The 131st NGAUS General Conference will be hosted by the Tennessee National Guard in Nashville from September 9-14, 2009. Participant guestrooms and business sessions will be held at the amazing Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.

Attendees at the 131st NGAUS General Conference and Exhibition will have a firsthand look at the sprawling facility, the largest noncasino hotel in the United States with nearly 3,000 rooms and plenty of eateries, drinking holes and shops.

The hotel is only the first thing that will amaze when the conference returns to Nashville for the first time since 1986. There’s a reason Nashville is known the world over as Music City. This year’s conference schedule reflects that reputation, starting off with an opening-ceremony appearance by Charlie Daniels and ending with an evening at the Grand Ole Opry, the show that made country music famous.

A 5 percent discount has been established with American Airlines and Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Flight reservations can be booked by calling 1-800-433-1790 using Promotion Code A8799AA. Rental car packages can be reserved by calling 1-800-736-8222 using Promotion Code 56MNE55.

Conference registration is $165. This covers ground transportation and admission to all business sessions, the exhibition, coffee breaks, the opening reception in the exhibition hall, the Company Grade/Warrant Officer Mixer, brunch in the exhibit hall Sept. 12, the Governor’s Reception, lunch in exhibit hall Sept. 13, the States Dinner and the Grand Ole Opry following the dinner. Most other activities are extra. NGAUS members should register through their state associations.

A full business schedule, as usual, is planned for the conference, with defense leaders and Guard officials expected to speak at various times.

Western wear—blue jeans and cowboy hats—is the suggested attire for most social events.