Photo By Sgt. Anna Welchel | North Dakota Army and Air National Guard members work from the Joint Operations...... read more read more
BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota National Guard worked with representatives from more than 40 local, state and federal agencies during an annual large-scale emergency response exercise held June 9–13, 2025.
The NDNG operated from the Joint Operations Center at Fraine Barracks and other alternate locations, while state officials gathered at the Law Enforcement Training Center in Bismarck. The exercise focused on testing and refining statewide strategies and tactics for responding to real-world emergencies.
“There are roughly 40 agencies involved,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Dan Murphy, director of domestic operations for the Joint Force Headquarters, North Dakota National Guard. “We have the domestic operations cell out of Joint Force Headquarters, the 141st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade out of Fargo, 68th Troop Command out of Bismarck, 119th Wing out of Fargo are all participating as a function of this and some other outside states that have come in to play in this as well.”
About 50 Soldiers and Airmen from the Joint Force Headquarters worked in the JOC to apply their skills in planning, monitoring, coordinating, and directing military support during this flood response training exercise.
“The intent of this exercise is on a large-scale event that includes, as I mentioned earlier, roughly 40 different agencies, so that cross talk between agencies is invaluable and when you don't have that, that just delays the response, that's an unacceptable answer,” said Murphy. “So the full intent is that we exercise to a very high degree with all the participating agencies. You develop those relationships and understand each other and what they bring to the table and with that common knowledge, then the response for-real world is not only reduced, but enhanced by the fact that we are just quicker, faster, stronger at what we're able to do.”
The JOC is a combined Army and Air National Guard facility that serves as the command and control headquarters that provides direction and guidance for these joint operations.
“Everybody's been great and welcoming, it's just nice to come in and be able to operate basically right off the jump and not actually miss anything or skip a beat,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Cory Sherwood of the Colorado National Guard Joint Force Headquarters. “It's nice to practice all the skills I've been putting together over the years of my joint staff time in a practical setting like this, where I don't necessarily know everybody, but I know who does what based on roles, it's easy to integrate in, communicate and get the job done.”
The exercise included tracking flood conditions, maintaining essential services, coordinating operations, planning for response efforts, and sharing information with the public.
“Although it's an exercise, it's providing the ability for us to respond to the citizens of North Dakota,” said
Murphy. “The ability to support your fellow North Dakotan in a time of great need and try to relieve pain and suffering and get them back to what is going to be the new normal of life. It's just invaluable. When you look across the street and you see guardsmen helping people, that's what many of us signed up to do.”
Most of the JOC’s command and control functions can be applied to most domestic response situations, including the recent wildfire responses in the Spring of 2025 and Fall of 2024.
| Date Taken: | 06.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.13.2025 14:53 |
| Story ID: | 500557 |
| Location: | BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 33 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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