TAG Line October 28, 2022

Top photo: A N.D. Army National Guard UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter prepares for night operation training at the Army Aviation Support Facility, Bismarck, Oct. 19, 2022.

Night Flight Training

Soldiers assigned to Company C, 2nd Battalion, 285th Aviation Regiment (C/2-285th AVN) participated in Additional Flight Training Period (AFTP) at the Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF) in Bismarck, Oct. 19, 2022. (National Guard story and photo by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brent Freese, maintenance officer, C/2-285th AVN)

Air crews from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 285th Aviation Regiment prepare their UH-60M Black Hawk aircraft for night operation training at the Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF), Bismarck, Oct. 19, 2022.

The crew of a UH-60M Black Hawk completed run up checks for night vision goggle (NVG) training flight operations. The Army aviators usually train Wednesday evenings as a reoccurring battle rhythm event.

Army Guard Unit Recruiting Awards

The leadership team of the N.D. Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion presented several unit retention recognition awards during the N.D. Army National Guard commander's Fiscal Year 24 Command Guidance Briefings at Camp Grafton Training Center, on Oct. 22, 2022. (National Guard story by Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey E. Sayler, N.D. Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion) (National Guard photos by 1st Sgt. Shannon Kliniske, Joint Force Headquarters, N.D. National Guard)

Lt. Col. Nicole Daschendorf and Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey E. Sayler, N.D. Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion presented four awards for achievement during Fiscal Year 2022. The awards, represented by rotating trophies, feature the winning unit's name and will be displayed at their location during Fiscal Year 2023.

Awards for Fiscal Year 2022

Battalion Attrition Award - 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery Regiment (4.57%)
Company Attrition Award - Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 131st Military Police Battalion (0%)
Battalion Most Leads to Enlistments Award - 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment
Company Most Leads for Enlistments through the N.D. Army National Guard phone app Award - Company D, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment

Col. Paul Helten, center, commander, 68th Troop Command, accepted the "Most Leads to Enlistments" award on behalf of the 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment, at Camp Grafton Training Center, Oct. 22, 2022. From left, Lt. Col. Nicole Daschendorf, commander, N.D. Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion; Helten; and Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey E. Sayler, N.D. Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion. Helten also accepted the award earned by Company D, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment for most leads for enlistments through the N.D. Army National Guard phone app for Fiscal Year 2022.

Maj. Allen Roehrich and Command Sgt. Maj. Russell Garrett, command team of the 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery Regiment accepts the Battalion Attrition Award, at Camp Grafton Training Center, Oct. 22, 2022. From left, Lt. Col. Nicole Daschendorf, commander, N.D. Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion; Garrett; Roehrich and Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey E. Sayler, N.D. Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion.

Lt. Col. Kris Elijah and Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Wesson, command team of the 131st Military Police Battalion, accept the Company Attrition Award, on behalf of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 131st Military Police Battalion, at Camp Grafton Training Center, Oct. 22, 2022. From left, Lt. Col. Nicole Daschendorf, commander, N.D. Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion; Elijah; Wesson; and Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey E. Sayler, N.D. Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion.

Morale Run

Brig. Gen. Erickson, commander, N.D. National Guard Land Component Command, hosted a morale run with his command teams and staff at Camp Grafton Training Center, Oct. 22, 2022. The run was to help to kick start his Fiscal Year 24 Command Guidance Brief to the major commands (MACOMs) and battalion-level commanders and command sergeants major. (National Guard story and photo by 2nd Lt. Chelsy Adams, N.D. Army National Guard command executive officer)

Morale Run group photo at Camp Grafton Training Center, Oct. 22, 2022.

A Family Remembers

Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, adjutant general, N.D. National Guard, and Brig. Gen. Jackie Huber, Deputy Adjutant General hosted the family of Dr. Paige Baker, PhD, during a visit to Fraine Barracks, Bismarck, N.D., Oct. 25, 2022. (National Guard story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs Office)

Before the N.D. National Guard formally acquired Fraine Barracks in 1945 from the federal government, the facility was used as a boarding school for Native Americans and called the Bismarck Indian School. Baker's mother, Cora Youngbird Baker, was 13 years old when she first attended this school in 1926 operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Cora Youngbird Baker pictured far right in a black and white shell dress was 13 years old when this photo was taken in 1926 at the Bismarck Indian school, located at Fraine Barracks, Bismarck, N.D.

The dress Youngbird Baker wore in the photo above was adorned with elk teeth. The family doesn't know what happened to the dress but believe it was lost in a flood.

Photo above: Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, adjutant general, N.D. National Guard, right, and Brig. Gen. Jackie Huber, Deputy Adjutant General, look at a photo presented to the N.D. National Guard by family members of Cora Youngbird Baker, at Fraine Barracks, Bismarck, Oct. 25, 2022. She was 13 years old in the photo taken in 1926 when she was a student of the Bismarck Indian School.

Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, N.D. National Guard adjutant general, looks at a photo presented to the N.D. National Guard by family members of Cora Youngbird Baker, at Fraine Barracks, Bismarck, Oct. 25, 2022.

Youngbird Baker's experience at this school was traumatic, consequently she did not speak much about that period of her life to her family.

During the visit, Baker presented the N.D. National Guard a photo of his mother with other students at the school and a ceremonial peace pipe. The pipe and the artist who created it are from Pipestone, Minnesota. It's a Hidatsa pipe with four silver rings on the pipe bowl. Each ring represents the seasons of the year - spring, summer, fall and winter. The rings also represent our lives. East = birth; south = teens; west = middle age; and north = old age. The pipe is used to pray to the creator, a symbol to bring people together and a representation of peace.

Gen. Al Dohrmann, right, adjutant general for the N.D. National Guard, accepts a ceremonial peace pipe on behalf of the N.D. National Guard from Dr. Paige Baker, PhD. in recognition of his mother's time spent at the Indian Boarding School located at Fraine Barracks, Oct. 25, 2022.

The visit to Fraine Barracks was in remembrance and recognition of his mother and her time spent at the school. It was a period in her life, while difficult, they believe was life changing and forever impacted her view of the changing world. When Youngbird Baker started school, she could only speak Hidatsa. English became her second language.

Youngbird Baker, born in 1913, was the youngest of 12 children. She was married to Paige Baker Sr. who attended Chemewa Indian School in Chemewa, Oregon.

Left to right: Paige Baker III, son of Dr. Baker; Joan Baker, wife of Dr. Baker; Dr. Paige Baker, PhD.; Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, N.D. adjutant general, Brig. Gen. Jackie Huber, deputy adjutant general, and retired Lt. Col. Shirley J. Olgeirson, N.D. National Guard Historian, Fraine Barracks, Bismarck, Oct. 25, 2022. The photo is taken in front of the adjutant general's home formerly used as quarters by the headmaster and teachers of the Bismarck Indian School.

Historic Weapons

Retired Lt. Col. Steve Herda, N.D. National Guard, assistant historian Russell Larson and warehouseman Sgt. Cody Erickson conducted the annual inventory of historic weapons at the U.S. Property & Fiscal Office (USPFO) warehouse at the Raymond J. Bohn armory complex, Oct. 26, 2022. (National Guard story and photos by retired Lt. Col. Shirley J. Olgeirson, N.D. National Guard Historian)

Herda is a weapons buff and volunteered to give the weapons a much needed cleaning and oiling, as well as teaching the team about the operation of each type of rifle. Included in the historic holdings are Japanese Arisaka and German Mauser rifles brought home by the 164th Infantry Regiment and the 188th and 957th Field Artillery Battalions after WWII.

From left, retired Lt. Col. Steve Herda, N.D. National Guard assistant historian Russell Larson, and warehouseman Sgt. Cody Erickson conduct the annual inventory of historic weapons, Bismarck, N.D., Oct. 26, 2022.

Halloween Military Youth Celebrations

The N.D. National Guard Child and Youth Program in Fargo and Bismarck recently held their annual Halloween Safety events for military youth.

Fargo

The Fargo event was held at the Fargo Armed Forces Readiness Center on Oct. 18, 2022. (National Guard story and photos by Amy Sleath, N.D. National Guard Soldier & Family Readiness Specialist)

This year's event had the largest turnout to date with over 200 children, parents, and family members attending the festivities.

A Haunted house featured Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Hjelseth's personal collection of Halloween items and creatures. Kids and parents said they loved and enjoyed the haunted house.

Haunted house at the Armed Forces Readiness Center in Fargo, Oct. 18, 2022.

The event also featured a Spooky house for the younger children and various games in the gym.

Staff members dressed for Halloween fun at the Armed Forces Readiness Center in Fargo, Oct. 18, 2022.

Photo of event staff at the Armed Forces Readiness Center in Fargo, Oct. 18, 2022.

The FM Legion Riders generously donated hot dogs, buns, and chips to feed the attendees.

Bismarck

The annual Halloween event in Bismarck was conducted at the Raymond J. Bohn armory on Oct. 27, 2022. (National Guard story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs Office)

With over 600 children attending this years event, eleven offices at the armory competed in a contest for the best theme as part of a team building exercise. Participating children got to vote for their favorite display.

The United States Property and Fiscal Office (USPFO) hosted Hotel Transylvania which featured ring toss and other games for the children to win candy.

The N.D. National Guard's State Surgeon’s Office held Operation University in which participants had to find pieces from the game Operation to claim their prize at the end of their adventure.

The N.D. National Guard's G-1 personnel office gave tribute to the movie "101 Dalmatians" with The Fur Vault.

Attendees were awarded Halloween treats for pointing out dalmatian dogs on the loose.

The 68th Troop Command featured an exhibit called "Frankenstein Frenzy". If the young visitors weren't too scared of Frankenstein coming to life, Mrs. Frankenstein filled their bag with Halloween treats.

Resilience, Risk Reduction & Suicide Prevention (R3SP) sponsored a circus where children threw balls into baskets to receive prizes.

The Human Resource Office's (HRO) version of the childhood game "Candy Land" receives second place in the competition.

At Candy Land, children were encouraged to hop onto the colored squares on their path and pick up candy along the way.

The Raymond J. Bohn armory facility maintenance staff built a maze entitled Pyscho-Path. Participants were encouraged to crawl through small caves made of boxes. Parents with younger children had the option to follow their kids in an alternate maze.

The N.D. National Guard's G-4 used the movie "Monsters" for their creative inspiration with a balloon landscape for children to relive and experience one of their favorite films.

N.D. National Guard Service Member & Family Support Family Programs hosted the Glow-Mazing. First visitors got to play a quick game of laser tag to begin their journey.

Young adventures were asked to hop on spots to avoid the bright orange lava. Once they successfully accomplished this, they were encouraged to find their way through the tangled tunnel.

In this exhibit, guests had to hit a target to pick which color path would take them to the Halloween candy.

The winners of the Halloween theme contest were the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 131st Military Police Battalion and the 818th Engineer Company who combined talents to create a recreation-themed maze based on the movie Hocus Pocus.

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Created By

Charles Highland