More than 3,500 National Guard members are attending for a weekend of events.

The National Guard Association of the United States held its 145th conference in Reno today.

Over 3,500 National Guard members gathered for a weekend of events.

The events kicked off yesterday with some team building including a golf tournament, hike and a 5k run.

This is the seventh time in about 30 years that the NGAUS conference has been held in Reno and the Nevada National Guard says they love hosting the event when they can.

"This is like one big family coming together," said Major General Ondra Berry, Adjutant General for the State of Nevada. "The synergy that happens in here. The ideas that happen in here. The collective responsibility to want to move forward to make sure we're taking care of those who take care of this nation. This is the best place that it happens."

Today a ribbon cutting was held for exhibits and vendors that supply the National Guard with helicopters, vehicles and other equipment.

Over the next couple of days, they will also discuss resolutions and legislative priorities for the betterment oof the National Guard.

While the event does great things for National Guard every year, they say the State's economy benefits from it as well.

"I always tell everybody this, the Nation Guard we help drive the economic engine," Major General Berry said. "We bring business to the industry. We bring people who are engaged in helping our tourism. We bring people who go visit the great sites. They're not just here, they're going to Tahoe, they're going to Virginia City, they were at the automobile museum last night, they were at the baseball field. So, we're helping on the economic impact of this community." 

There's 54 National Guards throughout all the states and territories in the U.S. and they say events like this help to bring them all together.

"Being from the Nevada National Guard, we take a lot of pride in that and making sure that we host a great event," said Master Sergeant Cameron Pieters, Command Senior Enlisted Leader for the Nevada National Guard. "The other guardsmen that come from other states I'm sure that they have a level of pride as well. But ultimately our goal is to come together, unify and work as a collective unit."  

Major General Berry also said one of the most important things about this conference is bringing in the retirees from the Guard to help educate everyone on their history and knowledge.