Davis to Receive Sonny Montgomery Award for Service to National Guard
Chairman recognized for efforts on behalf of citizen soldiers

October 23, 2006

WASHINGTON, D.C. - At a ceremony this Wednesday, October 25, 2006, at 11:30 a.m. in Room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building, House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis (R-VA) will receive the Gen. L.V. 'Sonny' Montgomery Award, which recognizes those who have demonstrated exemplary service to the National Guard at the national level. This is the National Guard Bureau's highest award.

Davis will be honored for his investigations and hearings into the readiness of the Guard to meet its new challenges in the post-9/11 era, oversight that has resulted in improving pay, personnel, and medical processes for National Guard soldiers and airmen. Davis also is being recognized for his work as chairman of the House Bipartisan Select Committee on Hurricane Katrina as it applied to the National Guard's role and performance.

Davis and his committee investigated challenges and mismanagement at the Department of Defense and Department of the Army that resulted in thousands of soldiers receiving incorrect pay, and suffering under medical administrative personnel and process difficulties. Davis has been integral in uncovering the Department's lack of policy or sufficient funding to help the Guard meet its emerging post-9/11 homeland security obligations, air defense responsibilities, and the dangers posed by state Guard units leaving military equipment abroad. He also has pushed to give Guard leaders a more prominent role in decision making in the highest levels of DOD through the National Defense Enhancement and National Guard Empowerment Act of 2006.

The award recognizes those whose performance exceeded the normal scope of public or private service in support of the nation's defense, who demonstrated skill and initiative to introduce new policies or procedures that advance the mission of the Guard, and who exhibit integrity, competence and the ability to inspire others.

Davis will receive the award from Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, and General Robert Newman, State Adjutant General of Virginia.

Past recipients include Sonny Montgomery, who served in the Mississippi National Guard from 1946 to 1980 and in Congress for 30 years; Sens. Wendall Ford, D-Ky., Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Daniel Inouye, D-Hi. and Ted Stevens, R-Alaska; and Reps. David Hobson, R-Ohio, Gene Taylor, R-Miss., and James Gibbons, R-Nev.