Maryland National Guard supports BEYA to highlight STEM opportunities
by 1st Lt. Enjoli Saunders
BALTIMORE – More than 50 Maryland National Guard members supported the 38th Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference at the Baltimore Convention Center, February 15-17, 2024, focusing on the vital role of science, technology, engineering and mathematics play in advancing the future.
The annual three-day event, which was founded by the Council of Engineering Deans of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, aimed to support diversity and inclusion in STEM career fields.
Maryland Army National Guard Maj. Gen. Janeen L. Birckhead, adjutant general of Maryland and WBAL TV news anchor Jason Newton served as master of ceremonies for the Stars & Stripes dinner on Friday evening and the 229th Maryland Army National Guard band played music during the military awards event.
“I am extremely proud to have the BEYA Conference back in Baltimore, so we can showcase all of the talent in and out of uniform across the great state of Maryland,” said Birckhead. “This conference is also very important for young people of all backgrounds to see what STEM job opportunities are out there in the military or as a civilian in these amazing careers.”
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore; U.S. Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau; U.S. Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Mr. Frank Kendall, the Secretary of the Air Force, were in attendance along with military members from every branch of service.
“In this room, I see people who I admire and respect, who understand what the word sacrifice means, who understand inherently what it means to be a patriot, and what it means to fight for something bigger than yourself,” said Moore. “And I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you do to make our country not just strong and secure, but continue to make it worth fighting for.”
The National Guard was the featured branch of the military at this year’s conference and had two BEYA Stars and Stripes award winners: Chief Warrant Officer 3 Regina Carrell, a senior strategic intelligence analyst at the National Guard Bureau, and Sgt. Maj. Alan Thomas, an operations sergeant major in the Indiana National Guard.
Thousands of professionals and students attending the 2024 BEYA Conference, which celebrates the achievements of African American engineers, were able to speak with the Maryland Army National Guard recruiters to learn more about specific STEM-related roles and opportunities.
On the convention center floor, attendees were able to sit in the cockpit of a 29th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and take a picture in front of it. In addition to the helicopter static display, they could also sit in a Humvee, get hands-on demonstrations of simulated drone flying, and gain an understanding of how the National Guard integrates STEM expertise into its missions and operations.
The MDNG recruiters had more than 500 registered interactions with attendees and received 40 inquiries from individuals interested in joining the National Guard.
“The Maryland National Guard has provided tremendous connections that have helped me along the way with my civilian career,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Terry Thomas, a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot assigned to the 29th ECAB. “A pilot has one of the most STEM-related professions and we are always looking for good Soldiers to be a part of aviation in the Maryland National Guard.”