General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award
Brekken Recognized with Leadership Award
The 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery Regiment (1-188th ADA), celebrates as one of their Soldiers receives the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award. Captain Cody Brekken, 1-188th ADA, was one of seven Army National Guard officer recipients this year. (National Guard story by 2nd Lt. Jake Kipp, 1-188th ADA)
"He is the best battery commander and captain I have had the privilege to serve with throughout my entire twenty-three-year career in the N.D. Army National Guard. He has such a confident natural leadership presence that Soldiers will continue to follow him, motivated and supportive, no matter what it takes," said Lt. Col. Wayln Vannurden, commander, 1-188th ADA.
The General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award is presented to company grade officers and warrant officers that display the ideals of General Douglas MacArthur. MacArthur commanded troops in the Southwest Pacific during World War II and oversaw the successful occupation of postwar Japan before he led the United Nations forces in the Korean War. He lived and commanded based on three ideals: duty, honor, and country. It is from these three ideals that only 28, of the approximately 120,000 company grade officers in the Army, are chosen annually for this award.
General Joseph M. Martin, Vice Chief of Staff, left, presents Capt. Cody Brekken, 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, with the General Douglas MacArthur Award, Pentagon, Oct. 5, 2021. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kevin M. Roy)
Brekken was presented this award by Gen. Joseph M. Martin, Vice Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, Oct. 5, 2021, at the Pentagon. Brekken lives MacArthur’s ideals faithfully. Throughout his military career, Brekken has made it a point to do the unprecedented. He has led his troops through multiple National Training Center rotations, including one as the commander of Charlie Battery. His troops performed with such merit that Charlie Battery earned the Alexander Hamilton Award in 2019. Named after American statesman and Continental Army artilleryman Alexander Hamilton, the award recognizes the best Army National Guard battery.
"I took one look at the caliber of Soldiers in the unit and I knew they were destined to set the bar a little higher for the ADA,” said Brekken.
When the call to duty came again, Brekken answered, this time filling a vital role as the Team East commander during N.D. National Guard’s Coronavirus pandemic response. His team was responsible for conducting mobile testing missions, establishing static testing sites, coordinating daily transportation of tests, and managing the field cleaning team. These efforts resulted in over 150 testing sites and over 20,000 samples being safely collected and transported to the state laboratory in Bismarck.
Brekken mobilized twice in support of Operation Noble Eagle in the National Capital Region, currently serving as one of six ADA fire control officers. With such a high operational tempo of the ADA, Brekken emphasized the fellowship between his fellow Soldiers and senior leadership. Brekken’s accomplishments bring great credit upon himself, the 1-188th ADA, and the N.D. Army National Guard.
Brekken is currently deployed to the National Capital Region with the 1-188 ADA.
The General Douglas MacArthur Award recipients. The 34th Annual General Douglas MacArthur Award Ceremony was hosted by Gen. Joseph M. Martin, center, Vice Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, at the Pentagon, Oct. 5, 2021. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kevin M. Roy)
top-level competitor
The Army-level Best Warrior Competition (BWC), at which Staff Sgt. Brandon Wendland, 957th Engineer Company (Multi-Role Bridge), represented the Army National Guard, wrapped up on Oct. 8, 2021, with the winners being announced via Facebook livestream on Oct. 11. (National Guard story by Officer Candidate Michaela C.P. Granger, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs)
The BWC, held at Fort Knox, Kentucky, challenges 24 Soldiers and noncommissioned officers through a series of events including the Army Combat Fitness Test, weapons marksmanship, land navigation, and mystery events designed to push a Soldier’s physical and mental readiness to the limit. Wendland's hard work and determination earned him a place in the competition as one of the Army's top Soldiers and Noncommissioned Officers from across the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserve. His dedication sets the example for other Soldiers to follow and brings great pride to the N.D. Army National Guard.
Soldiers competing in the Army’s Best Warrior Competition march to the start point after being dropped off by a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Oct. 4, 2021. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Mario Hernandez Lopez)
Top Ghanaian Soldier retires
N.D. Guard Senior enlisted leaders attended a retirement ceremony in honor of the Ghana Armed Forces' (GAF) top enlisted Soldier, Sgt. Maj. Ramous Barker, Accra, Ghana, Oct. 10, 2021. (National Guard story and photos by Lt. Col. Mark McEvers, N.D. National Guard Director, State Partnership Program)
Barker's successor, Sgt. Maj. Daniel Addo, was appointed to serve as the 7th Sergeant Major for the Chief of Defense Staff for the Ghana Armed Forces.
Ghana, Benin and Togo are partnered with the N.D. National Guard under the National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program. This program allows the partners to continue to build their enduring relationships which help build trust and exchange best practices.
In conjunction with the State Partnership Program, the N.D. National Guard coordinates with U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) to implement a senior non-commissioned officer (NCO) strategy aimed at increased professionalization of the noncommissioned officer Corps within the Ghana Armed Forces.
Major Jarrod Simek, N.D. National Guard's bilateral affairs officers - Ghana, outlines the capabilities and support from the U.S. Africa Command to The the Ghana Armed Forces.
"These duties we ask our bilateral affairs officers to conduct are vital to the success of all security cooperation engagements," states Lt. Col. Mark McEvers, director of the N.D. State Partnership Program, in reference to the outstanding work done by Maj. Simek.
N.D. Guard Professional Development
For professional development, N.D. National Guard members and civilian employees listened to presentations by Sergeant Jenna Clawson Huigregtse, N.D. State Patrol Cultural Liaison Officer, and Mr. Delton Steele, chairman for the N.D. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) and an honorary commander for Joint Force Headquarters, N.D. National Guard, at the Raymond J. Bohn Armory, Bismarck, October 13, 2021. (National Guard story by Officer Candidate Michaela C.P. Granger, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs)
Clawson-Huigregtse educated the full-time N.D. National Guard force about the importance of organizations having an appreciation and understanding of cultural awareness training and its necessity. Steele presented information about ESGR, including current data about the organization, their mission, and their history.
Sergeant Jenna Clawson Huigregtse, N.D. State Patrol Cultural Liaison Officer, educates the full-time N.D. National Guard force about the importance of organizations having an appreciation and understanding of cultural awareness training and its necessity during professional development at the Raymond J. Bohn Armory in Bismarck, October 13, 2021.
Mr. Delton Steele, chairman for the N.D. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) and an honorary commander for Joint Force Headquarters, N.D. National Guard, highlights information about ESGR during professional development at the Raymond J. Bohn Armory in Bismarck, October 13, 2021.
N.D. Veterans Cemetery Foundation
The board of directors for the N.D. Veterans Cemetery Foundation met at Fraine Barracks, Oct. 8, 2021. (National Guard story and photo by Officer Candidate Michaela C.P. Granger, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs)
The foundation exists to ensure that the N.D. Veterans Cemetery remains the nation's premier state Veterans' cemetery, where dignity and honor reside. The board meets to discuss best practices for the perpetual operation of the cemetery.
Hooligan Welcomed Home
Happy Hooligan Airman Tech. Sgt. Brandon Gibson, 119th Security Forces Squadron, returned home to Hector International Airport, Fargo, N.D., Asia Oct. 8, 2021.Gibson completed a six-month deployment to southwest Asia. (Air National Guard story and photo by Capt. Jeremiah Colbert, 119th Wing)
Gibson is among the first N.D. Air National Guard members to return from scheduled deployment reserve component period 6 (RCP6), with more than 100 unit members scheduled to return in the coming months.
ESGR Volunteer Recognition
Two N.D. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) volunteers were recognized at the Raymond J. Bohn Armory, Oct. 13, 2021. Brig. Gen. Jackie Huber, deputy adjutant general, and Shirley Olgeirson, N.D. Guard historian, received the Seven Seals Award in gratitude for their selfless support to the ESGR's mission. (National Guard story by Officer Candidate Michaela C.P. Granger, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs)
From left, retired Lt. Col. Shirley Olgeirson, N.D. Guard historian; Brig. Gen. Jackie Huber, deputy adjutant general; Delton Steele, chairman for the N.D. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) and an honorary commander for Joint Force Headquarters, N.D. National Guard; and Janette Fetch, ESGR volunteer support technician, at the Raymond J. Bohn Armory, Oct 13, 2021.
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