Brush visits South Dakota Air National Guard

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Luke Olson
  • 114th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. --  Chief Master Sgt. Mitchell O. Brush, Senior Enlisted Advisor for the National Guard Bureau, visited the 114th Fighter Wing, Joe Foss Field, S.D. to discuss current issues March 5, 2016.

Brush advises Gen. Frank J. Grass, 27th Chief, NGB, on all enlisted matters affecting training, effective utilization, health of the force, and enlisted professional development. Brush and Grass serve as the NGB's official channel of communication with the Governors and Adjutants General throughout the 54 states and territories.

Brush visited several areas and personally met with Airmen to hear their Air Force and civilian stories.  Members of the 114th FW were also given the opportunity to share their concerns with Brush so he could take them back to Gen. Grass and address them at the NGB. Grass is responsible for ensuring that nearly 460,000 Army and Air National Guard personnel are accessible, capable and ready to protect the homeland and to provide combat ready resources to the Army and Air Force.

"Our primary responsibility at the NGB is to assist, affect, educate, and change policy within the Department of Defense," said Brush. "We are service providers for the Air National Guard and Army National Guard."

Chief Brush aims to pay close attention to members to ensure guardsman can stay on task and educate them on the resources available. These resources are put in place to help guardsman prepare and educate their family, employers, and deal with any issues that may arise said Brush.

One of his biggest goals is to educate not just the force, but also the communities as to the capabilities of the National Guard on a state to state and global level.

"The guard is the best kept secret, but why is it a secret?" said Brush. "We need to educate everybody and the guardsmen are the front lines of the military because we are in 3,000 communities. We are everywhere so people most likely get their impressions of the military from a guardsman."

Brush pointed out that the reason he took on his senior enlisted advisor role was to represent our traditional guardsman.

"I get to represent a force that wants to serve and is truly an all voluntary force," said Brush. "Yes we sign contracts, but we aren't serving just because of that contract. I get to hear and see amazing people doing amazing things and then bring that back to the NGB and share with Gen. Grass."