Nevada Guard dominates Excellence in Diversity awards

Published July 15, 2016
By By Master Sgt. Andrew LaMoreaux
Oklahoma National Guard

WILL ROGERS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Okla -- The Nevada National Guard claimed four of the five 2015 Excellence in Diversity prizes awarded here Wednesday at the 2016 National Guard Diversity Training and Workshop in Norman, Okla.

The awards were distributed during the annual workshop aimed to help Army and Air National Guard service members develop talent management strategies within their units from a diversity perspective.

The Nevada Guardsmen accepting awards for their support of diversity and inclusion included:

·Col. JoAnn Meacham from the 152nd Airlift Wing was named top individual Air Guard service member
·Staff Sgt. Michelle Ochoa of the Nevada Army Guard's Recruiting and Retention Battalion was named top individual Army Guard service member
·The Nevada Army Guard's Recruiting and Retention Battalion was named top unit proponent of diversity and inclusion in the Army Guard
·The Nevada National Guard tied with the Vermont National Guard for top diversity and inclusion states.

The only award not garnered by a Nevada individual or entity was the top Air National Guard unit; that prize went to the 272nd Engineering Squadron from the Texas Air Guard.

The diversity workshop is hosted annually by the Joint Diversity Executive Council.

By continuing to improve their diversity initiatives, states such as Nevada promise to develop the tools necessary to competitively recruit talent in a way that also matches the changing priorities of the nation's younger population.

Air Force Col. Kerry Lovely, chief of diversity for the Air National Guard and National Guard Bureau, organized the workshop. Her goal was to bring in keynote speakers who have implemented successful diversity programs, effected culture change, have had influential careers, and could be role models for the myriad of adjutants general, command chiefs and state senior enlisted advisors in attendance.