North Dakota National Guard families receive honor

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Brett Miller | Sgt. 1st Class Bryce Crosby and his wife, Lisa, and children were named the 2011 North Dakota Army National Guard Family of the Year. They are joined by Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota adjutant general, far left, Col. Mike Aberle, background, and Lt. Col. Tad Schauer, 219th Security Forces Squadron commander, far right.  

FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, UNITED STATES

03.11.2012

Courtesy Story

North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs

FARGO, N.D. - Two North Dakota National Guard families were recognized yesterday for the time and energy they have expended helping others.

Tech. Sgt. Todd and Cyndi Ouradnik, of Minot, N.D., were named North Dakota Air National Guard Family of the Year and Sgt. 1st Class Bryce and Lisa Crosby, of Devils Lake, N.D., were named North Dakota Army National Guard Family of the Year.

"I'd like to congratulate our award recipients this year," said Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota adjutant general. "But, more importantly, I'd like to thank you for the support you give to our soldiers and airmen. If it were not for that support, we wouldn't be able to carry out our state and federal missions as effectively as we do. We are all part of a larger Guard Family, working and serving together."

The Ouradnik family was nominated by Master Sgt. Luke Gardiner, who, in his nomination form, credited the couple and their extended family - including Todd's mother, Kathy Ouradnik, and Cyndi's mother, Cathy Seekings - for efforts to help Guardsmen in the aftermath of last year's Mouse River flooding.

"Tech. Sgt. Ouradnik assisted multiple individuals within the 219th (Security Forces Squadron) by assisting them with the rebuilding of their homes," Gardiner wrote. "Todd spent multiple days and weeks providing manual labor to affected individuals as they tore out and began to reassemble their damaged homes."

The Ouradnik family also opened their home to fellow Guardsmen following the flooding, prepared and delivered food to Guardsmen on duty, and helped provide childcare to families serving on flood duty or dealing with flooding at their own homes. Throughout it all, Todd served during three separate flood-duty activations.

The most significant contribution that nominator Capt. Mark McEvers chose to highlight for the Crosby family was their dedicated, longtime efforts in bringing together Guardsmen and their families during the holidays.

"There are many coordinating events that lead up to the (holiday party, such as) princess/superhero parties to get all the (Family Readiness Group) members and their children involved in mailing invitations, collecting prizes, ordering supplies," McEvers wrote. "There is a chili feed put on the night before the party to get unit members involved with getting the decorations set up for the party."

During the party, Bryce, who serves with the 3662nd Maintenance Company, always plays Santa Claus, too.
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Since the 2001 terrorist attacks on America, the North Dakota National Guard has mobilized more than 3,800 soldiers and more than 1,800 airmen in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Currently, about 275 North Dakota Guardsmen are serving overseas while more than 4,000 remain in the state for emergency response and national defense. For every 10,000 citizens in North Dakota, 65 serve in the North Dakota National Guard, a rate that's more than four times the national average.

• Date Taken: 03.11.2012
• Date Posted: 03.11.2012 08:56
• Story ID: 85061
• Location: FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, US