Spc. Sidney Schaff, left, 957th Engineer Company, helps new Military Funeral Honors member Spc. Taylor Lagro, 3662nd Support Maintenance Company, practice flag folding at the Raymond J. Bohn armory in Bismarck, N.D. on Aug. 28, 2020.
2020 Suicide Prevention Month - Cross talk
Retirees Virtual Briefing
In lieu of the annual Retirees Weekend at Camp Grafton Training Center, the N.D. National Guard's Retiree Advisory Board will provide an online video featuring informational briefings followed by a question and answer session. The video will be available on Tuesday, Sept. 8 and the live questions and answer session will be conducted Thursday, Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. The video link will be published on the Retirees/Veterans page on the N.D. National Guard website, the N.D. National Guard Facebook page and will be emailed to the retirees email list. Information on how to participate in the live questions and answer session will be announced.
Street and Heroes Park Dedication
On August 28, 2020, 14 streets and a park were dedicated in honor of the 14 N.D. National Guard Soldiers killed in action overseas in the Global War on Terrorism. The dedications are in a new housing development east of Bismarck, N.D. called Clear Sky Addition, and will feature a Heroes Park with photos, ranks, names, theater of war and date of death. Families and friends of the fallen were present to witness the ceremony emceed by the mayor of Bismarck, the Honorable Steve Bakken and featured comments by U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer. Because this endeavor honors N.D. National Guard Soldiers, Chaplain (Col.) David Johnson was invited to preformed the opening and closing prayers for the ceremony while Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, adjutant general for the N.D. National Guard, was invited to render remarks. Please visit the N.D. National Guard's website featuring a Soldier Tribute for a list of the Fallen honored during this dedication. (National Guard story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs Office)
This announcement is not an endorsement of Clear Sky's Addition commercial products or services by the federal government, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Army.
Bismarck Mayor Steve Bakken, left, listens as Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann renders remarks at the Street and Heroes Park dedication in Bismarck on Aug. 28, 2020. Bakken served as the emcee for the event.
A street sign dedicated to fallen N.D. Guard Soldier Sgt. Keith Smette was presented to his family during a dedication of Street and Heroes Park in east Bismarck. Smette's parents Char and Doug hold the sign accompanied by his brother, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robbie Smette.
231st Brigade Support Battalion Casing of the Colors
The 231st Brigade Support Battalion (231st BSB) retired its colors during a ceremony at the Valley City armory on Aug. 29, 2020. The event formally retires the unit and honors its proud lineage that will carry on with the activation of the 142nd Engineer Battalion. The 231st BSB is credited with service in support of Operation Joint Guardian and Operation Enduring Freedom. (National Guard story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Brett Miller, N.D. National Guard Visual Information)
The command team of the 142nd Engineer Battalion, Lt. Col. Anna Wittrock and Command Sgt. Maj. Gabe Gietzen prepare the colors of 231st Brigade Support Battalion for retirement during a ceremony at Valley City on Aug. 29.
Executive Performance Resilience Course
The Executive Resilience and Performance Course was held at Bohn Armory in Bismarck on Aug. 28, 2020. This course reinforces to Army leadership that in order to implement a culture change within the Army, they must lead by example, and incorporate the language of resilience. The intent of the Executive Resilience and Performance Course (ERPC) is to bring these skills to those who have the responsibility of enforcing standards and creating a climate of resilience. (National Guard story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs Office)
Military Funeral Honor Guard
The N.D. National Guard Military Funeral Honors is a professionally trained group of Soldiers that render funeral honors for Army Veterans. There are currently eight full-time Active Duty Operational Support (ADOS) Soldiers and approximately 40 trained Traditional Soldiers that are part of this program. Soldiers are always needed to serve in this important capacity throughout North Dakota. For more information on participating contact your unit or call 701-333-3339. (National Guard story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs Office)
Spc. Sidney Schaff, left, 957th Engineer Company, folds a U.S. flag towards new honor guard member Spc. Taylor Lagro, 3662nd Support Maintenance Company during military funeral honors training at the Raymond J. Bohn armory in Bismarck, N.D. on Aug. 28.
Football Booster Clubs Support N.D. National Guard Foundation
The football booster clubs of Bismarck Legacy High School and Bismarck Century High School partnered to raise nearly $2,400 for the N.D. National Guard Foundation (NDNGF). The donation was presented during halftime of the football game played between the two schools at the MDU Resources Community Bowl in Bismarck, N.D. on Aug. 29, 2020. The NDNGF is a not for profit charitable organization with two primary support activities; N.D. National Guard Emergency Relief Fund and N.D. Tragedy Assistance Program.
N.D. National Guard's Director of Staff - Air Honored at Retirement Lunch
Col. John Gibbs, Director of Staff - Air, for the N.D. National Guard spent his final day on the job attending a farewell lunch in his honor at Fraine Barracks in Bismarck on Sept. 3, 2020. The primary purpose of this position is to serve as the state headquarters chief executive officer and principal advisor to the adjutant general on a broad range of matters concerning the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard matters. Gibbs was commissioned in 1998 through the Academy of Military Science in Knoxville, Tenn.
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