National Guard retirees shown following a ceremony Saturday at the Office of the Adjutant General in Carson City are: MSG Live Tau, MSG Leon Perez, Sgt. Eduardo Conde, SFC Marell Kemp, SFC James Lathrop and SSG Stephen Staley.
Live Tau is a testament to his longevity of serving in the military.
The retired master sergeant who left the Nevada Army National Guard in 2014 first entered the military before the Vietnam War ended. He loved the discipline and opportunities so much he made the military a career, spanning five decades of duty to country.
The Nevada Army National Guard recognized Tau and many others who spent at least 20 years in the service on Saturday at a retirement ceremony at their Fairview Drive auditorium. The Nevada Guard honored more than 100 men and women who retired in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Tau, who spent many years in Carson City in a variety of assignments, said his being in the guard taught him much about leadership and gave him the opportunity to do many different jobs during his long career.
“It taught me discipline, and I am glad for what I learned for the future and the training that came with it,” Tau said. “Now I used the training from the military in leadership and in the job I was doing in G-3 (training, plans and operation) and that was what helped me in the community to help my country.”
The military, though, has not left Tau; instead he continues to give. He serves as a Junior ROTC instructor at Reno High School.
“I really enjoy it, love those kids and it’s worth going there every day,” he said of his role as an instructor. “It’s not a career but a passion for me to teach them and help those young kids to be citizens and do things in the future.”
Sgt. First Class James Lathrop, whose last assignment was in the personnel section at state headquarters in Carson City, said it was a challenge to serve. Lathrop joined the military in 1994 and said he learned much during those years.
“I was able to travel and give back to the community through my service in the military,” he said.
Col. (promotable) Zachary Doser, ssistant adjutant general, commended the retirees, both who served full time and those who were M-day soldiers, individuals who spent at least one weekend a month and 15 days of annual training.
“As a traditional guardsman, I have certain appreciation for the sacrifices that everyone of you made,” said Doser, a Reno Police Department detective.
According to Doser, he said for every 100 retirees, the Nevada Guard brings in 500 soldiers.
“Furthermore 1 percent of our nation served in the military … which means .02 percent of those who served retired so you can see you are in a very elite crew,” he added.
Doser said the retirement ceremony gives the Nevada Guard an opportunity to show its appreciation to those who served.
“Each of you served with distinction over the span of your careers,” Doser said.
He encouraged the retirees, who have accumulated thousands of years of experience among them, to offer their expertise to the next generation of guardsmen.
2013 retirees: Heather Addamo, Michael Alarcon, Christopher Bazan, Robert Brunsvold, Kreston Eaton, Scott Grimmett, Jeffrey Hansen, Jeffrey Johnson, Stephen Karrick, Marell Kemp, Kevin Korcheck, Kim LaBrie, Sean Laycox, Amy Roll, Aaron Ralston, Stephen Sitton, Jeffrey Wilkinson and Michael Young.
2014 retirees: Ron Aguilar, Luis Alvarez, Genaro Caballero, George Caddel Jr., Darren Chrisman, Del Dennis, John Dube, Jessse Filsinger, Todd Gniotczynski, Brenda Giffith, Edsel Vallejos, Eric Wood, Harry House, Larry Klein, James Lathrop, Jeanpierre Moser, Jason Penrod, Leon Perez, Robert Pool Robert Reid, Robin Sheets, Stephen Staley, Live Tau and Christian Wilson.
2015 retirees: David Anderson, David Baker, Damien, Boeckman, Robert Boldry, Eduardo Conde, Gregory Cook, Don Gable Jr., Michael Getten, Kristian Kirkland, Daniel Prothro, Douglas Ramey, Gloria Rems, Terence Sterba, Steven Watson and Linda Winslow.