Acting National Guard Bureau Chief: 'This is What We’re Built For'

DETROIT - In a time of global uncertainty, the National Guard's top officer, serving in an acting capacity, shared a message of strength and stability to attendees of the 146th National Guard Association of the United States General Conference.

"We've got an awesome job, y'all," Army Lt. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, acting chief of the National Guard Bureau said. "Be proud of who you are. The state of our world may be dangerous and dynamic, but the state of our Guard is strong."

When Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson retired Aug. 1, he relinquished his role as the 29th Chief of the National Guard Bureau and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff without a Senate-confirmed successor.

Enter Stubbs.

"In this role, I see myself as Snoop Dogg at the Olympics, someone carrying the torch for more talented people before the games begin," he said. "I did not plan to be up here today. I had every intention of being down in the audience with you…to hear from the 30th Chief of the National Guard Bureau and the direction of the next four years."

Last month, Stubbs was in Little Rock, serving as the adjutant general of the Arkansas National Guard. On July 31, he was confirmed by the Senate to lead the Army National Guard as its director, and was propelled into the acting CNGB role to helm the Guard Bureau during its transition between four-star leaders.

"The fact that I'm up here, facing the wrong way in the room, is a testament to the fact you can't always count on things going as planned," he said. "You have to be ready to take on any challenge, ready to look at the big picture, and ready to speak your truth and show people who you are."

Stubbs told the audience that during his time as acting CNGB, the 430,000-member strong Guard will remain focused on people, readiness, modernization and reform.

He outlined the challenges facing the United States and the Guard from his vantage point. He walked through the global environment, including the United States' pacing challenge with the People's Republic of China, Ukraine's ongoing fight for its sovereignty against Russia's unprovoked aggression, and violent contention in the Middle East.

He encouraged Guardsmen to remain ready to support crises in the homeland.

Today, there are about 40,000 Guardsmen engaged domestically and abroad.

"We're the National Guard! This is what we're built for," Stubbs said. "We are successful in times of crisis because of what we're built for: the National Guard is built for combat. And if you're ready for combat, you're ready for anything."

Stubbs brings considerable experience to the Guard Bureau. He enlisted in the Tennessee Army National Guard in 1993 and was commissioned as an Infantry officer two years later. He held every leadership position within the Arkansas Guard's 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, from rifle platoon leader to brigade commander.

Speaking to a group of Michigan National Guardsmen, Stubbs outlined the cornerstones of his leadership philosophy: excellence, teamwork, accountability and trust.

"You have to develop, grow and guard that trust, inside and outside your organization," he said. "When it comes time to do our job, whether here within the homeland supporting our citizens, or when the nation calls for us to deploy to go fight and win, that trust, that bond is born.

"It's unbreakable," he said. "It's unbeatable. And victory is assured. Our country is counting on us, and we will not let them down."

The CNGB serves as a military adviser to the president, secretary of defense, National Security Council and is the Department of Defense's official channel of communication to the governors and state adjutants general on all matters pertaining to the National Guard.

President Joe Biden nominated Air Force Lt. Gen. Steven S. Nordhaus, currently the commander of U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and 1st Air Force (U.S. Air Forces Northern and U.S. Air Forces Space) to become the 30th CNGB. This nomination is pending Senate confirmation.

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