MADISON, Wis. –
The Wisconsin Army National Guard honored the career contributions of two longtime Soldiers Nov. 1, during its Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony at the Department of Military Affairs facility on Madison’s north side.
Before family, friends, senior leaders, and service members both past and present, retired Command Sgt. Maj. Rafael Conde and retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 David Molitor became the latest inductees into the Wisconsin Army National Guard Hall of Honor.
Conde served more than 34 years in uniform, excelling in demanding leadership roles at the unit, brigade and state levels. As a combat-tested senior noncommissioned officer within the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, he deployed overseas and consistently elevated readiness across the organization. As the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s state command sergeant major, he significantly improved Soldier development, raising the Noncommissioned Officer Education System qualification rates from among the lowest state averages nationwide to within the top 15. He also helped his brigade achieve more than 75% operational availability and over 103% personnel strength.
“To the Soldiers I had the privilege to lead, you've been my greatest teachers,” Conde said. “You reminded me every day why I put on the uniform and why I serve the nation.”
Conde established the Ready Badger Integration program, ensuring new Soldiers were medically and logistically prepared for assignment; an initiative that improved retention and strengthened unit focus. Following his retirement, he remained committed to Soldiers and their families through volunteer work with the American Legion and Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
“This induction isn't a finish line, it's a reminder of the duty we all carry to leave the Army and the world better than we found it,” said Conde. “The medals will fade, the titles change, but the impact that we make on others - that lasts forever.”
Brig. Gen. Brion Aderman, Wisconsin’s deputy adjutant general for Army and host of the ceremony, reflected on Conde’s influence on the organization.
“To those of us who served with him, it’s obvious what Sgt. Maj. Conde's service and career were about - standards, discipline, physical fitness and a stubborn devotion to traditions that build cohesion,” Aderman remarked. “I have a feeling you’d fit right in as we shift back to focusing on standards and warfighting basics.”
Molitor, who devoted more than 40 years to military service and 23 years as a federal technician, played a pivotal role in modernizing the Wisconsin National Guard’s infrastructure and long-term planning. In key leadership positions within the Wisconsin Army National Guard and the Department of Military Affairs, he oversaw master planning, real estate actions, and state and federal budget submissions across five gubernatorial administrations.
He directed the planning, construction and certification of more than $100 million in military infrastructure improvements and secured over $260 million in federal sustainment, restoration and modernization projects. His leadership supported major state and federal initiatives, including the Wisconsin Emergency Operations Center, Armed Forces Reserve Center, 32nd Brigade armory, and multiple maintenance and aviation support locations.
“I was just so proud to be able to bring in the money to form all of those projects and supervise them,” said Molitor. “It was for the troops - a better place to train, a better space to learn.”
He also mentored nine warrant officers and provided support to municipal engineering projects across Wisconsin. In his community, Molitor volunteered with church, civic and veterans’ organizations, leaving a lasting mark on both the force and the communities it serves.
“It's been seven years since I retired from wearing the uniform, but I still want to challenge everyone who is serving now, and in the future, to do so with honor and distinction,” Molitor said. “Do everything you can to ensure that the promise of a better tomorrow is not forgotten.”
Aderman offered his own insight into the importance of Molitor’s contribution to the organization’s infrastructure.
“Our facilities are more than just buildings; they become our homes. Places where units form identity, train, and celebrate promotions and retirements. Where we say our goodbyes and welcome homes and where we gather to mourn our fallen,” he stated. “Chief Molitor’s fingerprints are all over the places we gather, where we all become better as we build better teams together.”
As part of the ceremony, Conde and Molitor were presented certificates of commendation on behalf of Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, their Hall of Honor plaques and a custom lapel pin signifying their membership in the Wisconsin Army National Guard Hall of Honor.
“The Army's greatest strength is our people, and we honor two truly great people here today,” Aderman said. “People who led with humility and always put the organization above their personal aspirations.”