North Dakota National Guard Airmen and Soldiers practice crowd control during National Guard Reaction Force training at Camp Grafton Training Center near Devils Lake, North Dakota, March 12. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs Office)
Contents
- Outstanding Airmen of the Year Banquet
- ND2000
- National Guard Reaction Force Training
- Crowd Control Class
- Taser Training
- OC Spray Training
- Crowd Control Exercise
- North Dakota National Guard Strengthens African Partnerships at Security Conference
- Da Guards Podcast
- Critical Incident Stress Management
- Your Relationship with Food
- Military Family Safety Night
- Professional Development
- Military Kid's Easter Eggstravaganza
- USO Paint and Sip Event
- National Park Pass
Outstanding Airmen of the Year Banquet
The Happy Hooligans proudly honored their top Airmen of 2025 at the Outstanding Airmen of the Year banquet in Fargo, North Dakota. This annual event celebrated the exceptional service of our Airmen across the 119th Wing. (U.S. Air Force National Guard photos by Senior Master Sgt. Michael Knodle, 119th Wing Public Affairs)
ND2000
It’s more than a uniform—it’s about community. And now, it comes with a $2,000 thank-you! We believe the best new soldiers come from recommendations within our own ranks. From Feb. 1 through June 30, 2026, we’re offering a $2,000 bonus for helping a friend, family member, or neighbor join the North Dakota Army National Guard.
National Guard Reaction Force Training
North Dakota National Guard conducted training with Air and Army personnel for the National Guard Reaction Force at Camp Grafton Training Center near Devils Lake, North Dakota, March 9–13. The National Guard Reaction Force is a specialized, rapidly deployable unit of Army and Air National Guard personnel within each state to respond to emergencies, civil disturbances, and infrastructure protection missions.
Crowd Control Class
Baton training and crowd dynamics focuses on the safe and effective use-of-force techniques for Soldiers and Airmen. The training covers proper deployment while emphasizing de-escalation and personal awareness. (U.S. Air Force National Guard photos by Senior Master Sgt. Michael Knodle, 119th Wing Public Affairs)
Taser Training
Taser training provides essential instruction on device operation, deployment tactics, and use-of-force guidelines.
OC Spray Training
The Airmen and Soldiers then received pepper spray training, which typically combines classroom instruction on use-of-force legalities, spray mechanics, and decontamination with practical, hands-on exercises.
Crowd Control Exercise
Crowd control exercise covered formations and de-escalation techniques on March 12. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs Office)
North Dakota National Guard Strengthens African Partnerships at Security Conference
Two key North Dakota National Guard leaders, Col. Derek Kuntz, J5 director, and Lt. Col. Jarrod Simek, SPP director, attended the 2026 AFRICOM Regional Security Working Group (RSWG) conference at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch, Germany. The event, held March 2–6, brought together military leaders and security experts to discuss pressing regional security issues. North Dakota National Guard participation underscores the state’s commitment to international partnerships and its role in supporting regional stability and security in Africa.
Da Guards Podcast
Da Guards Podcast highlights the North Dakota National Guard’s Soldiers, Airmen, and civilian employees of our organization.
CURRENT PODCAST
Counterdrug coordinator Capt. Conrad Roberts
Roberts enlisted in the North Dakota Army National Guard in 2011 as a horizontal construction engineer and later commissioned in 2017 as an aviation officer. During his career he was a horizontal construction engineer, flight operations officer, flight platoon leader, detachment leader, company commander, and assistant battalion operations officer. He is currently the NDARNG counterdrug coordinator. Roberts talks about the counterdrug program in North Dakota and how successful his team was in 2025.
Critical Incident Stress Management
North Dakota National Guard chaplains, religious affairs Airmen and Soldiers, along with behavioral health officers, directors of psychological health, and Integrated Primary Prevention Workforce (IPPW) officers, participated in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) training March 9–10 at the 119th Wing in Fargo, North Dakota. (U.S. Air Force National Guard photos by Senior Airmen Mercedes Jirak, 119th Wing Public Affairs)
CISM training focuses on how trained personnel can intervene to support first responders as they react to critical incidents. Critical incidents are traumatic events with a heightened emotional impact. The training focuses on human stress responses that people experience after these critical incidents, and then how they can better manage these stress responses. A critical incident can be anything small or large, from a natural disaster such as an earthquake or tornado to a car wreck. Another example is anything to do with pediatrics, first responders responding to traumatic incidents involving children often find these events difficult to process.
CISM training focuses on how trained personnel can intervene to support first responders as they react to critical incidents. Critical incidents are traumatic events with a heightened emotional impact. The training focuses on human stress responses that people experience after these critical incidents, and then how they can better manage these stress responses. A critical incident can be anything small or large, from a natural disaster such as an earthquake or tornado to a car wreck. Another example is anything to do with pediatrics, first responders responding to traumatic incidents involving children often find these events difficult to process.
“This training is fantastic for peer support teams,” said 119th Wing Chaplain Maj. Philip Nelson
Support teams don’t necessarily have to be exclusively professionals, rather they can be anybody trained with the skills to help manage critical stress responses, especially from withing first responder or military professions. The goal is to train wingmen and battle-buddies to be able to walk through critical stress events together. CISM Training is designed so that trained personnel can walk together in a systematic way with individuals who have experienced traumatic stress until either they return to duty as normal, or they can receive long-term care.
Key components of Group Crisis Intervention, specifically within framework of CISM, include subcategories of (a) surveillance and assessment (observing how airmen and soldiers are performing after critical incidents); (b) informational group crisis interventions; and (c) interactional group crisis interventions. Informational interventions are designed for immediate care and guidance after an incident – they educate members on the facts regarding the scenario and how to move forward from the incident. Interactional interventions include diffusing and debriefings. The goal of diffusing is to work with responders who were on the scene so they have the tools to be able to mitigate their stress and manage common stress reactions. The last key component is Critical Incident Stress Debriefings (CISD). A CISD debriefs members through a 7-step process walking through the whole incident. It addresses facts, thoughts, reactions, symptoms, teaching, and summarizes the event to foster hope and a way to move forward.
Maj. Nelson said, “I highly recommend for anybody that is looking to do this training, go find a place to do it. It is absolutely worth the training to be able care for your members so that their longevity is part of your goal.”
Your Relationship with Food
You may have seen in the news or read recently about the singer Jelly Roll and his amazing weight loss journey. He’s lost well over 250 pounds, and it all started when his therapist helped him realize that he was treating food as an addiction. This of course was revolutionary for him as he stopped eating the wrong food for the wrong reasons. We’ve all been there; we eat and drink our emotions. He took the word “regulate” to a whole new meaning once he understood his relationship with food. (Written by Ron Murray, Integrated Primary Prevention Specialist)
Unfortunately, foods that boost your dopamine levels are high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats, because your brain interprets it as a reward. These foods are quickly broken down into energy and stored as fats (simple carbohydrates). Your brain doesn’t care if your waistline grows, if it’s instantly rewarded with quick, easy to break down energy. This is how one’s eating behavior is developed. It’s easy to see how any addiction is formed really.
Many of us are eating out of convenience which is destroying both our bank accounts and our bodies. Some people use apps like Klarna and Affirm to purchase $18 combo meals, with 4 monthly payment plans to purchase something that could otherwise feed a family for day. Everywhere you go, marketing ploys create reactions to sell you quick fixes for stress management, which robs you of your ability to regulate your own emotions. With some careful planning and some self-discipline, you could save a lot more than a few bucks. When you fully address all your eating & drinking behaviors, you’re ready to take your relationship with food to the next level.
One of our very own North Dakota Guardsmen, 1st Lt. Alex Wiczek, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 285th Aviation Regiment, prepares his meals every Saturday for the whole week. He saves hundreds of dollars a month and has the rest of the week to spend on self-care. Here are some of his pro tips on how he saves time and money while eating healthily:
Create a meal planner and go out for 2 to 3 weeks. Buy food in bulk when you can. Invest in some quality glass or BPA-free plastic containers. Batch cook your meats and vegetables on a grill, slow cooker, or instant pot, then vacuum seal or freeze when finished. Proteins that are budget friendly & high in fiber are dried lentils and beans. Other low-cost protein options are chickpeas, eggs, canned tuna, and tofu. Frozen produce and fruits tend to be cheaper than fresh and last longer, making meal prep easier and are better for portioning. Mason Jar salads make for an easy grab and go meal.
This is about ensuring the food you purchase is based on your needs, and not your emotions. If you let your guard down, your emotional regulation and health can easily get away from you. If you would like more information about Wiczek’s meal preparation, he can be reached at 701-333-3812.
Military Family Safety Night
Professional Development
The National Cemetery Administration and the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery conducted this month’s professional development March 11 at the Raymond J. Bohn Armory in Bismarck, North Dakota. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs Office)
Pam Helbling - Schafer, North Dakota Veterans Cemetery director, discusses improvements to the cemetery and encourages visitors to come experience its beauty.
The class covered veterans' burial and memorial benefits and provided an overview of the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery.
All professional development classes are stored in the North Dakota National Guard SharePoint under the Readiness, Reporting, and Resources button.
National Park Pass
Free Entrance to National Parks for Current Military, Veterans, and Gold Star Families.
The National Park Service in partnership with Operation Live Well would like to thank military personnel and their families for their service and invite them to enjoy their national parks. The free Military Pass is a way to thank current U.S. military members and their dependents, Gold Star Families, and U.S. military veterans for their support of our country and to encourage them to explore recreational opportunities on their public lands and waters. A free lifetime Military Pass is available for Gold Star Families and U.S. military veterans. A free annual Military Pass is available for current US military members and their dependents. The passes provide free access to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks, wildlife refuges, and forests. To find a location to get your pass go to the website: www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/pickup-pass-locations.htm
Note: This information in the TAG Line includes elements of AI-generated content that were reviewed and edited by relevant DoD personnel to verify appropriateness and compliance with DoD policies and guidance.