News

BISMARCK, N.D. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded 22 record crests state-wide in 2011, which in turn saw more than 3,000 North Dakota National Guard members serving on flood response duty. Citizen-Soldiers and -Airmen worked alongside members of local communities and with state and federal agencies like the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services, North Dakota Department of Transportation, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in fighting rising waters.

The North Dakota National Guard’s 2011 flood response consisted of 67,264 personnel workdays, which surpassed the 54,341 recorded during the 2009 flood response. This record was broken November 2020 when the Guard’s COVID-19 pandemic response surpassed that number, and is currently at 116,427 personnel days worked.

BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota National Guard’s 957th Engineer Company (Multi-Role Bridge) will conduct field training exercises 11-13 June, 2021, in the Kimball Bottoms area near the Missouri River, south of Bismarck.

The N.D. National Guard reminds the public to be aware of the training activities and to use extreme caution when in the area, since there will be increased vehicle and boat traffic during unit training operations. The public’s cooperation and understanding is appreciated.

Grand Forks, N.D.  About 225 Soldiers of the North Dakota Army National Guard’s 1^st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery (1-188^th ADA) Regiment were honored today at a sendoff ceremony at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks in preparation of a long-year mobilization to the National Capital Region. 

Addressing the departing Soldiers were the commander-in-chief of the North Dakota National Guard Gov. Doug Burgum, U.S. Senator John Hoeven, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer, Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, North Dakota National Guard adjutant general and Command Sgt. Maj. Eric Bindstock, North Dakota National Guard senior enlisted leader.  The unit is commanded by Lt. Col. Walyn Vannurden and the senior enlisted Soldier is Command Sgt. Maj. Russell Garrett.

MANDAN, N.D.  The North Dakota Veterans Cemetery conducted its 10,000^th interment today. Interments consist of both burials and cremation. The cemetery is a state-run, state-funded facility, that is administered by the office of the North Dakota National Guard adjutant general and accepts burial plot allowance for each Veteran interment from the Veterans Benefits Administration.  It’s also assisted by charitable contributions and occasional grants administered by the VA National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Cemetery Grants Program.

MANDAN, N.D. — The 2021 Memorial Day Ceremony will begin at noon Monday, May 31, at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, 6.5 miles south of Mandan on North Dakota Highway 1806. This annual event, hosted by the North Dakota National Guard, honors all deceased American servicemen and women and is free to the public. This year’s theme is “Korean War – Never Forgotten.

Participants are asked to observe COVID-19 precautions and arrive early due to anticipated large crowds and motorcycle honor run. Lawn chairs are encouraged due to limited seating and attendees are encouraged to sit with family members and friends in clusters while practicing social distancing.

WARRENTON, Ore. North Dakota Army National Guard Sgt. Brandon Wendland, 957th Engineer Company (Multi-Role Bridge), took top honors in the noncommissioned officer (NCO) category for the Region VI Best Warrior Competition (BWC) 2021 at Camp Rilea, Oregon, May 4-7, 2021.

Wendland of Fargo, earned the honor to represent North Dakota by winning the state BWC in August 2020 held at Camp Grafton Training Center, near Devils Lake, North Dakota. Corporal Andrew Doss of Grand Forks, a member of the 191st Military Police Company, finished third in Soldier category.

BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota National Guard’s 957th Engineer Company (Multi-Role Bridge) will conduct field training exercises this week in the Kimball Bottoms area near the Missouri River, south of Bismarck.

The N.D. National Guard reminds the public to be aware of the training activities and to use extreme caution when in the area, since there will be increased vehicle and boat traffic during unit training operations. The public’s cooperation and understanding is appreciated.

FARGO, N.D. — Brig. Gen. Darrin K. Anderson became the newest North Dakota National Guard general officer today during a promotion ceremony at the Air National Guard Base, Fargo which was live streamed. With this promotion to general officer, Anderson assumes the duties of the North Dakota National Guard assistant adjutant general for Air from Brig. Gen. Todd M. Branden, who was honored during a retirement ceremony.

Anderson previously served as the commander of the 119^th Wing, nicknamed the “Happy Hooligans” from August 2018 to March 2021, while Branden has been the assistant adjutant general for Air since October 2017.

 Bismarck, N.D. - The last North Dakota National Guard World War II (WWII) Soldier known to be residing in North Dakota died in Bowman on April 3, just weeks shy of his 97^th birthday. Douglas P, “Doug” Burtell, who served in the famed 164^th Infantry Regiment, was the last original member of the unit residing in North Dakota.

Burtell was only 16 years old when he joined the North Dakota National Guard in Fargo in late 1940. Assigned to the Intelligence and Reconnaissance Section of the Infantry Regiment he was trained to interpret aerial photographs, draw maps base

d on reconnaissance patrols, and analyze captured materials.

BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota National Guard presented awards recognizing individuals for a myriad of achievements

at their recent Joint Leaders Conference in Bismarck, March 19. The awards ceremony that kicked off the conference was live streamed from the North Dakota Army National Guard’s Army Aviation Support Facility in Bismarck.

The conference began with remarks conducted virtually by Gov. Doug Burgum.

"From fulfilling critical missions around to the world to playing an essential role in our response to the COVID-19 pandemic – now the largest and longest domestic response in the organization’s history – the North Dakota National Guard is truly ‘Always Ready, Always There’ because of the unwavering courage and commitment of its leaders and members and the incredible support of its community stakeholders. All deserve our deepest gratitude and recognition for their outstanding efforts and leadership,” Burgum said.