CMSgt Roger A. Hagan


15th EANGUS President

State Association:  Montana
Term:  2010 – 2012

Organizational Achievements

Paid off the mortgage for our Headquarters office building at 3133 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA., on 12 November 2010. EANGUS, NGAUS and AGAUS created a National Guard Coalition on 10 February 2011. Signers were AGAUS President, Maj Gen Michael Dube; NGAUS Chairman of the Board, MG Francis Vavala; and EANGUS President, CMSgt (Ret) Roger A. Hagan. Re-launch of the New Patriot Magazine, first issue March 2011. Focus on look and content to become the “Journal of National Guard Enlisted Professionals”. EANGUS hosted the 375th National Guard Birthday Ball, at the Gaylord Hotel, National Harbor, MD, November 8, 2011. This event, in conjunction with the Joint Senior Leaders Conference (JSLC) was attended by over 1,200 military, congressional, industry and civilian members of the D.C. area. In conjunction with the 375th celebration, in 2011, EANGUS minted the National Guard 375th Birthday Commemorative Edition “Newtowne Musket”, an original replica of the circa 1636 Massachusetts Bay Colony Musket from the collections of the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History. Increased membership from 2010 to 2011 by 8.2% (43,447 in 2010 to 46,995 in 2011). In early 2011, EANGUS was invited by the prestigious Heritage Foundation to participate with a panel including EANGUS Executive Director Al Garver, Congressman Tim Walz, COL (R) Patrick Tennis from MOAA, and CSM John Gipe, NGB, concerning Guard and Reserve Issues.

Organizational Challenges

In Past President Hagan’s first term as Vice President serving with President Nathe, he served as the Acting Executive Director of EANGUS from January to June of 1990, from the resignation of Jim Hendricks and until the appointment of Executive Director Mike Cline. Completed update of the WCFA Bylaws, EANGUS Service Corporation Bylaws and EANGUS Bylaws. Process started in 2011. Securing funding for the WCFA Soldiers and Airmen Relief Fund continued to be a challenge. Growing the Corporate Partnership program and the Annual Conference Exhibition program. It was during this time that the National Guard saw women serve in new assignments within the Intelligence, Communications, and Logistics career fields in units smaller than a Brigade.

Legislative Accomplishments

In December 2011, Congress approved legislation authorizing the Chief, National Guard Bureau (CNGB) a seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Craig McKinley was the first to serve in this position. Pushed Congress to authorize the Chief of the National Guard Bureau to provide transition-assistance advisors in each state, restore Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence leave. New GI Bill benefits for books, stipends, and tutors. Lower TRICARE Reserve Select fees for Guard and Reserve. EANGUS took a stand against budget cuts to the Air National Guard that would have affected hundreds of aircraft and 5,100 Air Guard personnel. This would have forced the Air Guard to take on 59% of the total aircraft reductions and six times the per capita personnel reductions in the Air Force.