GX: The Guard Experience®, published from 2004 to 2016, was the official magazine of the U.S. Army National Guard. Its mission was simple: to celebrate and support the soldiers and families of the Army National Guard. For more than a decade, it fostered connections among soldiers spanning diverse communities, instilled pride within the fighting force, sustained enthusiasm, and ultimately bolstered recruiting and retention efforts.
I was involved with GX in varying degrees of creative production for 10 years; starting out as a simple editorial designer and eventually taking the creative helm as Senior Art Director through its last three years in publication. My first act as Art Director was to initiate and lead the visual reinvention of the magazine that resulted in a 2014 Folio® Ozzie Award for "Best Overall Design" (the first of two for GX ). Overall, the magazine saw more than 60 industry honors for both content and design—including the 2015 Ozzie for "Design Team of the Year"—and was the most awarded military publication of its time.
