Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Brett Miller | Maj. Chad Vorderbruggen, of Fargo, N.D., second from left, was named the Field-Grade...... read more read more
FARGO, N.D. - Distinguished members of the North Dakota Army and Air National Guard were honored for their extraordinary achievements this weekend. Officers, soldiers and airmen who stood out among their colleagues were named March 9 during the State Associations Combined Conference at the Doublewood Inn in Fargo.
Officers of the Year were selected by North Dakota's National Guard Association of the United States, or NGAUS, chapter, a professional organization that North Dakota Guard members may choose to join.
"You can be extremely proud of your accomplishments," said Brig. Gen. Alan Dohrmann, North Dakota deputy adjutant general. "Our ranks are filled with the best soldiers and airmen in the National Guard. You have earned these recognitions by embodying the warrior ethos and being competent, knowledgeable leaders in our organization."
In the North Dakota Air National Guard, Maj. Chad Vorderbruggen was named Field-Grade Officer of the Year and Capt. Roy Thomsen was named Company-Grade Officer of the Year. Vorderbruggen, of Fargo, is the chief of weapons and tactics for the 119th Operations Group, and Thomsen, of Fargo, is an intelligence operations supervisor for the 119th Wing.
For the North Dakota Army National Guard, Maj. Robert Bohl was named Field-Grade Officer of the Year and Capt. Chance Schaffner was named Company-Grade Officer of the Year. Bohl, of Flasher, N.D., and Schaffner, of Bismarck, N.D., both served overseas in Afghanistan with the 818th Engineer Company (Sapper) from April 2012-April 2013. Schaffner served as a platoon leader and Bohl was the company commander.
The 2013 Airmen of the Year, who were named during last weekend's banquet in Moorhead, Minn., were recognized again. Staff Sgt. Shelly Pherson, of Fargo, was named Outstanding Airman of the Year. Staff Sgt. Andrew Frovarp, of Moorhead, was named Outstanding Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, and Master Sgt. Toby Eiter, of Lake Park, Minn., was named Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.
The North Dakota Army National Guard's "Best Warriors" received award trophies at the conference, as well, after procuring the titles during the Best Warrior Competition, which took place this past August at Camp Grafton Training Center, Devils Lake, N.D.
Sgt. Richard Coughlin, of Stanley, N.D., a member of the 818th Engineer Company (Sapper), won the state-level Best Warrior Competition in the noncommissioned officer category. In the enlisted-level competition, Spc. Stephen Leard, of Bismarck, N.D., a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment, took top honors.
Should the winners not be able to compete, they will be replaced by the runners-up from the state competition. This year, Sgt. Ross Brumley, of Grand Forks, N.D., with the 188th Engineer Company (Vertical), was the runner-up in the noncommissioned officer category. Spc. Joshua Baneck, of Fargo, with the 957th Multi-Role Bridge Company, took the runner-up position at the enlisted level.
| Date Taken: | 03.09.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 03.11.2014 20:38 |
| Story ID: | 121862 |
| Location: | FARGO, ND, US |
| Hometown: | BISMARCK, ND, US |
| Hometown: | FARGO, ND, US |
| Hometown: | FLASHER, ND, US |
| Hometown: | GRAND FORKS, ND, US |
| Hometown: | LAKE PARK, MN, US |
| Hometown: | MOORHEAD, MN, US |
| Hometown: | STANLEY, ND, US |
| Web Views: | 115 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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