ND Guardian Feb 2016

GUARDIANNorth Dakota

Volume 9, Issue 1 January/February 2016

PG. 6

We take a look back on the Guard’s accomplishments in 2015 as

Boost Your GT Score,Become an Officer

ALSO INSIDE:

PG. 12

119th Wing AirmenSend Love to SarajevoPG. 16

Flowers: Moral Courage Echoes in Eternity PG. 19

READY, RELEVANTin2016

North Dakota Airmen, Soldiers look forward to missions and training at home and abroad

in the coming year.

DepartmentsGuardian Snapshots ..................... News Briefs .....................................Sound Off! .....................................

Page 14Page 18Page 19

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On the Cover

Inside This IssueFeatures

The North Dakota Guardian is an authorized publication for members, families and retirees of the N.D. National Guard.

• Contents of the North Dakota Guardian are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, or the Department of the Army or Air Force.

• Editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of the Joint Force Headquarters, N.D. National Guard ( JFND) Public Affairs Officer.

• Printed by United Printing, a private firm in no way connected to the U.S. Government under exclusive written contract with the JFND. Reproduction is by the offset method with a circulation of approximately 4,900.

• The North Dakota Guardian is published by the JFND Public Information Office, Box 5511, Bismarck, N.D. 58506-5511, 701.333.2007

ARTICLE SUBMISSIONSContributions to the North Dakota Guardian are encouraged! Send articles, photos and art to Editor, JFND PIO, Box 5511, Bismarck, N.D. 58506-5511. Electronic submissions are preferred. Please e-mail stories in Word format to:

[email protected]: 701-451-2273 Fax: 701-333-2017Digital photos should be 300 dpi, if possible.

Commander in ChiefNorth Dakota Governor

Jack Dalrymple

The Adjutant GeneralMaj. Gen. Alan S. Dohrmann

Chief of Public AffairsCapt. Amber Balken

Editor2nd Lt. Eric Jungels

ContributorsChaplain (Col.) John Flowers

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Kiel SkagerSenior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp

Staff Sgt. Eric JensenStaff Sgt. Brett Miller

Sgt. Ashley JohlfsJon Haugen

Senior Airman Patrick Wagenecht, of the 219th Security Forces Squadron, prepares for a training scenario July 14, 2015, after being airlifted by a North Dakota Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from Camp Grafton Training Center near Devils Lake, North Dakota, to the post’s training area, about 50 miles south of the main camp.

12 Makingthe Grade

North Dakota’s Officer Strength Management Office introduces a new course, complete with in-class tutoring, to bolster potential officers’ Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, or ASVAB, scores, so they can qualify for future leadership programs.

Photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp, 119th Wing

Illustration by 2nd Lt. Eric Jungels,N.D. National Guard Public Affairs

6 A Year of Sacrifice,Selfless Service

Join us, as we revisit the actions and accomplishments of North Dakota National Guard members from across the state in 2015.

18 EnlistedLeadership

The N.D. Air National Guard, in January, welcomed two of its top NCO’s to leadership positions: Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Muehler assumed duties as the state command chief master sergeant while Chief Master Sgt. Duane Kangas was named the 119th Wing’s command chief master sergeant.


GUARDIANNorth Dakota


WWhen I took over as adjutant general in December of 2015, I highlighted two themes during my remarks: “always ready, always there,” the National Guards motto, and “rush to the fire,” which describes who we are and what we do. It has been our readiness, expertise and “can-do” attitude that has allowed us to succeed at our mission of providing ready units, individuals and equipment to support our communities, state and nation.

We are as relevant and respected now as we have ever been in our history. We owe it to those who built this great organization to pass our legacy on to the next generation so they are ready for tomorrow’s challenges. If you are still reading, it may have occurred to you that “ready” or “readiness” have shown up in every sentence to this point. This is not an accident.

To continue our past success in meeting all mission requirements, it is vital that we work together to achieve our end-strength goals, which is the key to our future readiness. I need everyone to help tell the “Guard Story.” If you are wondering what that is, it is your story. It is Lexington and Concord. It is what I did at annual training in 1992, or when I deployed to Kosovo with a bunch of Guardsmen from Ohio in 2004, or when I had the honor of leading a bunch of North Dakota Guardsmen on another mission to Kosovo in 2009. That is my story, but you also have a story that you need to tell to friends, classmates, relatives, and even perfect strangers, so people know the opportunities we provide that can allow them to grow as a person and be part of a

great team. Recruiting is only half the equation;

we also need to retain our teammates. As leaders, we know, that in order to achieve our readiness goals, we must take care of our Soldiers, Airmen and their families. We must train, coach and mentor our people and provide them the opportunities to reach their full potential. We must foster an environment of personal respect and dignity. We must go beyond saying what is important and show, in tangible ways, our commitment to fitness, wellness and building resiliency throughout the National Guard team. If our families do not feel they are part of the team, we need to reach out to them and let them know they are valued members. Leaders must know their teammates and their families, and advocate for their needs.

This past month, I had the opportunity to attend a dining-out hosted by one of our units. Afterward, a young spouse came up to me, thanked me for being there, and thanked the command for putting on the event and for bringing the spouses in. She shared with me that she did not feel like she was part of the team, but after the event, she felt more connected with the National Guard. We hear similar comments at our “Guard Your Future” events — where we bring in service members and their families to inform them about the benefits of continued service. Stating the obvious: it is hard to feel like part of the team if you are not part of any team events.

For those of you who read my command

philosophy, or heard me talk about it at one of your drills, you know that I am only half way through my priorities. I will resist the urge to cover the other half this month, for fear of exceeding your appetite for what is on my mind.

I will close where I began. It is our people that make us the respected institution we are — the North Dakota National Guard. Thank you for your service to our communities, state and nation. It is an honor to serve alongside each of you. I look forward to 2016 and the years that follow.

“Strength from the Soil”

Maj. Gen. Alan S. Dohrmann

North Dakota Adjutant General

ALWAYS READY, ALWAYS THERE

Senior Airman Zachary Johnson, front, and Senior Airman Joseph Manning, both of the 119th Civil Engineer Squadron, salute during the stationary drill testing phase of Airman Leadership School (ALS) June 25, 2015, at the N.D. Air National Guard Base in Fargo. The 5-week ALS training course prepares Airmen for leadership roles within the Air National Guard.

www.ndguard.ngb.army.mil · 3

VIEW FROM THE TOP

North Dakota Guard Teams with Department of Healthto Provide Invaluable Training in Ghana

Emergency services are a relatively new idea in Ghana. The need for an emergency services surfaced in 2001 when tragedy struck the capital city of Accra. During a soccer game, a riot broke out between opposing fans. Some stadium gates were locked, preventing fans to escape. To control the riots, police shot tear gas into the stadium. More than 130 people died from asphyxiation and from being trampled, making it the worst soccer disaster in Africa.

In January, members of the North Dakota National Guard and the N.D. Department of Health spent two weeks working with and teaching Ghana’s National Ambulance Service.

PROTECTINGA NATION

By Capt. Amber Balken,Joint Force Headquarters

Staff Sgt. Aaron Barnum, medical noncommissioned officer-in-charge for the 191st Military Police Company, looks on as Mr. George Gerhardt, of the North Dakota Department of Health, instructs Ghanaian emergency medical technicians in Accra, Ghana. Barnum and Gerhardt joined three other members of the National Guard’s State Partnership Program team and spent two weeks training the Ghana National Ambulance Service in ambulance operations. (Contributed photo.)

4 · Guardian · January/February 2016

North Dakota leaders identified the need to further the Emergency Management Service partnership, a component of the state’s SPP program efforts. They reached out to the governor and the North Dakota Department of Health, and in 2013, the first mission, to assess and identify capabilities of the Ghanaian National Ambulance Service, took place.

The following missions included a train-the-trainer course and how to run an EMT test site, with the Department of Health actually running it to get the Ghanaian EMT’s certified with the U.S. National Registry. The purpose of the mission was to provide essential skills in leadership, operational and developmental aspects of EMS and ambulance services.

The SPP team gave instruction and facilitated conversations with varying audiences, from EMT station managers to administrators and dispatchers. The attendees participated in discussions about ambulance operations, licensure, leadership principals, infection control, public relations and protocol.

Ghanaian EMT Daniel Asare, an ambulance station leader, said that he was thankful for the programs provided by the State Partnership Program.

“The programs really enlighten me a whole lot, especially how I can make sure that we work as a team. I also enjoyed discussing how to keep my team of EMT’s motivated. The program has really enriched me, and I will take all the education I have learned and pass it along to my team to make them better EMTs and better for Ghana,” he said.

This partnership has provided an opportunity for one Ghanaian EMT to further his education here in North Dakota.

On a second trip to the National Ambulance Service, the idea was proposed

to bring an EMT to the U.S. for some advanced paramedic training, said Ms. Kelli Sears, state EMS training coordinator for the Department of Health. After pursuing this opportunity, the Department of Health teamed up with Sanford Health EMS education of Fargo to make it happen.

“Sanford took the lead, took on the financial burden to sponsor the student, and also set him up with a host family to live with during the paramedic course. Sanford really made this possible,” she said.

The goal is to have the student return to Ghana as a paramedic and start facilitating paramedic and advanced life support education there. As the EMS grows in Ghana, the team realizes they have to be cognizant of the system integration.

“There are things that we take for granted in the U.S. that aren’t the norm in other countries,” said Dr. Jeffery Sather, medical director for emergency services, N.D. Department of Health. “There are situations where people arrive in ambulances and are turned away from hospitals. As we train the EMTs and ambulance service, we must be aware that they could progress very quickly and outpace the hospitals in the area. Moving forward, that might be an area the National Guard and the partnership program can look at — the integration of the emergency care system.”

Although there is room for growth, the National Ambulance Service has the fundamental building blocks in place, and once they get things going and get the resources to move forward, they will do well, Sather said.

Staff Sgt. Aaron Barnum, medical noncommissioned officer-in-charge for the 191st Military Police Company, who is also a paramedic, was able to ride along with the ambulance service for a shift.

“This has been a great experience. The

EMT’s are enthusiastic, dedicated and have the skills to improve emergency care in Ghana. I am confident the SPP and the Department of Health will continue to help Ghana in all aspects of emergency care,” he said.

The National Ambulance Service began in 2004 with seven ambulance stations, and less than 60 staff members. Currently, there are 130 stations in 10 regions across Ghana with nearly 1,700 personnel on staff.

The State Partnership Program is a key U.S. security cooperation tool that facilitates cooperation across all aspects of international civil-military affairs and encourages people-to-people ties at the state level. The N.D. National Guard’s partnership with Ghana started in 2004. The relationship began with a military-to-military relationship between the N.D. National Guard and the Ghanaian Armed Forces. The partnership has now expanded to a number of civilian agencies, including the N.D. Department of Health and the National Ambulance Service of Ghana.

Mr. Alex Segbefia (right), Ghana’s Minister of Health gives his keynote address at closing ceremonies of the State Partnership Program event. The minister said he was proud of the partnership between the N.D. National Guard, Department of Health and the National Ambulance Service, and looks forward to a continued relationship to improve emergency services for the people of Ghana. (Contributed photo.)


DYNAMIC, RELEVANTBy 2nd Lt. Eric JungelsN.D. National Guard Public Affairs

REFLECTING2015on

North Dakota National Guard continues to provideready units, individuals and equipmentto support our communities, state and nation

maintaining excellence6 · Guardian · January/February 2016

As 2015 came to an end, leaders throughout the North Dakota National Guard reflected on

the accomplishments of the organization’s Soldiers and Airmen.

In a year that concluded with the beginning of a new adjutant general’s tenure, N.D. Guardsmen remained involved in missions and training both at home and around the world in 2015.

“Airmen and Soldiers of the N.D. National Guard met opportunities and challenges head on in 2015,” said Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, N.D. adjutant general. “We’re extremely proud of the accomplishments of our citizen-Soldiers, citizen-Airmen and agency civilian employees. We are also thankful for the continuing support of our families and civilian employers, who enable our members to be always ready, always there, when needed, to support our communities, state and nation.”

Here’s a look back at some of the key events, missions and moments of 2015 for the N.D. National Guard:

Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Van Pelt, of the 219th Security Forces Squadron, aims his M-4 rifle at simulated intruders May 20, 2015, during a training exercise at a launch facility on Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. The exercise was a part of the N.D. Airmen’s annual training with the 91st Missile Security Forces Squadron, which was performing its day-to-day duties. The Air National Guard members routinely integrate with U.S. Air Force active-duty personnel, as they perform the real-world mission of missile field security.

New LeadershipA change of command ceremony,

which took place in December 2015, formally introduced newly-promoted Maj. Gen. Alan Dohrmann as the state’s 21st adjutant general. He assumed command from Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, outgoing adjutant general, who retired after leading the N.D. National Guard’s nearly 4,100 Soldiers and Airmen during critical missions, including federal mobilizations and state emergencies, since August 2006.

“Maj. Gen. Dohrmann’s impressive resume of leadership, strategic planning and policy development will serve him well as North Dakota’s next adjutant general and will provide a strong foundation for leading our National Guard and Department of

Emergency Services into a new era of service to our state and nation,” said Gov. Jack Dalrymple, who presided over the change of command ceremony. “Maj. Gen. Sprynczynatyk has done an outstanding job for our state and his vision and leadership will have a lasting impact on future generations. We thank him for his many years of faithful service and wish him well in his retirement.”

In addition to commanding the N.D. Guard, Dohrmann also serves as the director of the N.D. Department of Emergency Services, which is comprised of the Division of Homeland Security and the Division of State Radio Communications. Prior to the change of command ceremony, he was promoted to the rank of major general by U.S. Army Gen. Frank Grass, chief of the National Guard Bureau.

Photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp


Mobilizations, Stateside and AbroadAirmen and Soldiers continued to serve

on overseas deployments and stateside missions in 2015.

In January 2015, a group of about 35 aviation Soldiers from the N.D. Army National Guard mustered on the southwest border in Texas to support the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s ongoing operations there. The Soldiers served as members of a headquarters element, providing command and control for an aviation task force comprised of Army Guardsmen from nine additional states. The task force’s mission is to provide around-the-clock flight surveillance capabilities in support of border patrol agents on the ground.

While a number of N.D. Army National Guard aviators were flying LUH-72 Lakota

helicopters on the southwest border, other Soldiers launched UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to support contingencies at home. In April 2015, Guard aviators equipped with 600-gallon water buckets provided support to emergency responders battling a wildfire south of Bismarck, near the residential area of Briardale.

In July 2015, about 15 Soldiers from the Valley City-based 231st Brigade Support Battalion returned home from a nearly yearlong deployment overseas. The Soldiers were organized into a specialized Logistical Support Element and provided logistical support to units in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility, where they managed supply, maintenance, transportation, and cargo movement activities.

Also in July, a small group of Airmen,

assigned to the Minot-based 219th Security Forces Squadron, left for a six-month deployment to Southwest Asia, where they supported CENTCOM operations. About 15 Airmen — proficient in implementing critical protection measures for military personnel and other important assets — volunteered for the base defense and security operations mission. The Guardsmen drew upon the experience and training provided by their home unit, which made history by becoming the first National Guard unit to team up with active-duty counterparts to provide security for one of the nation’s three missile fields.

Today, as they’ve done 24/7 throughout all of 2015, Airmen from the 119th Wing stationed stateside remain engaged in the Global War on Terror as they support remotely-piloted aircraft overseas.

A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from the N.D. National Guard’s Company C, 2nd Battalion, 285th Aviation Regiment (Assault) uses a 600-gallon bambi bucket April 14, 2015, to suppress a wildfire south of Bismarck, North Dakota, near the residential area of Briardale.

Photo by Sgt. Ashley Johlfs,Joint Force Headquarters

Supporting communities


Achievements and AwardsThe N.D. Guard recorded a number of accomplishments in 2015.

Throughout the year, many units and individuals were recognized for excellence in 2015.

In March of 2015, Master Sgt. Daniel Anderson, of Audubon, Minnesota, received the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Goddard Medal for his exemplary work in electrical power production career field. Anderson, a member of the 119th Wing’s Fargo-based 119th Civil Engineer Squadron, was presented the award during the N.D. Air National Guard’s annual Outstanding Airmen of the Year banquet at the Courtyard by Marriot in Moorhead, Minnesota.

At that same event, the 119th Wing, also known as the “Happy Hooligans,” recognized its “best of the best.” Fifteen Airmen were nominated for an Outstanding Airman of the Year award based on their military and civic service during 2014, with only three winners walking away with titles: Senior Airman Luke Knutson was named Outstanding Airman of the Year; Staff Sgt. Kellynn Fosse was named Noncommissioned Officer of the year; and Master Sgt. Luke Gardiner was named Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.

Capt. Gregory Goodman also was named Company Grade Officer of the Year, while Maj. Jackie Nord was named Field Grade Officer of the Year. Goodman works full-time as the vice commander of the Minot-based 219th Security Forces Squadron. He also serves as the commander of the Fargo-based 119th Security Forces Squadron in his traditional Guard duty status. Nord is the chief of dental services for the 119th Wing in Fargo.

In the N.D. Army National Guard, Maj. Daniel Murphy, of Bismarck, was named Field Grade Officer of the Year and Capt. Jay Sheldon, also of Bismarck, was named Company Grade Officer of the Year. Murphy serves full-time as the executive officer for the N.D. Army Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion. As a traditional Guardsman, he is assigned as the operations officer for the 164th Regiment Regional Training Institute at the Devils Lake-based Camp Grafton Training Center. In his traditional National Guard role, Sheldon serves as the commander for the Fargo-based 191st Military Police Company and works full-time for the N.D. National Guard’s Joint Force Headquarters as the senior intelligence officer.

Later in the month of March, and about a month prior to celebrating its tenth year as a full-time emergency response unit for the state of North Dakota, the 81st Civil Support Team (81st CST) was awarded the N.D. National Guard’s State Outstanding Unit Citation. This award recognizes individual units and its assigned military personnel for their contributions towards the improvement of combat readiness and unit preparedness.

Families were also recognized in March for their generosity, support and devotion to fellow Guardsmen during a National Guard Officer and Enlisted Association of North Dakota awards banquet at the Ramkota Hotel in Bismarck. At the same event, select Guardsmen, were honored for extraordinary achievements.

In May 2015, the N.D. National Guard hosted embassy and senior military personnel from the Republic of Benin and the Togolese Republic as part of an engagement for the National Guard

Sgt. Nick Kane, of the N.D. Army National Guard’s Fargo-based 231st Brigade Support Battalion Logistical Support Element, is greeted by his son, Hunter, 7, and his daughter, Harper, 4, upon his arrival to Hector International Airport in Fargo July 21, after a nearly yearlong deployment overseas.

Photo by 2nd Lt. Eric Jungels,N.D. National Guard Public Affairs

Recognizing Families


Bureau’s State Partnership Program (SPP). The engagement was the first major activity with representatives from these partner nations to take place in North Dakota.

Through the SPP, the N.D. National Guard paired with Ghana in 2004 and with Benin and Togo in February 2014. The recent agreements elevated North Dakota as the first state with multiple partnerships in western Africa in what has become known as the SPP’s regionalization concept.

In July of 2015, Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James visited members of the 119th Wing at the Air National Guard base in Fargo. Later in the year, the Happy Hooligans would receive their 17th Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (AFOUA). The AFOUA is awarded by the secretary of the Air Force to numbered units demonstrating exceptionally meritorious service or outstanding achievement that clearly sets the unit above and apart from similar units, including successful involvement with combat operations or exposure to hostile actions by an opposing foreign force. The award recognizes units across the active-duty Air Force, U.S. Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard.

Three N.D. National Guard officers were promoted to brigadier general this past year. Giselle “Gigi” Wilz, an Army Guard officer, was promoted in May. She is now serving as the commander and senior military representative of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Headquarters in Bosnia. In September, Robert Fode, the Army Component commander for the N.D. National Guard pinned on his general officer star while Robert Becklund, chief of staff for Air, N.D. National Guard, was promoted in December.

Capt Alan J. Roehrich, of the N.D. Army National Guard’s 164th Regional Training Institute, assists a member of the Benin army (Forces Armees Beninois) who is firing an M-16 rifle at Camp Grafton Training Center, near Devils Lake, North Dakota on May 3, 2015. The M-16 is fitted with a training simulator called an “Ultimate Training Munition,” which fires a paintball-type round for training. Nagnimi and other military representative from the Republic of Benin and Togolese Republic were in North Dakota participating in an engagement as part of the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program. This was the first major activity with representatives from these partner nations to take place in North Dakota.

Photo by Jon HaugenN.D. National Guard Visual Information

Forging Partnerships

Brig. Gen. Robert Becklund, the North Dakota National Guard chief of staff for Air, has his general star adjusted by retired Maj. Gen. Alexander Macdonald, former North Dakota adjutant general, immediately after Becklund’s promotion ceremony Dec. 5, 2015, at the N.D. Air National Guard Base in Fargo.



Going ForwardHeading into 2016, the vision of the N.D.

National Guard remains being a “dynamic, relevant force where everyone is a trained, mentored and empowered leader.” The N.D. Guard’s goals are designed to set the organization on a path to achieve that vision.

The N.D. National Guard’s goals include the following:

1) Trained and ready units and leaders.We must prepare our Soldiers, Airmen

and units to meet the challenges of the future, while at the same time remaining “always ready, always there” to support federal and state missions on short notice. Personnel and training readiness will be the key to our success. We also will ensure we provide all Soldiers and Airmen with the core skills and leadership competencies that are required to successfully meet the challenges of the future.

2) Build a competitive force positioned for emerging missions.

To meet the challenges of tomorrow, we must continually examine and plan how to maintain our force structure, stationing, facilities and end strength, and how we will support federal and state mission requirements. We must meet this challenge to ensure our relevancy in the future.

3) Strengthen the National Guard community.

The demands placed upon the National Guard have changed over the past decade, and it is essential that we manage those demands in order to accomplish our missions while preserving the values of family and community. Soldiers’ and Airmen’s wellbeing is critical to our success. We will foster resilient and healthy Soldiers, Airmen, families and civilian employees by embracing a culture of total fitness.

4) Forge and maintain partnerships.For more than 130 years, the N.D.

National Guard has supported and partnered with local, state and federal entities. Interagency cooperation is one of the National Guard’s core strengths. We will continue our success by ensuring we build and maintain these important and enduring relationships.

5) Act as effective stewards of our resources.Our values guide us to be good stewards

of the resources the American people give

uniforms. These Soldiers and Airmen, with the support of their families and employers, are committed to maintaining the level of readiness and professionalism our state and nation have now come to expect.

They train hard with the fight in mind, they build relationships knowing the importance of strong, devoted partners, and — in these seemingly constant times of uncertainty — are standing by, waiting for the call. Take comfort in knowing that the N.D. National Guard will be “always ready, always there.”

us to accomplish our mission. In order to sustain our commitment, we will implement a holistic resource management system to optimize the use of all resources and make resource-informed decisions. As effective stewards of resources, we also will implement innovative, cost-effective approaches to reduce pollution, reverse environmental damage and embrace energy conservation.

Men and women from throughout North Dakota — family, friends, neighbors and co-workers — serve proudly in their military

Moving Forward

Best Warrior competitors use wooden planks Aug. 23 to traverse a team-building obstacle during the Best Warrior Competition at Camp Grafton Training Center. The Soldiers led their own assigned squad of Guardsmen through the challenge while being timed and evaluated on their leadership abilities.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Brett MillerN.D. National Guard Visual Information


For future leaders of the North Dakota National Guard, making the transition to becoming an officer or warrant officer can be a numbers game. Staff Sgt. Heather Schmidt,

of Joint Force Headquarters, has become well-acquainted with the commissioning process during her pursuit of becoming a warrant officer. That process began by putting together an application packet to obtain eligibility to attend the warrant officer candidate school. But in order to finalize her requirement checklist, she’s had yet to meet one of the program’s core qualifications – achieving a 110-point GT, or general technical, score on her Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, the test all Guardsmen take upon enlistment to determine their eligibility for a wide array of military occupational specialties.

By taking the Armed Forces Classification Test (AFCT), potential officer and warrant officer candidates can bolster their scores to meet the aptitude threshold for leadership courses. The test, though, requires re-familiarizing themselves with material they may not have seen since their formative high school education, including the three core areas used to generate the GT score — arithmetic reasoning, word knowledge, and paragraph comprehension.

Using an already established blueprint developed by the New Jersey National Guard, and other states, North Dakota’s Officer Strength Management (OSM) Office last month presented a three-day course to help Guardsmen pass the AFCT by giving them in-class tutoring to revisit exam material.

“New Jersey saw their scores raise, on average, around 13 points, and we saw the same,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Steve Hoikkala, Officer Strength Management team member. “Each person who attended the course saw their score increase. It definitely was a big help to them as students. If they would’ve taken it themselves and studied on their own, I doubt that we would’ve got the same results. We’ve really been encouraging Soldiers who have needed to take the test to take the course. We had great results.”

Fortunately, as citizen-Soldiers and –Airmen, the National Guard has diverse talents and knowledge within its ranks to assist its members in a variety of capacities to build readiness for military missions and beyond. To help bolster attendees’ AFCT scores, OSM team members secured some educational assistance from

Capt. Chad Worrel, commander for the 188th Engineer Company (Vertical), who is a math and computer sciences teacher at Legacy High School in Bismarck.

“Usually what happens, when a Soldier has to retake their GT, a big difficulty is the math portion,” Hoikkala said. “They haven’t done that in a long time. Typically, a Soldier would be studying on their own for the test. It would be up to them to figure out the formulas and the problems. Sometimes, that’s just a little more difficult to figure out on your own than it is receiving help from someone who does this for a living.”

Hoikkala said that while mastering the test’s math problems, traditionally, has been the Achilles heel for potential officer and warrant officer candidates pursing qualifying scores, Worrell’s instruction yielded dividends. Schmidt, for example, boosted her test score by 19 points, from a 96 when she initially took the test during her junior year of high school, to a 115.

“You can get the books, you can get the study apps on your phone, but it really helps to actually have someone there who can walk you through each and every step and to answer questions. I think having an instructor who teaches math on a daily basis really helps. It gave him an edge on instructing that class,” Schmidt said. “Math is a skill that if you don’t use it, you lose it. I really had to

By Staff Sgt. Eric W. Jensen, Joint Force Headquarters

“New Jersey saw their scores raise, on average, around 13 points, and we saw the same. Each person who attended the course saw their score increase.”

— Chief Warrant Officer 2 Steve Hoikkala, Officer Strength Management team member.


dust off the cobwebs.”Worrel, for his part, prepared to instruct

the course by parsing through AFCT practice exams to develop the material he wanted to present. His experience in mathematics spans more than 10 years of teaching at both Legacy and Bismarck High School. As an educator, he’s guided students through the entire spectrum of math comprehension levels, from remedial courses for students who’ve struggled with mathematics to advanced instruction in probability and statistics and trigonometry.

“A lot of it is reasoning, using those mental shortcuts with numbers. So much of that stuff you can forget. A lot of the AFCT course consisted of refresher — mental math tricks and some fairly larger concepts,” he said. “I wouldn’t take a lot of credit for the instruction, because the class was very dedicated to learn the material. When you have people who are that devoted to trying to learn something and pass something that is going to have value, it makes it very easy.”

For the most part, Worrel said, his experience as a high school teacher and as a Guard leader have complemented one another, which was another factor for the AFCT course’s success.

“In the high school setting, you’re continually trying to provide motivation for students to continue to strive and do better,” he said. “You’re trying to provide them with clear objectives and learning goals or targets. That’s not that much different than in the military. There’s a lot of similarity there.”

Course attendees like Schmidt all offered positive remarks in the course’s after action reviews. Schmidt said Worrel’s guidance was invaluable and future courses would be a benefit to others.

“This was one step that I had to complete (to go to warrant officer school), was to boost my GT score. I figured, if I can have somebody there to walk me through steps and answer questions, and I wouldn’t have to do it on my own, that this course would be a great opportunity,” she said.

Worrel will continue to help with mathematic testing preparation for the AFCT, including lending expertise and developing resources for enlisted Soldiers preparing themselves for their initial exams. In future months, he will assist the N.D. Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion with revising and updating ASVAB study guides.

“The training that Capt. Worrel already has conducted was excellent and truly helped

to refresh some of the mathematical skills that our potential warrant officer and officer prospects may not have done for several years. From this training, 14 of the 18 Soldiers who attended raised their GT score to 110, or better, in order to meet the standard to be considered for a commissioning program,” said Lt. Col. Debra Lien, Recruiting and Retention Battalion officer-in-charge. “This ties directly with our goals of filling both warrant officer and officer vacancies throughout the state to increase our end strength.”

The Recruiting and Retention Battalion and OSM now intend to broaden its ASVAB testing initiatives. The tutoring course for the AFCT now will be offered twice each year, with the next event being held in July.

Interested participants can learn more about the course through future Eagle Flight events or by contacting Officer Strength Management team members Chief WarrantOfficer 2 Steve Hoikkala at701-451-6312 or Capt. Russ Sundby at 701-451-6355.

110The GT, or general technical, score one must achieve on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery in order to qualify for officer and warrant officer programs.

GUARDIANSnapshots

Visit www.flickr.com/photos/ndguard/.See More, and Download Photos!

Right, The U.S. Air Force Academy Falcons lost a Big 12 conference wrestling match 23-14 to the North Dakota State University Bison Jan. 22, 2016, at the Bentson

Bunker Fieldhouse in Fargo, North Dakota. The Air Force Academy and NDSU were both added to the Big 12 conference this academic year and can be expected to face

off again in the future. In the photo, captured by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp, of the 119th Wing, U.S. Air Force Academy cadet Zen Ikehara, in blue, tries to maintain

control of NDSU wrestler Blake Thompson during their 174-pound contest. Thompson won the match by a 5-3 decision, resulting in three team points for the Bison. The

NDSU Bison would go on to take a 23-14 team victory.

Guardsmen swear an oathfor their futures

Photos by Staff Sgt. Brett J. Miller, Joint Force Headquarters


Brig. Gen. Robert Fode, Army Component commander, administers the oath of reenlistment to North Dakota Soldiers attending a “Guard Your Future” event Feb. 6 at the Raymond J. Bohn Armory in Bismarck. The events were introduced in December 2015 to explain to Guardsmen, who are approaching their expiration-term of service, or ETS date, the benefits of a full military career and the incentives, bonuses and programs available. Fode visited with attendees, who also brought their spouses, about the many reasons to continue to serve. Bottom right, the Guardsmen had the opportunity to visit with subject matter experts about an array of resources, including information about commissioning opportunities, full-time Guard employment openings and even fitness and nutrition classes for those concerned about continuting to pass their Army Physical Fitness Tests.

Visit www.flickr.com/photos/ndguard/.See More, and Download Photos!

Right, The U.S. Air Force Academy Falcons lost a Big 12 conference wrestling match 23-14 to the North Dakota State University Bison Jan. 22, 2016, at the Bentson

Bunker Fieldhouse in Fargo, North Dakota. The Air Force Academy and NDSU were both added to the Big 12 conference this academic year and can be expected to face

off again in the future. In the photo, captured by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp, of the 119th Wing, U.S. Air Force Academy cadet Zen Ikehara, in blue, tries to maintain

control of NDSU wrestler Blake Thompson during their 174-pound contest. Thompson won the match by a 5-3 decision, resulting in three team points for the Bison. The

NDSU Bison would go on to take a 23-14 team victory.

Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Nelson, left, returns the North Dakota National Guard’s guidon to Sgt. Anthony Koistinen Jan. 12 after accepting responsibility as the organization’s newest senior enlisted leader during a ceremony at the Raymond J. Bohn Armory in Bismarck. Nelson replaces Command Chief Master Sgt. James Gibson, who retires in March. As the state’s senior enlisted leader, Nelson will serve as the chief enlisted advisor to the adjutant general, responsible for morale, welfare, discipline, performance, training, awards, recruiting, retention, equal opportunity, promotions and assignments for the Soldiers and Airmen of the N.D. National Guard.


Photo by Staff Sgt. Eric W. Jensen, Joint Force Headquarters

Photos by Staff Sgt. Brett J. Miller, Joint Force Headquarters

New Senior Enlisted Leader

Bison Wrestlers Lock up withU.S. Air Force Academy Falcons in Big 12 COnference Match


Brig. Gen. Giselle ‘Gigi’ Wilz, commander of NATO headquarters, Camp Butmir, Sarajevo, and other members of the North Dakota National Guard, hand out toys that were collected by members of the Air National Guard’s Fargo-based 119th Wing and sent to Sarajevo for distribution to children in local orphanages and hospitals for the holidays.Contributed photos.

119th Wing sends love and toys to orphans in Sarajevo


Submit your photos to be consideredfor inclusion in the N.D. Guardian!

Email high-resolution photos to2nd Lt. Eric Jungels, N.D. Guardian editor,

at [email protected].

Share your photos!

119th Security Forces Airmen Tech. Sgt. Betsy Miller, Staff Sgt. Lacey Bunkelman, Staff Sgt. Erik Clemenson (pictured) and Senior Airman Zak Bergstrom formed a fundraising team to take a plunge in 34-degree Fahrenheit water Jan. 30 in the parking lot of the Ramada Inn, in Fargo. The team raised $900 for the Special Olympics through an event organized by members of the North Dakota law enforcement community. Prizes were given for costumes and plunging technique.Photos by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp, 119th Wing

AIRMEN VOLUNTEER FREE TIME, RAISE MONEY FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Lt. Col. Russ Wolf, commander of the 164th Engineer Battalion, left, presents a plaque of appreciation to retired Command Sgt. Maj. John Sinn Jan 22 at the Minot Armed Forces Reserve Center. A former member of the North Dakota National Guard, Sinn, who is 95 years old, was given the recognition for his contributions toward improvements at the Garrison Weekend Training site, a facility used by N.D. Guardsmen, the U.S. Army Reserve and U.S. Air Force.Contributed photo.

RETIRED COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR RECOGNIZED


NewsBriefsNorth Dakota Air GuardNames New Top NCO:Muehler Takes OverAs Bush Retires

119th Wing WelcomesNew Command Chief

By 2nd Lt. Eric Jungels,N.D. National Guard Public Affairs

The North Dakota Air National Guard has a new senior enlisted leader. Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Muehler assumed duties as the state command chief master sergeant in January, during a change of responsibility ceremony at the Air National Guard base in Fargo.

Muehler, of Fargo, replaced, Chief Master Sergeant Bennett G. Bush, who officially retired from the National Guard Feb. 1, after four years in the position.

As the state command chief master sergeant, Muehler reports to Brig. Gen. Ronald W. Solberg, assistant adjutant general, air, N.D. National Guard. As the senior enlisted Airman in the N.D. Air National Guard, Muehler will advise senior military leaders on matters concerning discipline, morale, welfare, effective utilization, professional development and career progression of the state’s Airmen.

Muehler began his career in the U.S. Air Force in June 1978 as a pneudraulics system specialist, providing aircraft maintenance for the F-5E Aggressor Squadron. Two years into his career, he was selected to become a

member of the prestigious air demonstration squadron, known as the “Thunderbirds.”

Muehler would go on to join the New York Air National Guard’s 106th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group, out of Westhampton Beach, in 1986. There, he provided aircraft maintenance until 1988, when he transferred to the N.D. Air National Guard’s 119th Wing, known as the “Happy Hooligans.”

In June 2006, after more than 26 years in aircraft maintenance, Muehler moved into the intelligence career field when the 119th Wing took on a new MQ-1 Predator mission. As a mission intelligence coordinator and superintendent of the Wing’s Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group, Muehler has supported Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn.

The North Dakota National Guard’s 119th Wing recently selected Chief Master Sgt. Duane Kangas as the new wing command chief master sergeant. Kangas assumed his new position in January during a change of responsibility ceremony at the Air National Guard base in Fargo.

Kangas, of Moorhead, Minn., replaced Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Muehler, who was appointed as the state command chief master sergeant for the N.D. Air National Guard. The role of the 119th Wing’s command chief master sergeant is to serve as the senior advisor to the Wing and subordinate unit commanders and staff on

all matters concerning discipline, morale, welfare, effective utilization, professional development and career progression of more than 1,000 Airmen.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Chief Kangas for many years,” Muehler said. “He’ll be an excellent representative of our Airmen. He understands the unique strengths of the 119th Wing and the challenges of this environment, and he’ll continue to be an integral part in making our organization successful.”

This position is very similar to those Kangas has held in the past, but on a much larger scale. Kangas said he is looking forward to a closer working relationship with the rest of the Wing.

“I am proud of the 119th Wing and the members who continue to prove the N.D. Air National Guard is ready, willing and able to support operations around the

Find More Guard News Online! www.ndguard.comworld,” Kangas said.

Kangas, who received his promotion to chief master sergeant in early 2013, has more than 30 years of military service. He served in the Air Force from 1984-88 and joined the Air National Guard in 1989.

By 2nd Lt. Eric Jungels,N.D. National Guard Public Affairs

Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Muehler, the N.D. Air National Guard command chief master sergeant, left, visits with Airman 1st Class Lucas Brendemuhl and Airman 1st Class Mathew Fee, both of the 119th Security Forces Squadron, at a send-off ceremony, March 14, 2015, at the Air National Guard base in Fargo.

First Sgt. Duane Kangas, right, is congratulated by Col. Kent Olson, 119th Wing commander, after Kangas received an award April 6, 2013. The North Dakota National Guard’s 119th Wing recently selected Chief Master Sgt. Duane Kangas as the new wing command chief master sergeant.

Photos by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp, 119th Wing


You should know about Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds. He was a Soldier who lived the Army values under extreme adversity. The Nazis captured

Edmonds when they surrounded and overran his unit during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944.

The enemy imprisoned Edmonds at Stalag IXA. As the senior noncommissioned officer, he took command of over 1,000 enlisted American prisoners. The Nazis routinely separated Jewish soldiers for “special treatment” in slave labor camps, with a very low chance of survival.

One day, the German commandant issued an order for the Americans to identify all Jewish soldiers. Edmonds refused to comply. Turning to the rest of the POWs, he said: “We are not doing that, we are all falling out.” He told the German commander, “We are all Jews here.”

The furious Nazi officer pressed his pistol to Edmonds head and demanded that he separate all the Jewish prisoners.

Edmonds told the camp commander, “If you are going to shoot, you are going to have to shoot all of us because we know who you are, and you’ll be tried for war crimes when we win this war.”

The German commander backed down.Yad Vashem, the Israeli Holocaust Museum estimates that Edmonds

saved as many as 200 Jewish soldiers from a very uncertain fate. Yad Vashem posthumously named Edmonds “Righteous Among the Nations,” the term for non-Jews who helped save Jewish people from death in the Holocaust. He is the first American service member to receive that honor.

Edmonds exemplifies moral courage. He instantly evaluated the situation and chose the morally right course of action. He chose that course of action in spite of the immediate threat to his life. Though he was without any means to resist, he resisted anyway. He used the power of his will and the power of moral persuasion. Even with a gun pressed against his head.

He exemplifies leadership and integrity. He influenced every other Soldier with the power of his stand.

He exemplifies duty and honor. He lived up to the code of the NCO, to take care of the troops under his care.

He exemplifies respect. He valued every American Soldier, regardless of race or creed.

Edmonds died in 1985. His honor and courage went publicly unnoticed during his lifetime. The recognition came in 2014, almost 30 years after his death.

Sometimes when we do the right thing, nobody notices. Do the right thing anyway. The results of your moral choices echo in eternity.

Featured Contributor:Chaplain (Col.) John Flowers

The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot.

— Proverbs 10:7

MORAL COURAGE ECHOES IN ETERNITY

Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds


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Staff Sgt. Steven Brauner, of the 219th Security Forces Squadron, is greeted by his fiancé upon his return from a six-month deployment to Southwest Asia back to Minot International Airport, Minot, North Dakota, Feb. 5, 2016. Brauner’s fiancé brought the unique sign in the background for the occasion. Read more about the squadron’s return in next month’s edition of the North Dakota Guardian.


ND Guardian Feb 2016

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Transcript of ND Guardian Feb 2016