Guard Talent
Sgt. Tessa Hogan, of the North Dakota National Guard's Joint Force Headquarters, performed the National Anthem March 30 during "Military Appreciation Night" at a Bismarck Bucks football game. Hogan partnered with the Dakota Leathernecks Detachment #1419 of the Marine Corps League, whose members presented the nation's colors.
Flood Watch 2019
North Dakota's Unified Command (UC) continuously monitors flood conditions across the state in order to ensure timely support to local and tribal governments. The command is comprised of the directors Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, N.D. Department of Emergency Services and Cody Schulz, N.D. Homeland Security; and Garland Erbele, the N.D. Water Commission/State Engineer. The entire command staff meets weekly to evaluate the situation to ensure their agencies are ready to respond, if needed.
National Guard joining Flood Fight in Cass County
The National Guard is deploying a Quick Response Force, comprised of about 10 Soldiers, to assist with flood-fighting efforts via a request from Cass County. The Guardsmen are equipped with Army trucks for hauling palletized sandbags, a skid steer and a vehicle for evacuation and rescue for emergency calls. The Soldiers are expected to be on duty from April 6 until April 14. For more information, read the news release from the North Dakota Governor's Office: "National Guard resources deployed to aid flood fights; Emergency Commission approves funding."
Honorary Commander Program
The Honorary Commander Program was established to foster supportive partnerships between the National Guard and its community leaders.
“This program is an excellent opportunity to further enhance our understanding and appreciation of each other’s experiences and to foster camaraderie,” said Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann.
By partnering with the military, civic leaders will gain understanding about how their support of the National Guard can influence the organization’s readiness and its ability to respond domestically and execute missions around the globe. Honorary commanders will also gain military insight by attending unit training events and informational briefings, among many other potential engagements.
Our Honorary Commanders and their affiliated units
• Shawn Dobberstein, Executive Director, Municipal Airport Authority, Fargo, 119th Wing Operations Group, Fargo.
• Daniel Haugen, Training Director, North Dakota Highway Patrol, Bismarck; 136th Combat Support Sustainment Battalion, Devils Lake.
• Dr. Doug Darling, President, Lake Region State College, Devils Lake; Camp Grafton Training Center/164th Regiment Regional Training Institute.
• Chad Wachter, President and CEO of Investcore, Inc., Bismarck; 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment, Bismarck.
• Jill DeVries, Athletic Director, Valley City State University, Valley City; 231st Brigade Support Battalion, Valley City.
• Dr. Kelly Peters, Assistant Principal, West Fargo High School, West Fargo; 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, Grand Forks.
• Dr. Jim Haussler, Former superintendent, Bismarck Public Schools, Bismarck; N.D. Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion, Bismarck.
• Dr. Mark Vollmer, Superintendent, Minot Public Schools, Minot; 164th Engineer Battalion, Minot.
N.D. Army Guard conducts 'ROC' drill in Germany
Leaders from the Fargo-based 141st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (141st MEB) and Valley City-based 231st Brigade Support Battalion (231st BSB) participated in a rehearsal of concept, or ROC, drill April 1-4 at the Lucius D. Clay Kaserne military installation in Wiesbaden, Germany. This drill synchronized 31 Army units from 24 allied countries involving over 25,000 personnel in a series of linked exercises at various locations throughout Eastern Europe. Leaders from the 141st MEB briefed Lt. Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli, commanding general for U.S. Army Europe, about their plan for supporting Exercise Saber Guardian, taking place in Romania later this summer. The 141st MEB was represented by Col. Jon Erickson, commander; Maj. Lucas Klettke, executive and training officer; and Capt. Mitchell Johnson, exercise planner. The 231st BSB representatives included Lt. Col. Anna Wittrock, commander, and Maj. Robbie Hertz, Executive officer.
While in Romania, members of the 141st MEB will provide command and control for a multi-national, multi-component task force of more than 1,100 personnel. The North Dakota contingent will include 400 Guard Soldiers from the 141st MEB, 231st BSB and Fargo-based 426th Signal Company.
Always Ready, Always There Award
Col. Darrin Anderson, 119th Wing commander, presented the "Always Ready Always There" Award to retired Maj. Gen. Alexander "AP" Macdonald and retired Chief Master Sgt. Jack "J.C." Tietgens at the monthly North Dakota Air National Guard retiree breakfast get-together April 3 at Marlin’s Family Restaurant, Fargo. More than 30 retired Happy Hooligans attended the gathering, which meets the first Wednesday of every month.
Named for the motto of the North Dakota National Guard, the "Always Ready, Always There" Award is presented to individuals who have devoted their lives supporting the military in North Dakota. Both Macdonald and Tietgens were unable to attend the North Dakota Governor's Military Ball last month when recipients of the award were announced.