North Dakota National Guard Trains on Camp Ripley

LITTLE FALLS, MN, UNITED STATES

05.28.2021

Story by Spc. Sara Messner 

Camp Ripley Training Center

May 28, 2021 (CAMP RIPLEY, Minnesota) — Guardsmen with the 131 Military Police Battalion out of North Dakota, convoyed to Camp Ripley Training Center (CRTC) to set up camp and complete their annual training (AT), May 14 – 26, 2021.

“We love coming to Camp Ripley for our annual training. With all the training areas, resources and customer service, we can come, keen in our mission, train for our mission, and then go home. We have everything we need at CRTC to accomplish our mission,” shared Captain Nathan Johnson, a Force Protection Officer with the 131 MP Co.

When the MP units arrived, they established their forward operating base (FOB) and prepped for a busy week ahead. Their training included individual and crew-served weapons qualification, vehicle recovery, search and detain operations, react to contact and personal security. There were other field training exercises (FTX) that took place as well. At the end of AT, the MP soldiers were able to demonstrate the tasks they had practiced at the culminating event.

With a visit from North Dakota National Guard’s (NDNG) Adjutant General (TAG) and 141 MEB Command Team, leaders decided to incorporate this into their personal security exercise.

A benefit of having a large, training installation is that military battalions and units are often training at the same time. The 131 MP Co and the UH-72 Lakota Air Ambulances of the 376th Aviation Regiment Nebraska National Guard took this as an opportunity to team up and work together. A mass casualty exercise became a joint mission. For this event, the Aviation unit practiced medical evacuation in a domestic response scenario while the MPs focused on react to contact and personal security. As a result, both parties were able to fully complete their mission.

Captain Johnson commented on the joint mission and overall experience at CRTC—“At the end, people were sweaty, dirty, and tired, but they learned something. It was fun. It adds to the training and the story of annual training 2021.”

• Date Taken: 05.28.2021
• Date Posted: 05.28.2021 14:34
• Story ID: 397725
• Location: LITTLE FALLS, MN, US