Soldiers from Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment, conduct MEDEVAC training during annual training at Camp Ripley, Minnesota, on May 17. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Chief Warrant Officer 4 David Kilber, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment)
Contents
- 2025 African Chiefs of Defense Conference
- Former State Command Chief Retires
- Lignite Coast Tabletop Exercise
- Telling The Guard Story
- African Lion 2025
- Order of St. Martin
- Aviation Annual Training
- ND 2000
- 231st Quartermaster Platoon
- 816th Military Police Company
- Headquarters and Headquarters, Company 142nd Engineer Battalion
- From the Field Campaign
- New Warrant Officer
- Brothers Promotions
- Equally Opportunity Leader’s Certification course
- Keller Retirement
- Environmental Compliance
- Integrated Primary Prevention Workforce
- 818th Engineer Company
- Susanne Retires
- 141st ECB Reunion
- DAISY Award Winner
2025 African Chiefs of Defense Conference
U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Jackie Huber, deputy adjutant general of the North Dakota National Guard, attended a series of senior-level engagements in Nairobi, Kenya, on May 27, as part of the 2025 African Chiefs of Defense Conference. U.S. Africa Command welcomed National Guard leaders to meet with military officials from across Africa and the United States. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Senior Airman Julia Ahaesy, Massachusetts National Guard Public Affairs Office)
The State Partnership Program (SPP) Adjutant General Conference united National Guard Bureau leaders and adjutant generals from the states partnered with nations throughout AFRICOM. Leaders aligned state-level partnerships with command strategies and exchanged solutions to shared challenges across Africa. These discussions underscored the SPP’s role in advancing defense objectives and promoting continued military-to-military cooperation.
Former State Command Chief Retires
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Robert Dorneman received the Legion of Merit during his retirement ceremony at the Raymond J. Bohn Armory in Bismarck, North Dakota, on May 30. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs Office)
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Lucas Klettke, commander of 142nd Engineer Battalion, presents the Legion of Merit to Chief Warrant Officer 5 Robert Dorneman.
Dorneman says "He enlisted in the Army in October 1984, because his uncle was in and he wanted to experience new places and organizations."
Dorneman says, "Serving in the North Dakota National Guard has been a great time. It has been 37 years, and although there were hard times overall, it is a great organization, and I am so glad I got to spend as much time in it as I have."
Lignite Coast Tabletop Exercise
A five-person team from North Dakota, including three members of the North Dakota National Guard and two personnel from the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services, completed a five-day tabletop exercise in Grand-Popo, Benin, from May 12–16. (U.S. Army National Guard story and photos by Capt. Nathan Rivard, 116th Public Affairs Detachment)
Abasse Olossoumare, chief director, Benin Ministry of Interior and Public Security, provides welcoming remarks to start the Lignite Coast Tabletop Exercise, Grand Popo, Benin, May 12.
The Lignite Coast Tabletop Exercise brought together more than 45 Beninese emergency management professionals and Americans for a program focused on Incident Command Structure, disaster preparedness, and emergency response.
“This was an excellent exercise with multiple agencies and departments throughout Benin,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Dosch, exercise and plans officer with domestic operations, Joint Force Headquarters, North Dakota Air National Guard, and was also the previous Benin bilateral affairs officer for two years. “This is another opportunity to develop the skills of the North Dakota National Guard, North Dakota Department of Emergency Management, and all of the Benin agencies who were in attendance.”
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Dosch (in chair), exercise and plans officer, Joint Force Headquarters, North Dakota Air National Guard, provides comments of successes after the first phase of the Lignite Coast Tabletop Exercise as Benin was applying its National Contingency Plan, Grand Popo, Benin, May 14.
The tabletop exercise was part of the State Partnership Program, a longstanding program that fosters cooperation between U.S. states and partner countries. North Dakota and Benin have been state partners for more than a decade. The team visited Benin in April to scout locations, review required material, and prepare for the exercise.
“It’s good to come back and go through some of the foundational skills and then have an opportunity to work with them on a tabletop exercise to see how they conduct their operations. This would be very good preparation for a future field exercise,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Karl Altenburg who was the lead instructor for the engagement, JFHQ, North Dakota Army National Guard. “An additional benefit of a tabletop exercise is the amount of National Contingency plan that we can evaluate. If we were doing a field exercise, we’d be limited by terrain and time, whereas a tabletop exercise, we can imagine far greater terrain, we can imagine a much more extended timeframe and compress it down.”
The event included two days of classroom instruction on emergency response principles, planning, and coordination. The remaining three days were dedicated to hands-on exercises designed to simulate real-world disaster scenarios. These practical sessions tested participants’ ability to respond collaboratively and effectively under pressure, highlighting both strengths and areas for continued development.
Telling The Guard Story
U.S. Air Force Col. Chris Domitrovich, commander of the 119th Wing, and U.S. Army Lt. Col. Alan Roehrich of the 141st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade joined the WDAY 970 AM Chamber Link program on May 27 to discuss the North Dakota National Guard. (Photo courtesy of WDAY Radio)
From left: U.S. Army Lt. Col. Alan Roehrich of the 141st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade; U.S. Air Force Col. Chris Domitrovich, commander of the 119th Wing; Josh Seeley, Navy veteran and owner of Deckplate Diesel; and Tyler Fischbach, show host.
The pair used the program to inform the public about the military’s impact on the Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo community.
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan Hoefer and Staff Sgt. Joseph Petermann of North Dakota National Guard Recruiting and Retention spent an hour on Dakota Mornings with Michael Bell on June 4 at Fraine Barracks to share the National Guard story. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs Office)
African Lion 2025
Members of the North Dakota Air National Guard took part in African Lion 2025 (AL25), the largest annual military exercise in Africa, that brings together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sgt. William China, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa)
Ghana Armed Forces Lance Cpl. Yarnan Kombian, 93rd Signal Regiment, displays the Vesper Unmanned Aerial System Controller to 2nd Lt. Travis Huff, 119th Wing, North Dakota Air National Guard, during AL25 in Tamale, Ghana, May 13.
Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia.
Ghana Armed Forces Lance Cpl. Yarnan Kombian, 93rd Signal Regiment, directs an audience of multinational partners towards a Vesper Unmanned Aerial System during AL25 in Tamale, Ghana, May 13.
This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations—preparing forces to deploy, fight and win.
Order of St. Martin
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jacob Bollinger of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 142nd Engineer Battalion, received the Order of St. Martin during the Southern Border Mission on May 25. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Spc. Ashley Trudel, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 142nd Engineer Battalion)
The US Army's Order of St. Martin is a prestigious award bestowed upon Quartermasters, both active duty and civilian, who have demonstrated exceptional service and dedication to the Quartermaster Corps.
Aviation Annual Training
UH-72 Lakota Flight Operations
Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment, prepares for a mission during annual training in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, on May 13. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Sgt. Andrew Andres, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment)
MEDEVAC Training
Members of Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment, perform MEDEVAC training during annual training at Camp Ripley, Minnesota, on May 17. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Chief Warrant Officer 4 David Kilber, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment)
Range Qualification
(U.S. Army National Guard photos by Chief Warrant Officer 4, David Kilber, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment)
Sling Load Operations
The first combined sling load training with Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 285th Assault Aviation Regiment, and the 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment, Minnesota Army National Guard, took place at Camp Ripley, Minnesota, on May 17. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by 1st Lt. Alexander Wiczek, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 285th Assault Aviation Regiment)
Night Fire Operations
(U.S. Army National Guard photos by Sgt. 1st Class John-Mark Kerr and Spc. Wocken Chayton, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 285th Assault Aviation Regiment)
Aviation Best Warrior
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Brent Freese and Pfc. Alex Wangen of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment, perform land navigation during the 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment Best Warrior Competition at Camp Ripley Training Center on May 18. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Chief Warrant Officer 4 David Kilber, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment)
MEDEVAC task during the 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment Best Warrior Competition at annual training at Camp Ripley, Minnesota, on May 17. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Staff Sgt. Brittany Hill, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment)
816th Military Police Company
Members of the 816th Military Police Company perform night operations at Camp Guernsey, Wyoming, during annual training in 2025. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Murphy, 816th Military Police Company)
Headquarters and Headquarters, Company 142nd Engineer Battalion
Soldiers of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 142nd Engineer Battalion, conducted preliminary marksmanship instruction on MK19, M249 and M4 weapons in preparation for annual training in Valley City, North Dakota, on May 11. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Staff Sgt. Yajuamungu Kiromba, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 142nd Engineer Battalion)
From the Field Campaign
New Warrant Officer
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Dalton Morel of Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery, was appointed to warrant officer during a ceremony in Grand Forks, North Dakota, on May 29. (National Guard story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs Office)
Brothers Promotions
The North Dakota Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Command held two brother-in-arms promotion ceremonies in May. (U.S. Army National Guard photos courtesy of the 131st Military Police Battalion)
Jarett Dinius was promoted to first sergeant, and his brother, Jordan Dinius, was promoted to master sergeant in a ceremony at the Raymond J. Bohn Armory in Bismarck, North Dakota, on May 29.
Sam Bye was promoted to staff sergeant, and his brother, Nate Bye, was promoted to sergeant in a ceremony at the Grand Forks Armory in Grand Forks, North Dakota, on May 28.
Equally Opportunity Leader’s Certification course
The 2025 Equal Opportunity Leader Certification Course was held at Camp Grafton Training Center in Devils Lake, North Dakota, on May 17. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Laura Balliet, Joint Force Headquarters)
U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Mitchell Johnson, adjutant general of the North Dakota National Guard, spoke with the equal opportunity leader course at Camp Grafton Training Center on May 17.
Students completed 60 hours of classroom instruction and training to become certified equal opportunity leaders for their units.
Keller Retirement
The 81st Civil Support Team conducted a retirement ceremony at Fraine Barracks in Bismarck, North Dakota, on May 30. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs Office)
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Shawn Markovic, commander of the 81st Civil Support Team, presented Keller the Meritorious Service Medal during his retirement ceremony at Fraine Barracks in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Keller distinguished himself in outstanding service throughout his over 24-year Military career.
Environmental Compliance
Andrew Schirado, environmental compliance manager for the Office of the Adjutant General, North Dakota Army National Guard G9 Environmental, instructed at the Integrated Compliance Workshop in Phoenix, Arizona.
Representatives from 19 states on the Environmental Advisory Committee’s Compliance & Cleanup Working Group attended in person, with others joining virtually.
Schirado helped prepare slides, instruct, and assist with the technical aspects of hosting virtually for the weeklong class.
The in-person portion of the workshop included site visits, breakout groups and in-class discussions.
Environmental Compliance topics covered throughout the week included:
- ARNG 101 – (Basic understanding on how environmental employees fit into the National Guard and the National Guard Structure)
- Solid Waste / Qualified Recycling Plan
- Hazardous & Universal Waste
- Toxic Substance Control Act
- Air Quality & Emissions
- Emergency Planning & Community Right-To-Know Act
- Water Quality
- Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan
- Spill Prevention, Control, & Countermeasure
- Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants & Tanks
- And other topics
Integrated Primary Prevention Workforce
On behalf of the Integrated Primary Prevention Workforce, I invite all Bismarck full-time employees to engage in cohesion, connection and prioritizing individual health and well-being. (Information from Caren Stewart, Integrated Primary Prevention Officer)
As full-time service members, we carry a heavy and honorable responsibility—not just to the mission, but to ourselves and each other. To meet the demands of our duties, it’s essential that we prioritize the health and well-being of every member of our team.
Prevention activities—whether focused on mental health, substance use, relationship health, or safety—are foundational to maintaining personal readiness and building resilience. These efforts are not just checkboxes; they are critical tools that help us stay strong, focused, and mission-capable.
When we invest in prevention, we’re investing in the strength of our formations. We create a culture where asking for help is seen as a sign of strength, where early intervention is the norm, and where every soldier and staff member feels supported and valued. This, in turn, strengthens unit cohesion and fosters a safe, effective working environment.
Your leadership, participation, and example matter. Whether you’re attending a prevention briefing, supporting a teammate, or simply taking care of your own physical and mental health, you are contributing to a force that is ready, resilient, and united.
Let’s continue to lead with purpose, take care of ourselves and each other, and keep prevention at the core of how we serve.
818th Engineer Company
Susanne Retires
The State Family Programs and Child & Youth program held a retirement celebration for Susanne Richards, soldier and family readiness specialist, May 28 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)
Grafsgaard was presented the DAISY Award in recognition of his outstanding, compassionate care at CHI St. Alexius Health Devils Lake Hospital, where he serves as a registered nurse.
The DAISY Award is an international recognition program that honors and celebrates nurses for their extraordinary compassionate and skillful care. It was established by the family of J. Patrick Barnes to express gratitude for the care he received. The award is given to nurses who are nominated by patients, families, and colleagues for demonstrating exemplary care.
Receiving a DAISY Award is a significant honor. It reflects the character and dedication Grafsgaard brings to the nursing profession. Patients, families and colleagues recognize him not only for his clinical skill but also for his empathy and professionalism.
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