as a field representative and then managed the legislative operations for Congressman Lincoln Davis (TN-4) and Congresswoman Terri Sewell (AL-7). Since 2003, Matt has served in the Army National Guard as a reserve component Special Forces Green Beret, completing tours in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Colombia. He is currently assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), and is the 18Z (Special Forces Team Sergeant) for a Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha. Matt is a Tennessee native and Austin Peay State University graduate, where he played defensive end on the football team.
Nate Guajardo
Nate Guajardo is a combat veteran and national security professional with a decade of experience in the intelligence and special operations communities. He attended Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California majoring in history and completed an honors project on Russian political theory. Shortly after graduating, he enlisted into the United States Army as a Cryptologic Linguist. He was a distinguished honor graduate of the Russian language program at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. He completed tours of duty in Vicenza, Italy with the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) and at FT Carson, Colorado with the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Basic Parachutist Course and is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for actions in Afghanistan. After leaving active service, he joined the Maryland Army National Guard and continues to serve. He served as a National Security Fellow in U.S. Senator Michael Bennet’s office and was a key architect of the office’s defense and foreign policy portfolios. In February of 2023, he joined the office of U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal as his Military Legislative Assistant. As the MLA, he is responsible for crafting policy for the Senator’s national security, foreign affairs, and veterans portfolios. He resides in Washington D.C. with his German shepherd, Chief.