FLASHBACK REPORT: National Guard Observance Highlights National Invest In Veterans Week®
In the March issue of The Focus, the National Guard Bureau’s official publication, National Invest In Veterans Week® appeared in the monthly observances section as March 1–7. While concise, the listing is notable: it places the observance within an established federal communication channel, alongside Women’s History Month, International Women’s Week, and other nationally recognized periods of reflection.
The mention coincided with a leadership transition in the National Guard. In a separate DVIDS release titled “CNGB Assumes Responsibility,” federal public affairs documented the assumption of duties by the incoming Chief of the National Guard Bureau.
Document reference:
https://d34w7g4gy10iej.cloudfront.net/pubs/pdf_72831.pdf
The operational overview accompanying this transition—ranging from space operations to domestic readiness and federal mobilizations—underscored the breadth of responsibilities the National Guard carries nationwide. Within such a context, the inclusion of National Invest In Veterans Week® reflects institutional acknowledgement of the economic and civic role veterans play in national stability.
Historical Lineage: From Hawley to Shuford
The roots of this observance stretch far deeper than contemporary branding or advocacy narratives.
The family line reaches back to Private Orrin Benjamin Hawley, a Black Union soldier who served in the 29th Connecticut Colored Infantry, a regiment composed of African American volunteers during the Civil War.
The 29th’s legacy is preserved through the 29th Connecticut Colored Infantry Monument in New Haven, documented as part of the national slavery-monument archive:
https://www.slaverymonuments.org/items/show/1111
This scholarly record details the monument’s significance, its commemorative purpose, and its connection to the broader history of Black military service during the Civil War. Private Hawley’s participation in a regiment that fought against enslavement established a generational throughline of service, resilience, and civic responsibility.
That lineage continues through Jeff Shuford, a descendant of Hawley’s line. As a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Shuford’s work reflects a modern counterpart to his ancestor’s service—this time expressed through civic architecture, media innovation, and national veteran-empowerment initiatives rather than battlefield engagement.
Jeff Shuford’s Role as Chief Architect of National Invest In Veterans Week®
Jeff Shuford serves as the conceptual and strategic architect behind National Invest In Veterans Week®. His contributions extend far beyond branding; he established:
a trademarked national observance framework,
a multi-market digital infrastructure,
a policy-aligned messaging structure,
and an annual communication cycle anchored in congressional recognition.
Shuford engineered the observance to operate independently of political structures, nonprofit funding requirements, or corporate underwriting. This design enables institutions such as the National Guard to reference the week without organizational entanglement or compliance complications. The architecture is minimalistic in appearance but structurally robust, allowing widespread adoption across states, agencies, and media networks.
His approach reflects a principle rarely achieved in modern civic advocacy: create a framework that institutions can use without needing to be asked.
Professional Summary
The National Guard Bureau formally listed National Invest In Veterans Week® in its March observances, signaling recognition within federal public communication.
The listing accompanied the documented assumption of responsibilities by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, as detailed in DVIDS-published materials.
The historical lineage of the observance traces to Private Orrin Benjamin Hawley of the 29th Connecticut Colored Infantry, whose regiment is memorialized at a nationally documented monument in New Haven.
Jeff Shuford, a direct descendant and a modern veteran, serves as the Chief Architect of National Invest In Veterans Week®, responsible for its structure, strategy, and national positioning.