Photo By Tech. Sgt. Jecca Geffre | Farmland near Valley City, N.D., April 23. About 140 National Guard members are...... read more read more
VALLEY CITY, N.D. - Staff Sgt. Marie Hovrud, from Bismarck, N.D., North Dakota National Guard is a crew chief with 2/285th Helicopter Assault Battalion currently supporting the flood fight here. She and more than 400 fellow Guardsmen are serving on flood duty through the Easter weekend, some of them serving with the Guard for the second and even third year in a row.
Part of Hovrud's job is to direct the helicopters when they have a load to bring in on a long-line, a long cable that holds cargo that needs to be placed somewhere specific. The crew is also trained on hoist missions, which involves lowering a basket that a rescuer rides down in to pick up a passenger that is stranded.
Hovrud says the benefit of being close by is that they can react quickly in an emergency.
"My mother lives in an area that was affected by the flood in previous years and she said she feels better knowing the National Guard is close by," Havrud said. "If something happens, we're right here when they need us."
This will be her third Easter away from home due to military obligations, last year she was deployed to Iraq and in 2009 she was in North Dakota fighting the floods in several locations.
Hovrud said the '09 experience was extremely beneficial to this year's effort.
"We dropped so many sandbags that year, we really got it down."
Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Kilber, 1/112th Headquarters and Headquarters Company, a pilot on the Quick Reaction Force here, said he is happy to be participating in the flood fight.
"I love it," Kilber said. "I volunteered for this; it's a great way to get real-world experience."
Kilber flies the Utility Helicopter 60 Black Hawk that is being used in the flood fight to conduct reconnaissance missions, help in emergency rescues and assist the Quick Reaction Force in placing the large one-ton sandbags to re-enforce the levee system when necessary.
Spc. Shane Leingang, an Aviation Operations Specialist with C Company 2/285th AHB, has been on the flood fight since the beginning of April. Leingang is the communication link between the Joint Operations Center and 2/285th AHB.
His job focuses on the logistical aspect of moving aircraft and personnel related to the mission in Cass County.
The unit is part of the Quick Reaction Force that would respond to overland flooding by hoisting the one-ton sandbags into places difficult to reach by land.
"In 2009 we did a lot and it worked well," Leingang said. "So they wanted us on standby again this year."
Currently, the NDNG has about 150 Guardsmen in Valley City. They are conducting Quick Reaction Force missions, dike patrols, and running a Tactical Operations Center. One Black Hawk helicopter is on hand to assist with sandbag placement or search and rescue missions if needed.
| Date Taken: | 04.23.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 04.24.2011 17:18 |
| Story ID: | 69280 |
| Location: | VALLEY CITY, ND, US |
| Web Views: | 183 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Fighting the flood from the air, by TSgt Jecca Geffre, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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