ND National Guard Public Affairs Office

TAG Line August 7, 2020

Vigilant Guard 2020

The N.D. National Guard (NDNG) partnered with several civilian agencies state-wide in a joint exercise called Vigilant Guard 2020. The exercise was conducted August 3 - 6 in areas across the state. The NDNG regularly conducts emergency response exercise scenarios to help develop, validate, and refine plans and capabilities. These exercises ensure the NDNG is ready to support real-world disaster and emergency operations for our state and communities. When ordered by the governor in response to requests through the N.D. Department of Emergency Services, the NDNG is the first military responder during a natural disaster or emergency within the state. Top photo: Pvt. Seth Horn, 188th Engineer Company, removes tree limbs that are blocking rescue access to a simulated victim during exercise Vigilant Guard 2020 at Golden Lake on Aug. 5, 2020. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Chief Master Sgt. David H Lipp)

Vigilant Guard - Dual Status Command Summit

The N.D. National Guard began the Vigilant Guard 2020 exercise with a Dual Status Commander (DSC) summit with senior leaders. The goal of the summit was to ensure all members understood the DSC purpose, design, limitations and implementation. The summit was led by officers certified as DSCs, Brig. Gen. Leo Ryan, Army commander for the N.D. National Guard and Col. Rob Fugere, G-3 operations and training officer. (National Guard story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs Office)

Left: Col. Rob Fugere, a Dual Status Commander certified officer leads a discussion at the DSC summit in Bismarck, N.D. on August 3 while Brig. Gen. Leo Ryan, N.D. Army National Guard commander, looks on. Right: Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, adjutant general for the N.D. National Guard listens to Chief Warrant Officer 2 Scott Helprey, Vigilant Guard exercise director at the DSC summit. Bottom: Brig. Gen. Leo Ryan discusses the roles and responsibilities of a Dual Status Commander (DSC) to a group of senior N.D. National Guard officers and non-commissioned officers.

Vigilant Guard- Cyber Security Exercise

Soldiers and Airmen of the N.D. National Guard, the N.D. Information Technology Department, MDU Resources Group, and the N.D. Department of Emergency Services partnered in a Cyber Response exercise on Aug. 4, 2020, at Fraine Barracks in Bismarck, N.D. The Guard cyber warriors assisted MDU Resources Group in a simulated cyber incident. (National Guard story and photos by Staff Sgt. Ashley Johls, 116th Public Affairs Detachment)

Tech. Sgt. Eric Wilkens, Cyber Transport Systems Craftsman with the 119th Wing responds to a simulated cyber incident during Vigilant Guard 2020.

1st. Lieutenant Scott Leier; Network Systems Platoon Leader, 426th Signal Company, responds to a simulated cyber incident during Vigilant Guard 2020.

Vigilant Guard- CBRNE Exercise

The 119th Wing emergency management personnel teamed up with members of the N.D. National Guard 81st Civil Support Team for a hazardous material detection exercise as part of exercise Vigilant Guard 2020. The exercise was conducted on Aug. 4, 2020 at the Air National Guard Base in Fargo. (U.S. Air National Guard story and photos by Chief Master Sgt. David H Lipp)

Right, Staff Sgt. Chris Hickel, 81st Civil Support Team, briefs exercise information to Senior Master Sgt. Kristi Erickson, left and Tech. Sgt. Michael Mclaughlin, 119th Wing emergency management at the Air National Guard Base in Fargo on August 4.

Sgt. 1st Class John Noyes, a medical technician, 81st Civil Support Team, works in a decontamination glove box during exercise Vigilant Guard 2020 at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base on August 4.

Top left: 81st Civil Support Team members from left to right Sgt. Travis Johnson, Sgt. Brent LaFontaine and Master Sgt. Craig Akerstrom, 119th Wing emergency management team, use hazardous material detection equipment during exercise Vigilant Guard 2020 at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base, Fargo on August 4. Top right: Master Sgt. Craig Akerstrom, of the 119th Wing emergency management team, left, and Sgt. 1st Class Brent Miller, of the 81st Civil Support Team, pull simulated exercise victim Sgt. Travis Johnson, also of the 81st Civil Support Team, to safety. Bottom: Left, Sgt. 1st Class John Noyes, Right, Staff Sgt. Brent Miller, treats simulated exercise victim Sgt. Travis Johnson, all of the 81st Civil Support Team, for injuries.

Vigilant Guard Fire Rescue Exercise

The N.D. National Guard partnered with several local agencies in Steele County, N.D. to exercise search and fire rescue operations. The exercise was conducted at the Golden Lake Recreation Area and Resort on August 5, 2020. Participating agencies were the Steele County Sheriff's Office, Steele County Emergency Management, Grand Forks County Sheriff's Office, Hatton Fire Protection District, Traill County Sheriff’s Department, Traill County Emergency Management and Finley Fire District. (U.S. Air National Guard story and photos by Chief Master Sgt. David H Lipp)

Sgt. 1st Class Benji Boll, 188th Engineer Company, discusses search and rescue plans with Jason Sletten, assistant fire chief for Hatton, N.D. at Golden Lake Recreation Area and Resort, in Steele County on August 5.

Incident commander Edson Grindeland, the Hatton, N.D. fire chief, provides information for Sgt. Curt Savey, center, and Staff Sgt. Matthew Moon, 141st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade during search and rescue exercise on August 5.

Sgt. 1st Class Benji Boll operates a front end loader as Staff Sgt. Jeremy Knudson, both of the 188th Engineer Company, assist in clearing branches during a search and rescue exercise at Golden Lake on August 5.

The Steele County Sheriff's Office pontoon conducts a search for a simulated missing person using electronic detection equipment during exercise Vigilant Guard 2020 at Golden Lake on August 5.

Staff Sgt. Kerry Thompson, a combat medic with the 141st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, assists Hatton, N.D. firefighters with search and rescue during exercise Vigilant Guard 2020 at Golden Lake on August 5.

Staff Sgt. Kerry Thompson assists fire fighters with preparing a casualty for evacuation during exercise Vigilant Guard 2020 at Golden Lake on August 5.

Vigilant Guard Water Search and Rescue

The morning of August 5, 2020, the N.D. National Guard partnered with the Morton County Sheriff’s Office and Morton County Emergency Management at the Crown Butte Dam near Mandan, N.D. Soldiers of the 957th Engineer Company (Multi-Role Bridge) assisted civil authorities with a water search and rescue after a simulated levee breech. (U.S. Army National Guard story and photos by Staff Sgt. Ashley Johlfs, 116th Public Affairs Detachment)

Soldiers of the 957th Engineer Company unload a Zodiac inflatable raft at Crown Butte Dam in preparation of a water search and rescue exercise with Morton County authorities on August 5.

Soldiers of the 957th Engineer Company on Zodiac inflatable rafts head toward Soldiers retrieving a casualty mannequin at Crown Butte Dam on August 5.

Soldiers of the 957th Engineer Company retrieve a casualty mannequin from Crown Butte Dam during search and rescue exercise with the Morton County Sheriff's Department on August 5.

Soldiers of the 957th Engineer Company retrieving a casualty mannequin are assisted by a Soldier in a Zodiac inflatable raft on August 5.

Soldiers of the 957th Engineer Company retrieve a mannequin casualty at Crown Butte Dam in a search and rescue exercise with the Morton County Sheriff's Department near Mandan on August 5.

Soldiers carry a mannequin casualty to safety at Crown Butte Dam near Mandan on August 5.

Vigilant Guard Wrap-up

North Dakota's Vigilant Guard 2020 exercise concluded on August 6, 2020 at Fraine Barracks in Bismarck, N.D. with an AAR (After Action Review) that was attended by senior leaders to include the adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, and deputy adjutant general, Brig. Gen. Jackie Huber. An AAR is a structured review process to review and analyze events in order to capture lessons learned and to identify areas that need improvement. (National Guard story and photos by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs Office)

Left: Chief Warrant Officer 2 Scott Helprey, exercise director, leads AAR discussion in Bismarck on August 6. Right: Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann provides final comments at conclusion of AAR in Bismarck on August 6.

Fire Training in Fargo

The 119th Civil Engineer Squadron conducted firefighter training at the N.D. Air National Guard Base in Fargo on August 2, 2020. Training included responding to a simulated fire alarm while people try to distract the firefighters. The smoke is created by a fog machine for the purpose of realistic training as the firefighters enter the building to search for simulated victims. (U.S. Air National Guard story and photos by Chief Master Sgt. David H Lipp)

Tech. Sgt. Taylor Gerdes, a 119th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, enters a smoke-filled building during training at the Air National Guard Base in Fargo on August 2 .

Firefighters of the 119th Wing respond to an exercise alarm during unit training assembly at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base in Fargo on August 2.

Tech. Sgt. Taylor Gerdes, a 119th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, searches a smoke-filled building during training at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base in Fargo on August 2.

Staff Sgt. Tyler Wangler holds a fire hose as he arrives at the scene of a simulated fire during a training exercise at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base in Fargo on August 2.

Senior Airman Joseph Castiglione, a 119th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, begins life-saving measures on a training mannequin during an exercise on August 2.

Forklift Training

The N.D. Air National Guard's 119th Civil Engineer Squadron gathered for their first unit training assembly since March on August 1 and 2, 2020. Airmen practiced their forklift operating skills.

Top left: Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Ferguson directs Senior Airman James Doyel, both of the 119th Civil Engineer Squadron, during forklift training at the August unit training assembly at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base, Fargo on August 1. Top Right, Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Ferguson directs Senior Airman James Doyel, both of the 119th Civil Engineer Squadron, during forklift training at the August unit training assembly at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base, Fargo on August 1. Bottom left: Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Ferguson directs Senior Airman James Doyel, both of the 119th Civil Engineer Squadron, during forklift training at the August unit training assembly at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base, Fargo on August 1. Bottom right: Staff Sgt. Michael Walker, of the 119th Civil Engineer Squadron, directs a forklift operator into position during training at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base, Fargo on August 2.

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