A North Dakota National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter carries 660 gallons of water in a Bambi Bucket to drop on an ice jam on the Missouri River in Bismarck, North Dakota, Feb. 29, to break up the ice and prevent flooding. (National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Kroll, North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs Office)
Contents
- North Dakota National Guard Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Ghana
- ND TAG Meets with Newly Appointed Ghana Chief of Army Staff
- General Hokanson Visits Wing
- Fighting the Ice Jam
- 119th Wing Best of The Best
- Joint Flood & Fire Response Exercise
- NCO Academy Knowledge Exchange
- New Warrant Officer
- From the Field Campaign
- OXYGEN Seminar
- 119th Wing Retirements
- Arizona Retirees Meet
- National Park Pass
- Property Tax Information
North Dakota National Guard Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Ghana
Delegates from the North Dakota National Guard traveled to Accra, Ghana, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the State Partnership Program between North Dakota and Ghana, Feb. 22, 2024. The NDNG has been partnered with Ghana since 2004 and is the third oldest partnership on the continent of Africa. (National Guard story and photos by Sgt. Michaela Granger, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs Office)
Attending the event were Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, NDNG adjutant general, Sgt. Maj. Eric Binstock, NDNG state command sergeant major, Lt. Col. Mark McEvers, NDNG SPP director, Maj. Beth Simek, NDNG bilateral affairs officer for Ghana, and other members of the NDNG.
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, North Dakota National Guard adjutant general, gives remarks at the 20th-anniversary celebration of the State Partnership Program between North Dakota and the Republic of Ghana, Feb. 22, 2024, Accra, Ghana.
“Calling the State Partnership Program 'a program' is really a disservice to what we’re doing here, it really underestimates the importance, the impact," SAID DOHRMANN. "I see it more as a commitment, a bond between the people of Ghana and the people of North Dakota that transcends borders and cultures, a bond based off of shared values, goals, and aspirations.”
Despite the vast geological differences, Ghana and North Dakota both suffer from severe flooding. The two countries share information for their disaster preparation and response. Disaster preparation and response is one of the NDNG’s most enduring and significant portfolios in the SPP. This partnership is one of eighteen on the continent of Africa. The Republic of Ghana is a regional peacekeeping provider, with over 75,000 peacekeepers deployed throughout their history.
“We were very lucky to get Ghana,” said McEvers. “What this partnership provides Soldiers and Airmen is the experience to work with different cultures and using some of the knowledge they’ve gained through the North Dakota National Guard and share that with our partners in Ghana.”
From left, U.S. Army Maj. Beth Simek, North Dakota Bilateral Affairs Officer for Ghana, Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, North Dakota National Guard adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Thomas Oppong Prempah, Ghana Chief of Defense Staff, and Lt. Col. Jarrod Simek, U.S. Special Operations Command Africa, talk during the 20th-anniversary celebration of the State Partnership Program between North Dakota and the Republic of Ghana, Feb. 22, Accra, Ghana.
The strongest civil-to-civil relationship North Dakota has with Ghana is between the NDNG, the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services (NDDES), and Ghana’s National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO). NADMO is codified within their laws to be the organization that manages all logistics for disasters, tying in well with NDNG and NDDES strengths. The North Dakota organizations have helped build a National Emergency Operations Center and regularly train with Ghana on Incident Command Principles, ensuring that the country is trained to respond effectively to disasters.
The most enduring military-to-military relationship is between the 164th Regional Training Institute in Devils Lake, North Dakota, and the Ghana Armed Forces Engineer Training School, in Accra, Ghana. For 15 years, the countries have hosted an exchange program for noncommissioned officers' cadre to learn from each other by interacting with the institutional leadership and engaging with students attending both locations, gaining valuable feedback from the field.
Funding for the program comes from both the National Guard Bureau and the combatant command. No money is taken directly from the state of North Dakota. The NDNG has conducted more than 200 activities with the Republic of Ghana and all of the funding for the engagements has been provided by NGB and U.S. Africa Command, as their mission is directly tied to maintaining the relationship with Ghana and other African countries.
From left, U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Eric Binstock, North Dakota National Guard state command sergeant major, 2nd Lt. Denis Duku, 426th Signal Company, Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, North Dakota National Guard adjutant general, Maj. Beth Simek, North Dakota Bilateral Affairs Officer for Ghana, Lt. Col. Jarrod Simek, U.S. Special Operations Command Africa, and Lt. Col. Mark McEvers take a photo at the 20th-anniversary celebration of the State Partnership Program between North Dakota and the Republic of Ghana, Feb. 22.
“This is just a wonderful opportunity to be able to use some of our knowledge and to understand new cultures, and new processes and procedures,” said McEvers. “I have not once had a North Dakota National Guardsmen come back and say, ‘That engagement wasn’t worth my time.’"
The state partnership program was developed in 1993 in response to the Cold War. The goal was to maintain relationships between the U.S. and other countries and to move forward with security cooperation that encouraged and enabled international partners to work with the U.S. to achieve strategic objectives. Currently, the program has partnered states with over 100 countries.
ND TAG Meets with Newly Appointed Ghana Chief of Army Staff
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, ND National Guard adjutant general, visited Maj. Gen. Bismarck Kwasi Onwona, Chief of the Army Staff for the Ghana Army, Feb. 23, 2024, at the Ghana Army Headquarters, Accra, Ghana.
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, North Dakota National Guard adjutant general, right, presents Maj. Gen. Bismarck Kwasi Onwona, Chief of the Army Staff for the Ghana Army, with a statue of an American bison, representing stability and strength of the bilateral partnership, at the Ghana Army Headquarters, Accra, Ghana, Feb. 23, 2024. North Dakota and Ghana are one of eighteen partnerships in Africa and are one of the oldest, starting in 2004.
This visit was to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the North Dakota National Guard and the Ghana Army, a partnership formed through the State Partnership Program. Onwona recently became the Chief of the Army Staff, previously serving as the Commandant of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College. The North Dakota National Guard has been partnered with Ghana since 2004 and is the third oldest partnership on the continent of Africa.
Hokanson Visits Wing
The Happy Hooligans welcomed U.S. Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, and his wife, Mrs. Kelly Hokanson, to the 119th Wing at the Air National Guard Base in Fargo on March 2. (National Guard story and photos by Airman 1st Class Ellie Brown, 119th Wing Public Affairs)
Hokanson was briefed by distinguished Airmen about their successes and achievements at the Wing and later spoke at a town hall meeting where he addressed the issues facing the National Guard, and took questions from Airmen.
Mrs. Hokanson attended a Key Spouse meeting and discussed family advocacy in the military. Later that evening, the Hokanson's attended the 2023 Outstanding Airman of the Year banquet where he delivered the keynote address.
Fighting the Ice Jam
The North Dakota National Guard launched an aerial operation to respond to an ice jam on the Missouri River in Bismarck, Feb. 29. (National Guard story by Sgt. Michaela C.P. Granger and photos by Staff Sgt. Samuel Kroll, North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs Office)
Two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters deployed, repeatedly dropping 660 gallons of water to dislodge ice. The river crested at 15.43 feet, and due to mitigation efforts, fell nearly 2 feet and ended the day at 13.49 feet, dropping below minor flood stage
A North Dakota National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter fills up a Bambi Bucket with 660 gallons of water to drop on an ice jam on the Missouri River in Bismarck, North Dakota, Feb. 29.
The day before, a large ice jam caused the Missouri River to quickly rise above minor flooding levels, passing 14.5 feet and flooding low-lying areas along the shoreline. Gov. Doug Burgum signed an executive order declaring an emergency for Burleigh and Morton counties, activating the North Dakota State Emergency Operations Plan. All state agencies, including the NDNG, are directed to maintain high readiness and provide appropriate levels of flood response resources.
“There were a lot of dedicated team members putting in additional hours to ensure North Dakota had a successful assessment,” said Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, NDNG adjutant general. “This accreditation proves our state partners’ ‘Work as One’ mindset. We all work together so that when North Dakotans are having their worst day, we are ready to respond to save lives and property.”
A North Dakota National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter fills up a Bambi Bucket with 660 gallons of water to drop on an ice jam on the Missouri River in Bismarck, North Dakota, Feb. 29.
The NDNG worked alongside state, local, and federal officials, including the Governor’s Office, Department of Emergency Services, Department of Water Resources, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Transportation, National Weather Service, Army Corps of Engineers, Burleigh and Morton counties to coordinate a response to the ice jam flooding.
“Year after year, the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services has successfully led our state’s whole-of-government response to natural disasters and other emergencies with the utmost professionalism and preparedness. These consecutive accreditations are a testament to the extremely high level of services provided by the DES team and their emergency management partners across our state,” Burgum said.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers committed to reducing flows from Garrison Dam upstream of an ice jam causing minor flooding on the Missouri River in Bismarck-Mandan, as state agencies coordinated with local and federal partners on a whole-of-government response. By 3 p.m., the two NDNG UH-60 Black Hawks were activated. Each helicopter was equipped with a Bambi Bucket system, capable of holding 660 gallons of river water. The 5,000 lbs of water was then repeatedly dropped onto the ice. A 20 by 20-foot section of ice was dislodged on the first pass. Around 6 p.m., progress was made, and the ice began to move down the river. One hundred and eighteen buckets dropped over 70,000 gallons of water in four hours.
A North Dakota National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter drops 660 gallons of water from a Bambi Bucket onto an ice jam on the Missouri River in Bismarck, North Dakota, Feb. 29.
“THIS WAS A GROUP EFFORT RESPONDING QUICKLY TO THE ICE JAM, WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AND THE NORTH DAKOTA NATIONAL GUARD REMAINS READY TO ANSWER THE CALL TO SUPPORT OUR STATE AND COMMUNITIES”, SAID LT. COL. MATT VOELLER, NDNG DIRECTOR OF DOMESTIC OPERATIONS.
119th Wing Best of The Best
The 119th Wing held the Outstanding Airmen of the Year banquet in Fargo on March 2. (National Guard story and photos by Airman 1st Class Ellie Brown, 119th Wing Public Affairs)
Governor of North Dakota, Doug Burgum, U.S. Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, North Dakota National Guard adjutant general, and U.S. Air Force Col. Christopher M. Domitrovich, 119th Wing commander, were in attendance at this year's event.
A group photo of all the winners with Governor of North Dakota, Doug Burgum, U.S. Army General Daniel Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, North Dakota National Guard adjutant general, and U.S. Air Force Col. Christopher M. Domitrovich, 119th Wing commander, at the Outstanding Airmen of the Year banquet in Fargo on March 2.
Joint Flood & Fire Response Exercise
Members of the N.D. National Guard (NDNG) conducted a flood and fire response exercise from March 1 through 3, at Fraine Barracks in Bismarck and the Fargo Air National Guard Base in Fargo. (National Guard story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs Office)
About 35 Soldiers and Airmen from the North Dakota National Guard's Domestic Operations Section and the 119th Wing worked, exercising command and control for military response resources during the exercise. Emergency services staff participated from the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), working with the National Guard and other partner agencies to coordinate a state response based on the exercise scenarios.
This exercise included response planning, operational coordination, information, and intelligence gathering, as well as public information and warnings. These types of exercises are reoccurring events and usually concentrate on flooding, wildland fires, and blizzard response.
(National Guard video by Spc. Samuel Konah, 116th Public Affairs Detachment)
NCO Academy Knowledge Exchange
Two 164th Regional Training Institute instructors with the North Dakota Army National Guard participated in an instructor knowledge exchange in Temedja, Togo, with instructors from the Togo Non-Commissioned Officer Academy from Feb. 26 through March 1. (U.S. Army National Guard story and photos by 1st Lt. Nathan Rivard, 116th Public Affairs Detachment commander)
This was the fourth exchange between the two schoolhouses as part of an eight-part exchange. Each trip expands on the previous exchange of teaching styles and expands the capabilities of instructors.
On the first day of the exchange, the Togolese Army instructors were presented with how the 164th RTI instructors teach their courses based on the Common Faculty Development Instructor Course principles. The Togolese instructors then presented their own classes two days later to Thompson and Hoffarth.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jacob Thompson, instructor, Combat Training Company, 1st Battalion, 164th Regional Training Institute, North Dakota Army National Guard, discusses the techniques instructors from the 164th RTI use with the Togo Non-Commissioned Officer Academy instructors, Temedja, Togo, Feb. 26.
Throughout the five-day knowledge exchange, Thompson and Hoffarth instructed on the foundations of instruction, ethical leadership, and instructing as a professional, amongst other courses. They received courses on drill and ceremony, measuring distances by pace count, and military movement drills.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jacob Thompson, Combat Training Company, and Staff Sgt. Adelard Hoffarth, Vertical Training Company, both instructors with 1st Battalion, 164th Regional Training Institute, North Dakota Army National Guard, answer questions about teaching techniques instructors from the 164th RTI use to the Togo Non-Commissioned Officer Academy instructors, Temedja, Togo, Feb. 26.
New Warrant Officer
U.S. Army Sgt. Maari Beck, Joint Force Headquarters, was promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer during a ceremony at Raymond J. Bohn Armory in Bismarck, Feb. 23. (National Guard story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs Office)
U.S. Army Sgt. Maari Beck, Joint Force Headquarters, being pinned by her son to the rank of warrant officer during a ceremony at Raymond J. Bohn armory, Bismarck, N.D. Feb. 23.
Warrant Officers are the few subject matter experts in their field, making up less than three percent of the Army. Commissioned Officers rely on Warrant Officers’ technical expertise to complete missions and regard them as trusted and esteemed colleagues.
From the Field Campaign
My First Coin
U.S. Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, presented a Command Coin to Staff Sgt. Hannah Erickson, State Medical Detachment, at Armed Forces Reserve Center, Fargo, N.D., March 2. (National Guard story and photo by Staff Sgt. Hannah Erickson, State Medical Detachment)
Hokanson opened up an opportunity for Soldiers to ask him anything they wanted to know about the National Guard and Erickson answered the call.
"I am honored to be one of those who were given the opportunity to ask him a question and was then rewarded with a coin that came directly from him through a handshake," ERICKSON SAID. "I was lucky enough to snap a picture with him and the coin."
Quartermaster Cooking
Coming Soon: OXYGEN Seminar!
Soldiers in the North Dakota National Guard and their spouses are invited to join the Office of the Chaplain for a fun and insightful Oxygen seminar to develop skills that enable relationship resilience and readiness. Oxygen training discusses proven strategies to enhance communication, build empathy, and resolve conflict. You’ll gain a better understanding of how your personalities impact your partnership, and how to better relate to the one you love.
119th Wing Retirements
Chief Master Sgt. Stangeland
U.S. Air Force Maj. Erin Arbogast, 119th Maintenance Squadron commander, presided over a retirement ceremony for Chief Master Sgt. Peter Stangeland at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base in Fargo, March 2. (National Guard story and photos by Airman 1st Class Ellie Brown, 119th Wing Public Affairs)
U.S. Air Force Maj. Erin Arbogast, 119th Maintenance Squadron commander, presented Chief Master Sgt. Peter Stangeland the Meritorious Service Medal during a retirement ceremony at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base in Fargo, March 2.
Stangeland received the Meritorious Service Medal for his 38 years of commitment, sacrifice, and leadership in military service, leaving a lasting mark on the 119th Wing and all those who had the honor to serve alongside him.
Chief Master Sgt. Jacob Ryun
U.S. Air Force Maj. Erin Arbogast, 119th Maintenance Squadron commander, presided over a retirement ceremony for Chief Master Sgt. Jacob Ryun at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base in Fargo, Jan. 31. (National Guard story and photos by Airman 1st Class Ellie Brown, 119th Wing Public Affairs)
U.S. Air Force Maj. Erin Arbogast, 119th Maintenance Squadron commander, presented Chief Master Sgt. Jacob Ryun the Meritorious Service Medal during a retirement ceremony at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base in Fargo, Jan. 31.
Ryun received the Meritorious Service Medal for his 23 years of commitment in military service to his Country, the Air Force, and the 119th Wing. Ryun’s service was pivotal as the unit transitioned ground control stations of the MQ-1 to the MQ-9 without missing a sortie.
Arizona Retirees Meet
The Arizona Retiree Breakfast and Gathering was a success, Feb. 15, Mesa, Arizona. (Story and photos courtesy of Col. (R) Greg Wilz)
There were 30 registered participants and a couple of walk-ins. Many arrived early to have extra time for visiting. After the event, some retirees met up at private residences to continue visiting and telling tall tales of past military exploits.
U.S. Army Maj. Al Dohrmann, N.D. National Guard adjutant general, was scheduled to attend and was unable to make the trip, but provided an update presentation via Teams. The retirees also enjoyed a TRICARE benefits and resource update from Ms. Ashley Timian. Retirees also got the latest information on accessing support services as well as updates on the Veterans Cemetery and N.D. Military Museum.
Front row from left, Judi Mouw, John Mouw, Don Steffan, Ron Gangness, Larry Liere, Earl Schneider, Harry Schneider, Elroy Tomanek, Neil Hutchison. Back row from left, Bernie McKigney, Tom Marsh, Gary Zespy, Dave Anderson, Neal Jacobson, Barry Schafer, Dave Schmaltz, Jim Gaarder, Jerry Galloway, Magness Meier, Marlin Schneider, Rod Olin, Larry Anderson, Richard Balliet, Keith Bjerke, Tony Schwartz, Greg Wilz
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 US 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 US 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
Property Tax Information
Please check out the website: https://www.tax.nd.gov/prc
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