Lansing, Mich. – U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Gregory J. Vadnais, the Adjutant General and Director of Military and Veterans Affairs of Michigan spoke on cooperation and leadership at the Farmington Hills Veterans Council celebration of Veterans Week on Nov. 14, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
“These events support our mission to mirror the diversity of our marketplace,” said Farmington Hills Veterans Council Chairman Mike Eastridge. “Members of the National Guard are part of our community, part of our workplace, part of our workforce.”
Vadnais emphasized that Michigan National Guard’s national and international training capabilities rely on cooperation with local industry to prepare for future warfare.
“The first time we’re looking at one another is not the real event. That’s not where you want to start building relationships,” Vadnais said, recalling when the absence of those relationships was catastrophic to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts he participated in.
He stated an example of this need for connection is Northern Exposure, an annual training exercise. This past year, the Michigan National Guard simulated a long-term takedown of the power grid across the Midwest. DTE, Consumers and dozens of other companies played a role, as they would be affected in a similar real-life scenario and now know how to participate in resolving it.
Another exercise is Northern Strike, an annual combined-arms, live-fire training exercise that involves all branches of the military and four NATO partners to train cooperatively in the five domains of warfare here on Michigan’s soil, water and air. There are few places in the country that provide the resources, climate and land features that make this exercise possible.
Vadnais also touched on his ideas of leadership: trust, physical fitness, and discipline.
“You lead on your feet, not on your seat,” Vadnais said, a testament to Michigan’s emphasis on realistic training. He concluded that when he comes to speak again for next year's Veterans Week, he will put those words into practice.
“We can all go for a run or something,” he said with a smile.