Master Sgt. Adkin D. Lomax along with Spc. Jonelle

Master Sgt. Adkin D. Lomax along with Spc. Jonelle J. Eye (pictured), a native of California, enjoyed breakfast with the National Guard Bureau's senior enlisted adviser, Chief Master Sergeant Mitchell O. Brush and senior leaders from the Georgia National Guard, senior enlisted adviser Chief Master Sgt. Joseph Greene and Command Sgt. Major John Smiley Thursday morning. The two were honored with the NGB Chief's coin for being named Soldiers of the Year by the south's largest newspaper, the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Lomax, originally of Kenosha, Wis., donned the Army's green for the Georgia National Guard after service in the U.S. Marine Corps, and had a chance to speak with Brush about serving purposefully. Lomax, Georgia Army National Guard's recruiting and retention team non-commissioned officer in Fulton County, isn't phased by the difference in uniforms. Contrarily - he is honored to have a leader that is "uniform-blind" and cares enough to sit at the table with our active/federal mandated peers and remind them of our duality of purpose. "I've never really thought about (a separation of services)," Lomax reflected. "It has always been one team, one fight, and at the end of the day we train for the same mission and stand ready to serve our respective communities." (Georgia National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Tracy J. Smith)