Diversity Letter
By Brig. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth, The Adjutant General

We have all worked hard over the past year and a half to improve the New Jersey National Guard and move forward with a strategic vision for the future as our military forces transform. It is incumbent upon us that we work together to draw upon the strengths of all the citizens in our state. The organization needs to offer the full range of opportunities of the Guard to all citizens of our state that includes the benefits of schooling and advancement to all soldiers and airmen of our units. We need to re-focus our attention on embracing diversity as a resource that will strengthen the New Jersey National Guard.

Diversity is about valuing differences to achieve our fullest potential as an organization. This potential will allow our members to contribute their best to both the Army and Air National Guard. I believe that mentoring is a tool that is key to this goal. By mentoring all of our members equally we will enhance our culture and provide promotion opportunities for all personnel based on their individual potential for success. Diversity must and will be integral to our culture in the New Jersey National Guard and is an investment in our future that will reap large dividends in positive outcomes. It’s about the ideas that stem from the qualities that are a person’s fundamental nature and include age, creativity, culture, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, socio-economic background and talents.

Diversity will build team collaboration within our units that is reflective of New Jersey’s population. To that end, our leadership must mirror the demographics of both our organization and New Jersey as a whole. I am charging all commanders to re-energize their efforts in active mentoring with diversity as a focus. Likewise, all members of both the Army and Air National Guard must become more active participants in diversity and mentoring. I have total confidence that our New Jersey National Guard team, with focused senior leadership providing direction, will achieve the new goal that we have in diversity.