FARGO, N.D. — Just two months after the last North Dakota National Guard member left Iraq, the state’s soldiers and airmen continue to serve across the state, throughout the nation and overseas. About 275 Guardsmen are deployed, while others are serving on stateside missions.
SOUTHWEST BORDER
One of the newest missions has Guardsmen serving on the southwest border of the United States. It began this month and will continue until the end of the year. An OH-58 Kiowa helicopter and crew of two pilots and a maintainer will be doing one- to three-month rotations on the U.S.-Mexico border. The mission joins them with states across the nation to provide support to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
“The aviators from North Dakota will gain a tremendous amount of experience by flying in a different, austere environment, which will require constant attention to power management and other hot-weather-flying techniques,” said Maj. Paul Helten, a supervisory instructor pilot with the North Dakota National Guard’s division of aviation. “They will also benefit from joint operations experience by working with the other federal agencies. Our aviators work closely with our local law enforcement here in North Dakota, and their security and support battalion experience will prove valuable during this operation.”
SOUTHWEST ASIA
Guard members’ service extends from the southwest U.S. border to Southwest Asia. About 60 members of the North Dakota Air National Guard’s Civil Engineer Squadron have been providing construction support and electrician expertise in the region since just before Christmas. The six-month deployment has been going extremely well so far, participants say, and they are “very, very busy.”
“The [electrical workers] are working 12-hour days, six days a week. The power plant operates 24/7/365,” said Master Sgt. David Wosick, the electrical power production superintendent. “… I have 109 generators, 74 light carts, two Aircraft Arresting Systems, and a shop of 20 service members and one civilian contractor.”
The North Dakota Army National Guard also has members in Southwest Asia. More specifically, the 188th Engineer Company (Vertical) has been working in Kuwait since October to also provide construction support. About 160 soldiers have been doing everything from pouring concrete to renovating trailers to installing electrical wiring.
The commander credits the support from home for much of their success, from employers to community groups and nonprofit organizations, as well as their families, who are picking up extra duties during the yearlong mission.
“Our families have really held the unit together,” said Capt. Lucas Klettke, of Perham, Minn. “We are fortunate to have access to multiple means of communication, which has especially proven to be beneficial for the relationship between deployed soldiers and their children.”
In addition to these two large groups of Guardsmen, more than a dozen North Dakota airmen are serving in Afghanistan. They’re providing a variety of missions, from explosive ordnance disposal to airfield logistics assistance.
KOSOVO
The North Dakota Army National Guard also has a unit serving in Kosovo. The 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Security and Support Regiment mobilized for a yearlong deployment in September. About 60 soldiers with the unit are providing aviation command support for other units taking part in NATO peacekeeping operations there as part of Kosovo Force 15.
Col. Gordy Leingang also is serving in Kosovo. The Bismarck-area doctor is on his fourth deployment, serving three months as a flight surgeon there.
The North Dakota National Guard’s largest deployment in decades was to Kosovo in 2009-10. More than a dozen Guardsmen extended to continue to serve there, and several have been returning home in recent months. One, however, still remains: Capt. Shane Clennon, of West Fargo, N.D.
SOUTH KOREA
In a little-known mission for a North Dakota National Guard member, Maj. Gen. Dennis Jacobson has been serving in South Korea since November 2006. He expects to retire in coming months after having assisted with base consolidation and changes in the country.
AFRICA
North Dakota continues its eight-year relationship with Ghana, as well. As part of the Department of Defense-sponsored State Partnership Program, North Dakota Guard members and Ghana Armed Forces members have completed a number of exchanges in an effort to learn from one another in areas such as disaster planning and management, crisis communications, engineering and aviation tasks and more. An engineer exercise took place in Ghana last week, and several other exchanges are planned in coming months.
Also, Capt. Timothy Mattson, of Menoken, N.D., deployed in November to serve in the Horn of Africa. The Djibouti-based mission has him using his skills as a logistics plans officer for Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. He’s responsible for logistics support operations — including supply, services, maintenance and acquisition support — for the United States and partner nation forces in the area
ALWAYS READY
As the flood outlook shows minimal need for a fourth major National Guard response in four years, the North Dakota National Guard continues to remain ready for any natural disaster response. About 4,000 Guardsmen are in the state and ready, if called by Gov. Jack Dalrymple, to help in the aftermath of any late season winter storms or should wildfires pose a problem in coming months.
Even with the new border patrol mission, the state’s aviation assets remain in a strong position of support.
“North Dakota Army Aviation continues to try to provide the best possible support to our state and our nation, whether through deployments overseas, within the U.S. borders or right here in North Dakota supporting local or state emergencies,” Helten said. “Our ability to support state or local emergencies will not be affected by this [border patrol] mission.”
Two North Dakota Army National Guard units have been training and preparing for the possible overseas missions, as well, after receiving alerts for deployment. Nearly 100 soldiers with the 818th Engineer Company (Sapper), which is based in Williston and Hazen, have been on alert since May 2011 and expect to deploy in a few months. The 1919th Contracting Company, a specialized, four-person unit, also is preparing for a mission that may come at the end of this year.
| Date Taken: |
02.27.2012 |
| Date Posted: |
02.27.2012 14:12 |
| Story ID: |
84396 |
| Location: |
FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, US |
| Web Views: |
127 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, North Dakota Guardsmen responding across globe, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
