News

The outgoing commander, Brig. Gen. Leo Ryan, has led over 3,000 N.D. Guard Soldiers of since Sept. 2018. Col. Jon Erickson assumed command of the Land Component Command during the ceremony.

BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota National Guard will conduct a blizzard response exercise at Fraine Barracks in Bismarck, Saturday, Nov. 20. The Guard regularly conducts emergency response exercise scenarios to validate and refine statewide plans and capabilities.

About 20 Soldiers and Airmen from the National Guard’s Domestic Operations Section will work from the organization’s Joint Operations Center (JOC) exercising command and control for military response resources during the hypothetical blizzard response. The JOC serves as a nexus for information sharing, mission assignments, as well as personnel and equipment tracking during domestic emergency responses.

BISMARCK, N.D. — Major General Al Dohrmann, adjutant general for the N.D. National Guard, issued the following statement on the passing of retired Brig. Gen. Al Palmer, Tuesday, Nov. 16.

“We are deeply saddened by news about our friend and colleague Brig. Gen. Al Palmer,” said Dohrmann. “Al exemplified the concept of a Citizen-Airman, serving in the National Guard for three decades. His quiet dignity and sound leadership continually inspired confidence in the Guard members that served alongside him. He was an Airmen for life, continuing to serve his community and state after his retirement from the National Guard. From serving on the Grand Forks base retention and military affairs committees, to serving Christmas dinner to Soldiers and Airmen, to being a driving force behind the construction of the Grand Forks Veterans Memorial park, Al set an example for all of us to follow.”

BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota National Guard’s 81^st Civil Support Team (CST) will conduct a joint exercise with the North Dakota Highway Patrol and the North Dakota Department of Health state laboratory, Wednesday, Nov. 17 beginning at 8:30 a.m.

In this exercise scenario, the North Dakota Highway Patrol requests National Guard assistance in identifying a suspicious package. 

Initially, the exercise will be conducted on the northwest corner of the North Dakota state capitol grounds and in the vicinity of the Governor’s front office. The 81^st CST will stage their vehicles and equipment in the parking lot.

BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota National Guard recently placed about 65 Guard members on COVID-19 duty in support of the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH). About 50 of these Guard members will support the NDDoH’s COVID-19 contact information efforts while 15 others will support the state laboratory in Bismarck.

The Guard members will be on state active duty with orders under the authority of FEMA (502f). These tours of duty are scheduled at least through December 31.

Fargo, N.D. — On August 26, 2021, 14 members of the North Dakota Air National Guard were mobilized in support of Operation Allies Refuge.

Operation Allies Refuge is the initiative to support the relocations of Afghan nationals and their immediate families. The North Dakota Airmen, nicknamed the Happy Hooligans, are serving at Volk Field, Wisconsin and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakhurst, New Jersey.

BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota National Guard will conduct an observance ceremony on Saturday, September 11, at the Memorial to the Fallen in the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), near the entrance to Fraine Barracks in Bismarck. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. and is a solemn observance of the 20^th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001.

The public and media are invited. The local streets will be closed from 8 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and parking is available at the Bank of North Dakota, 1200 Memorial Highway, Bismarck.

CAMP GRAFTON TRAINING CENTER, N.D. — Members of the 64th Officer Candidate School (OCS) class officially joined the North Dakota Army National Guard’s officer ranks during a graduation ceremony, Aug. 21, 2021, at the 164th Regiment Regional Training Institute (RTI). Nine Soldiers were awarded diplomas for completing the intensive officer training program, which is administered by staff and cadre from the RTI’s 2nd Training Battalion (Modular) at Camp Grafton Training Center, near Devils Lake, North Dakota.

Officer candidates may defer their commission upon graduating OCS, dependent on personal preference or the availability of an officer position within a unit. Three graduates of this class accepted their commissions as second lieutenants. They will now go on to lead platoons in North Dakota Army National Guard units across the state. Four candidates accepted their commissions at an earlier date.

FARGO, N.D. — The North Dakota National Guard celebrated two facilities in Fargo today by commemorating the beginning of construction for one and later celebrating the completion of another.

This morning, the Happy Hooligans of the North Dakota Air National Guard’s 119th Wing hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony for a consolidated operations facility at the Fargo Air Base. The $17.5 million project intended for use by the 119th Operations Group, is scheduled for construction to begin this fall, with an expected completion in 2023.

Gov. Doug Burgum, commander and chief of the N.D. National Guard, U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, adjutant general for the N.D. National Guard, Col. Mitch Johnson, 119^th Wing commander along with Shawn Dobberstein, executive director, Fargo Airport Authority wielded shovels for the ceremonial groundbreaking.

This afternoon, the North Dakota Army National Guard celebrated the completion of the Fargo Readiness Center by hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony officially dedicating the facility. Among the participants in this ceremony were Hoeven, Cramer, Dohrmann, Brig. Gen. Jackie Huber, deputy adjutant general, N.D. National Guard, Brig. Gen. Leo Ryan, commander, N.D Army National Guard, Dobberstein, and Delton Steele, honorary commander for the N.D. National Guard and chair of the N.D. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).

FARGO, N.D. — The North Dakota National Guard will conduct two separate events celebrating facilities on Tuesday, August 24 in Fargo.

The Happy Hooligans of the 119th Wing will host a groundbreaking ceremony for its $17.5 million military construction project at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base. The groundbreaking is set for 10 a.m. Construction on this building, a consolidated operations facility for use by the 119th Operations Group, is scheduled to begin in the fall.

Later that day, the North Dakota Army National Guard will host a building dedication of the Fargo Readiness Center with a ribbon cutting at 1:30 p.m.  After the ceremony, the media is invited to tour the new ceremony. The building is located at Fraine Barracks complex in Bismarck and will serve as headquarters and operating offices for the 141^st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, some of its subordinate units as well as their vehicles and equipment.