SUBJECT: 72ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE – 14-16 MAY 2010
BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI
TO: MEMBERS – NATIONAL GUARD ASSOCIATION OF MISSISSIPPI
1. All events for the NGAMS conference will be at the Imperial Palace Casino Resort & Spa in Biloxi, Mississippi. There are rooms blocked at the hotel at a rate of $99.00 per night which does not include state and local taxes. You may call the IP at 1-888-946-2847 #1 to make reservations. You can also secure your reservations on line at ipbiloxi.com. The meeting code is S100400. The hotel will use this code to identify you as a part of the conference block of rooms.
2. The deadline for making room reservations is 15 April 2010. Retirees are reminded to make their own reservations with the hotel.
3. The spouse of any member of the NGAMS that is mobilized and deployed is invited to attend. Registration fees for activities (excluding sporting events) will be waived for spouses of deployed members.
4. ALL REGISTRATION IS HANDLED ON A PRE-REGISTRATION BASIS ONLY AND IS DUE IN THE NGAMS OFFICE NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, 16 APRIL 2010. Please consolidate at Battalion & Higher HQs for ARNG and appropriate HQs for ANG. Tickets for events will NOT be available at the Registration Desk. Tickets will be issued for Spouses Activity, and Units Dinner. Security personnel will collect tickets at each function. Cancellations will be honored with full refund until 1430 hours 20 April 2010, if you contact NGAMS.
5. Enclosed is the report of the Committee on Nominations. We are making this information available so that everyone will be aware of who is seeking election to the offices of NGAMS.
6. Hospitality rooms will be located in the Imperial Palace Hotel. All units will have suites provided at no cost to the units. Rooms should be reserved and coordinated with COL Roy Robinson, Executive Director, NGAMS. Please e-mail request to rrobinson@ngams.org or call the association office at 601-354-7555.
7. The Montgomery Foundation will again recognize one individual this year from the MSNG to receive the Montgomery Leadership Award. This award will be presented during the Business Session on Saturday morning. As you know, this award is rotated between the ARNG and ANG each year. Nominations for the award this year were made by Air National Guard Commands. The officer selected will receive all expenses paid to the conference.
8. The navy blue polo shirt with NGAMS logo will be available again this year. The cost is $25.00 (+$2 for 2XL) per shirt. Shirts can be picked up at the registration desk or at the NGAMS office after the conference.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS – 72ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE – NGAMS
FRIDAY, 14 MAY 2010
SPORTING EVENTS
· Fishing Tournament – 0530 – 1500 hours, Teams of up to 2 anglers. All anglers must be registered prior to start time. Entry fee is $30.00/per boat/team. POC: SFC Mark L Wright, 228-214-1336, Cell 228-324-7612, or LowerMarshLegends@hughes.net.
· Fun Run – 1530 hours Keesler AFB Marina – Pre-registration fee $10.00/each, Race day registration begins at 1430 hours, fee $13.00. POC: CPT Jason Holmes – Cell 228-343-3048 or jason.holmes1@us.army.mil.
· Golf – 0800 & 1330 hours shotgun starts, Gulf Hills Country Club, Ocean Springs, MS, $40/per person. Send team names and preferred start time to NGAMS with registration. Deadline to register is 1 May 2010. POC: CPT Sean Barna – 228-234-6873 or sean.barna@us.army.mil.
· Tennis – 1100 hours Bayou Bluff Tennis Club, Gulfport, MS - $20/per player POC: SFC Missy Fritz
228-326-3061 – missy.fritz@us.army.mil.
· HOSPITALITY NIGHT – NGAMS will host a poolside event at the Imperial Palace beginning at 1900 hours with the band “Landsharks” performing. Dress casual and comfortable. Heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served and cold beer and soft drinks provided. Cash bars will be available for the duration of the event. YOUR NAME BADGE WILL ADMIT YOU TO THE POOL AREA.
REGISTRATION PACKETS - will be available at the Registration Table in the main entrance to the Imperial Palace Casino from 1100 - 1730 hours, Friday, 14 May. After that time all registration will be in the JFH Hospitality Suite.
SATURDAY, 15 MAY 2010 - Air National Guard, OCS, ROTC, and Warrant Officers that plan to attend a breakfast will include the $7.00 fee with the conference registration to NGAMS.
· ANNUAL “AT EASE GANG” BREAKFAST – 0700 hours, Ballroom A – no charge for “At Ease Gang” members.
· MS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BREAKFAST- 0700 hours, The Merge, 2nd floor.
· OCS ANNUAL ALUMNI BREAKFAST – 0700 hours, Ballroom B.
· ROTC ALUMNI BREAKFAST – 0700 hours Ballroom C.
· WARRANT OFFICER BREAKFAST – 0700 hours, Ballroom D.
· COMPANY GRADE OFFICERS INFORMATION BRIEF – 1300 hours, convention center following business session.
· BUSINESS SESSION – 0900 hours, Convention Center. Spouses are invited to attend the opening ceremony. Uniform will be ACUs or duty uniform.
· SPOUSES ACTIVITY – 10:30 a.m. Ballroom B, Imperial Palace. Come join the fun! Food, laughs & door prizes. Guest appearance by Mississippi’s own “Boss Queen,” Jill Conner Browne, The Sweet Potato Queen, “America’s #1 Humor Writer.” Jill has been featured in USA Today, Newsweek, People, and the LA Times, to name a few. No charge to attendee, but YOU MUST HAVE A TICKET for entrance.
· CASH BAR – Opens at 1830 hours.
· UNITS DINNER – Dinner will be served in the Main Ballroom at 1900 hours. Cost is $20.00 per person. Tickets will be required for admission so pre-registration is essential. Uniform for the Units Dinner will be dress blues, or mess dress with appropriate attire for spouses.
9. We hope you will make plans to attend the 132nd NGAUS Conference in Austin, Texas,
August 20-23, 2010. No deposit needed at this time, just give NGAMS your name if you want more information as it becomes available.
10. Best wishes to you in 2010. I look forward to seeing you in Biloxi in May.