Guardian October 2013 by N.D. National Guard

GUARDIAN

Volume 6, Issue 9

October 2013

HOOLIGANS REFLECT

Looking Back on the N.D. Air National Guardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 66 Years of Manned Flight PG. 6

Refuse to Tire Soldiers Face Grueling Events, Put Skills to the Test During 2014 N.D. Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition. PG. 10

BACK IN BISMARCK

1919th Contingency Contracting Team Soldiers Welcomed Home from Afghanistan, Qatar PG. 18

Air Guard Units Redesignated, Activated to Undertake Intelligence Mission PG. 16

Inside This Issue Features

Flying Through History

Members of the N.D. Air National Guard prepare for new firsts after 66 years of manned flights. We take a look back at a strong history of N.D. Airmen success through adversity and changes, as the Happy Hooligans look ahead to new challenges.

New Mission,

16 New Name

The N.D. Air National Guard introduces the 119th Intelligence Group and three squadrons, charged with exploiting intelligence to perform target system analysis and target development, as the 119th Maintenance Group and 177th Airlift Squadron missions come to an end.

Solberg Promoted

18 in Fargo

Ronald Solberg was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the N.D. Air National Guard during a ceremony at the Fargo base. With the promotion, Solberg became one of only four generals in the N.D. National Guard and assumed the title of the N.D. National Guard’s assistant adjutant general for air.

Commander in Chief North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple The Adjutant General Maj. Gen. David A. Sprynczynatyk Chief of Public Affairs Capt. Dan Murphy Editor Staff Sgt. Eric Jungels Contributors Retired Maj. Gen. Alexander Macdonald Chaplain (Lt. Col.) David L. Johnson Retired Lt. Col. Scott Lysford Chief Warrant Officer 3 Kiel Skager Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp Sgt. 1st Class Billie Jo Lorius Sgt. 1st Class Amy Wieser Willson Sgt. 1st Class Steve Urlacher Staff Sgt. Brett Miller Tech Sgt. Bradly A. Schneider Sgt. Jonathan Haugen Staff Sgt. Shawn Weismiller Spc. Cassandra Simonton Spc. Zach Schuster Bill Prokopyk Craig Nelson 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 SUBMISSIONS Contributions 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: eric.p.jungels.mil@mail.mil Phone: 701-333-2195 Fax: 701-333-2017 Digital photos should be 300 dpi, if possible.

On the Cover

Departments Guardian Snapshots ..................... Page 12 News Briefs ..................................... Page 18 Sound Off! ..................................... Page 19

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Photo by Staff Sgt. Brett Miller N.D. National Guard Visual Information

Guard Posts Dispatches from the N.D. Guard Family The following contains excerpts from comments made by Retired Maj. Gen. Alexander Macdonald on Aug. 27 as the last manned aircraft prepared to depart the N.D. Air National Guard base in Fargo. Macdonald commanded the Happy Hooligans for 13 years before becoming the state’s first Air Guard adjutant general. He retired in 1993. Watch the full speech at http://bit.ly/MGMacHistory.

End of an Era, Beginning of a New Life

We stand here today at the end of an era and the beginning of a new life for the N.D. Air National Guard. At a time like this, it’s nice to look back, back to the start of the group that became known nationwide as the Happy Hooligans. It was February in North Dakota, a typical February with lots of cold and snow. The year was 1947, and the N.D. Air National Guard was getting their first squadron aircraft — the World War II-renowned P-51. They would be the newest fighter aircraft we’d ever get; some of them were almost brand new. They were the beginning, the advent of a series of fighters for the unit. … The next being our first all-weather interceptor, the F-94. It was the first aircraft designed solely for the purpose of defense against the bomber threat. … The F-94 was followed by a much larger, longer-range and heavily armed aircraft, the F-89. The latest version of that aircraft became the unit’s first nuclear armed aircraft. From there, we moved into the supersonic area with the single-seat F-102, and went from rockets to guided missiles. We went back to the nuclear-armed two-seat aircraft with the advent of the F-101 … With that aircraft, we won our first Wiliam Tell in 1970, besting the U.S. Air Force and the Canadians after having the aircraft for just one year and flying out of Sioux Falls (S.D.) because our runway was closed. We followed that by winning our second William Tell in 1972. We won it in the first week of competition. … I was on the way down there … and I got a call as we landed, and (Retired Brig. Gen.) Wally Hegg … said, “We won!” And, I said, “What do you mean we won? We’re just halfway through. We’re just in the first week.” He said, “We won!” “Ahh, c’mon! You’ve been drinking!” Well, I know he’d been drinking, but not that much.

“No,” he said, “they pushed all of our missions in the first week.” … They thought our airplanes wouldn’t hold up, but they did, and at the end of the first week the other units could’ve shot 100 percent and couldn’t have caught us, so they were playing for second place. Our third win came in 1986, while flying the … F-4, which we flew for 13 years. This was followed by the single-seat F-16, and that aircraft was in the skies over FargoMoorhead for over 16 years. And, its service was highlighted by winning William Tell 1994, which we won in spite of flying the oldest fighters in a weapons meet and the oldest fighters in the Air Force inventory. The Lockheed Martin leadership named us as the “Best Fighter Squadron on Planet Earth.” … We believed it! We had proven ourselves again. … (Regarding) firsts for this unit, there were many. Even more importantly, all of these firsts were followed by additional accomplishments. The unit never rested on its laurels. … Whenever the goal was set, and then reached, the men and women of the organization set loftier ones, and time and time again these goals were achieved. First air-to-air rocket firing over Lake Superior. The Hughes Trophy — the first time ever won by a Guard unit. The same year, the Daedalion Maintenance Trophy. This was also the first ever for a Guard unit, and the first time these two major awards have ever been held by the same unit during the same year. This was followed by a second Hughes Trophy in 1994. We had the first deployed alert to Seymour Johnson (Air Force Base in North Carolina). We were the first to go on nuclear alert. The first to reach 100 percent strength. The first deployment overseas for an active NATO air-defense mission. The first air defense aerial refueling, and the list of awards and firsts goes on and on. The most accident-free flying hours of any unit

Retired Maj. Gen. Alexander Macdonald Former N.D. Adjutant General in the entire Air Force flying fighters. And subsequently adding to those record hours with the Predator and C-21. The winner of 15, FIFTEEN, Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards — no organization has won more. When we talk of the many awards and first, we don’t always give … enough credit to the men and women who provided our air crews with the best-maintained aircraft in the force. In addition to the maintainers are those who got the parts, and they got them when we needed them and where we needed them. Who provided the fuel and munitions and food. They saw that we got paid and had the necessary orders. They watched over our families when we were off on some deployment, and they were the heart of this unit. Without their efforts, nothing — and I repeat, nothing — would have happened. All of this unit recognition is the result of the efforts of a unique group of people: the Happy Hooligans. … When the last fighter left Fargo, there was a feeling among some that we had reached the end of our history as the bet of the best, but we set new standards of performance not only in a completely new aircraft, but in a completely new mission. It mattered not. After all, we were Happy Hooligans. We continued the tradition by setting new standards in the unmanned aircraft world with the Predator, with our security police unit in Minot guarding nuclear missiles, and we will do the same with the newly assigned targeting mission.

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New Man at the Helm Major N.D. Army Guard Unit Welcomes New Commander By Staff Sgt. Eric Jungels, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs Leadership for one of the N.D. Army National Guard’s major units changed hands Sept. 15 during a formal change of command ceremony at the Raymond J. Bohn armory in Bismarck. The 68th Troop Command welcomed a new commander, when Col. Scott Boespflug received command of the unit from Col. Darcie Handt, who has commanded the unit since the fall of 2011. Brig. Gen. David Anderson, N.D. National Guard Army component commander, presided over the ceremony. “We are appreciative of the professional service Col. Handt rendered as commander of this highly diverse unit,” Anderson said. “Col. Boespflug has served in several positions within the 68th Troop Command — making him the perfect candidate for command, due to his extensive knowledge of the unit.” “As I leave this assignment, I realize there are so many people to thank for their

support during my tenure as commander,” said Handt, who serves full-time as the N.D. National Guard’s joint chief of staff. “I’ve been fortunate to serve with an incredible group of highly devoted Soldiers, who have a diverse array of knowledge and experience. I’ve also been fortunate to have the support of a wonderful family, who understand the importance of our work in the N.D. National Guard supporting our communities, state and nation.” “It’s an honor to have the opportunity to command a professional and dedicated organization,” Boespflug said. “The diversity of each of the commands within the 68th Troop Command will prepare us to meet future challenges and remain a vital component of the total force.” Boespflug also serves as a full-time contracting officer for the U.S. Property and Fiscal Office in Bismarck. The 68th Troop Command is a command and control headquarters for more than

1,400 Soldiers organized into three battalions and 25 subordinate companies or detachments. The primary mission and focus of the unit is to provide command and control as well as training, administrative and logistical support to maintain Soldier and unit readiness for domestic or international missions. Soldiers of the 68th Troop Command typically have more years in service compared to those in other units and bring a vast amount of experience to the table. The unit generally does not accept non-prior-service enlistments and recruits Soldiers with a more diverse background and comprehensive understanding of the N.D. Army National Guard’s structure and operational capabilities and responsibilities. Handt and his wife Beth, also a member of the N.D. National Guard, live in Bismarck with their three children. Boespflug & his wife, Stephanie, also reside in Bismarck.

68th Troop Command

68th Troop Command’s new leader

Col. Scott Boespflug Photos by Sgt. 1st Class Steve Urlacher, N.D. National Guard Visual Information (Left) The N.D. Army National Guard’s Col. Darcie Handt addresses Soldiers of the 68th Troop Command for the last time as the unit’s commander during a formal change of command ceremony Sept. 15 at the Raymond J. Bohn armory in Bismarck. Handt, who has commanded the unit since the fall of 2011, relinquished command to Col. Scott Boespflug. (Right) Boespflug addresses Soldiers of the 68th Troop Command for the first time as the unit’s new commander during the change of command ceremony.

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Maintenance Company Contest Determines ‘Best of the Best’ Story by 1st Sgt. Jeff Barta, Detachment 1, 3662nd Maintenance Company The N.D. National Guard’s Detachment 1, 3662nd Maintenance Company hosted its second annual “Best of the Best” competition at Camp Grafton Training Center near Devils Lake and Camp Dodge, Iowa, this summer. The competition, which is in its second year, took place to determine which 3662nd platoon would be honored as the Best of the Best in 2013. As the brain child of Retired Sgt. 1st Class Bryce Crosby, former readiness noncommissioned officer for the 3662nd, the competition was created to build esprit de corps and unit morale. “The competition was fun for everyone, at every level,” said Capt. John Blair, 3662nd commander. “We have some of the best people in the state in our unit. Everyone here had fun, and everyone walked away a winner.” The company is broken into four equal-sized platoons: Auto A, Auto B, Ground Support and Headquarters, which is a combination of maintenance control, allied trades and armament. The platoons competed in a variety of events, beginning with the Army Physical Fitness Test and weapons qualification at Camp Grafton, after which averages of individual Soldiers’ scores were calculated to determine platoon scores. The competition resumed during the unit’s morale, welfare and recreation day at Camp Dodge. Six separate events included basketball and horseshoes.

Next, Soldiers participated in a 1.5-mile run that required Soldiers to wear coveralls, an Army combat helmet, gloves, eye wear and a 22-pound pack. During the run, participants encountered silly string shooters, whipped cream pies, and a gauntlet of “swim noodle”-wielding zombies. The teams then moved on to a obstacle course that included a 750-pound tire flip, egg carry, four-person synchronized jump rope, jump and dive, and a “Blind Man’s Bluff,” which required Soldiers to wear blindfolds and spin around 20 times before being coached through a maze by team leaders. The maze included a trip wire and yelling observers to make the task more difficult. The obstacle course event ended with a “dead man bed”-carry and a mental challenge puzzle. The next event, the “first sergeant’s choice” event was developed by 1st Sgt. Jeff Barta, 3662nd senior enlisted leader. “The event was a secret to the company before it started,” Barta said. “By keeping the event a secret until the last minute, it stopped the platoons from stacking the team.” The secret event was “tug-a-bus,” which challenged Soldier teams to pull a bus 100 feet in the shortest amount of time. The competition ended with a double elimination pinochle tournament. This year’s “Best of the Best” winner was Auto B, edging out Auto A by 75 points. Third place went to the Ground Support platoon, and bringing up the rear was the Headquarters platoon.

Contributed Photos Soldiers from the N.D. National Guard’s Detachment 1, 3662nd Maintenance Company take part in the unit’s “Best of the Best” competition at Camp Grafton Training Center near Devils Lake and Camp Dodge, Iowa, in June. The competition, which pitted the unit’s four platoons against each other, included a “tug-a-bus” event and a 1.5-mile run in coveralls, during which participants encountered whipped cream pies.

Are you a Unit Public Affairs Representative (UPAR)? Submit your stories and photos to the N.D. Guardian! Email Microsoft Word documents or PDFs and high-resolution photos to Staff Sgt. Eric Jungels at eric.p.jungels.mil@mail.mil.

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On the Fly

o by Retired Lt. Col. Scott Lysford

Success through Changes a Hallmark of Happy Hooligans’ 66 Years of Manned Flight

By Sgt. 1st Class Amy Wieser Willson N.D. National Guard Public Affairs

(Above) Maj. (now Retired Lt. Col.) Scott Lysford leads a three-ship formation of N.D. Air National Guard F-16 Fighting Falcons Jan. 12, 2007, just weeks before the fighter mission ended for the unit known as the Happy Hooligans. At the time, it was the biggest transition the Fargo base had experienced since its start in January 1947.

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From simple beginnings in the post-World War II era, N.D. Airmen grew one of the greatest flying units in the world. At the cusp of a dramatic cultural change for the unit known as the Happy Hooligans, looking back on those 66 years of manned flight brings more than memories for the men and women whose sweat and determination fostered the unit; it also serves as inspiration for the way ahead as the first state without a manned Air National Guard flying mission.

Take a Visual Tour of ONE TOOLBOX, TWO PLANES Only two of the inaugural members of the N.D. Air National Guard remain alive today to recall the early changes, challenges and successes leading up to the unit’s federal recognition on Jan. 16, 1947: Retired Brig. Gen. Homer Goebel and Retired Chief Master Sgt. Fred Quam. The former active-duty Army Air Corps service members were among the 23 officers and 44 enlisted men who began drilling under the command of Lt. Col. Richard Neece that winter in Fargo. It was a simple start, with “one toolbox, two airplanes and no other equipment,” Quam said. Other than the two AT-6 Texan training aircraft at the unit’s Retired Chief Master Sgt. Fred Quam (left) and retired Brig. Gen. Homer Goebel were among the inaugural members of the N.D. Air National Guard. start, the first official flying mission came in the form of the P-51 Mustang, the “newest fighter aircraft we’d ever get,” said Retired Maj. Gen. Alexander Macdonald, who joined the unit in 1948 and later served as its commander before becoming the state’s first Air Guard adjutant general. Maj. W. J. Stangel flew that first fighter jet into Fargo on Feb. 21, 1947, and the fleet grew despite the austere conditions. Before long, there were 28 Mustangs and seven other aircraft being dug out by hand after every snowstorm. The old wooden hangar the unit leased from the City of Fargo was too small for the fleet, so repairs were done outside in between breaks to warm up by the coalburning stove in the maintenance office. The personnel numbers grew, too, including new recruits from Fargo Central High School that fall, including Retired Maj. Gen. Darrol Schroeder and Retired Master Sgt. Everett Brust. “All the senior people were World War II veterans, so it was a pretty nice time for us young ones to get into the Guard unit,” Schroeder said. That experience would soon guide the unit through a dramatically different kind of war.

(Opposite page, middle) The P-51 Mustang served as the N.D. Air National Guard’s first official flying mission, with the first arriving in February 1947. “When we were on active-duty at George Air Force Base, it was really interesting in the morning when you’d go out there and all three squadrons come and they’d have about 10 to 15 airplanes running at the same time, so it was just a nice roar, and it was dark out so you could see the exhaust flames coming out of the P-51s,” Kenneth Thoms recalls of the single-seat fighter that became the F-51 once the Air Force was officially established. (Opposite page, bottom) Lt. Col. Alexander Macdonald sits in the cockpit of an F-89 Scorpion as Lt. Col. William Westfall Jr., air advisor, stands on the ladder while Lt. Col. Marsh Johnson and Lt. Col. Duane “Pappy” Larson are on the wing. Macdonald, Johnson and Larson would all go on to command the N.D. Air National Guard during their careers, and Macdonald later became the first Air National Guard adjutant general in the state. (Above) Lt. Col. Duane “Pappy” Larson pilots a F-89D/J Scorpion aircraft over North Dakota. Larson, who retired as a brigadier general, played a key role in the Happy Hooligans nickname, which began with a reference to “Pappy and his Hooligans” during training (and, perhaps, some “shenanigans”) at Volk Field, Wis., in the mid-1950s. Because of Pappy’s striking resemblance to the Steve Canyon comic strip character “Happy Easter,” the squadron was soon called “Happy and his Hooligans” and later shortened to “Happy Hooligans.”

66 Years of Happy Hooligans in Flight By Sgt. 1st Class Amy Wieser Willson After flying fighter jets for nearly 60 years, the arrival of the new-to-North Dakota C-21A Learjet in January 2007 brought mixed emotions. While good to still be flying, it was a bit like trading in a Ferrari for dad’s Volvo station wagon, Col. Kent Olson said at the time. Now, the 119th Wing commander says, it’s like dad took away the keys for driving too fast. While the end of the fighter mission brought significant change for the unit known as the Happy Hooligans, the lack of any planes to work on or climb into and fly will bring more drastic cultural changes to the Fargo base. Read more about the plane that closed out the manned flying mission: http://bit. ly/84-0064. Check out an abbreviated history of Happy Hooligans in flight: http://bit.ly/ FlyingThroughHistory. Read about the final N.D. Air National Guard manned flight: http://bit.ly/C21Departs. View videos from the final day with a manned aircraft: • http://bit.ly/LastC-21 • http://bit.ly/27Aug-MGSpry • http://bit.ly/27Aug-MGMac • http://bit.ly/27Aug-ColOlson See photos of the event that ushered out the era of manned flying: http://bit.ly/C21event. Watch a video recap of 66 years of flying history: http://bit.ly/ HappyHooligans8thDay. Download hundreds of historical photos of Air National Guard personnel and planes: http://bit.ly/NDNGHistoricalPhotos.

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READY & ON ALERT Six months after Joseph Stalin’s death triggered greater unrest in the Cold War, N.D. Airmen began a runway alert program in Fargo that would continue for the next 37 years. Beginning in September 1953 with the P-51 and transitioning the following year to the F-94 Starfire, an all-weather interceptor designed for the bomber threat, Airmen remained on standby daily for emergency response. By 1958, the unit’s main flying mission switched again — this time to the much larger F-89 Scorpion, the unit’s first nuclear-armed aircraft. The Happy Hooligans were the first in the Air National Guard to serve on nuclear alert. Retired Lt. Col. Ivan Lang was one of the pilots on the mission, and he still recalls the night he was paged from a movie date with his wife in May 1962. “I reported to the Air National Guard and was told that we have 300 Soviet bombers that have passed the North Pole that are coming toward the United States, and this was going to be an all-out nuclear attack on the United States,” Lang said. Armament crews scrambled to load additional planes as Lang and Retired Brig. Gen. Thornton Becklund became the first in the air. “We used up the whole runway because of the extra fuel tanks we had on board, and they were loaded with rockets,” Lang said. After two-and-a-half hours over Canada, word came that it was actually a meteorite shower that had penetrated the radar system. FIRSTS & MORE FIRSTS In 1966, the Happy Hooligans launched into the super-sonic era with the F-102 Delta Dagger and its guided missiles. Three years later, they upgraded to the F-101 Voodoo. “The 101 was really the ultimate — at that time — for the air intercept. It had both the radar and the infrared system … (to) get the job done,” said Retired Lt. Col. Terry Thilmony. The Airmen didn’t just get the job done on alert, but when stacked against the best fighter units from across the United States and Canada during the William Tell Worldwide Weapons Meet in 1970. Retired Lt. Col. “Bill Phelan wore his 70-hour F-101 patch while the Air Force and the Canadians had their thousand-hour patches on,” Macdonald said of the experienced flyers the Hooligans were up against. “Lo and behold, we won, and then turned around and won the following William Tell, another first.” The pilots are quick to credit maintenance and weapons crews for their key role in the William Tell success. Other awards validate that support, including the first time an Air National Guard unit won the Hughes Achievement Award for missile qualifications, successful missions, maintenance and safety in 1974. That same year, the Happy Hooligans won the Daedalion Maintenance Trophy, becoming the only unit to take home both prestigious trophies in the same year. Two decades later, the unit would be hailed as the only F-16 unit to win the Daedalion and the only unit to ever win it twice.

An F-101 Voodoo takes off. The Happy Hooligans won their first William Tell Worldwide Weapons Meet with the two-seat, nuclear-armed jet.

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A F-4D Phantom aircraft (top) assigned to the 119th Fighter Wing “Happy Hooligans” intercepts a Union of Soviet Socialist Republics TU-95 Bear bomber aircraft over the Arctic Ocean in 1983. Eight Russian TU-95 Bear bombers were intercepted by Hooligan pilots during their first overseas deployment, which took them to Keflavik, Iceland. (U.S. Air Force Photo)

“If it wasn’t for the superb aircraft that the 119th Maintenance Group provided me and my follow aviators … I may not have made it back to my family,” said Col. Kent Olson, longtime pilot and 119th Wing commander. “I never, ever questioned the quality of the jet I was about to fly.” SERVING & PROTECTING The F-4 Phantom brought the Happy Hooligans from 1977 to 1990 and took the unit on its first overseas mission. In 1983, 120 Airmen deployed to Keflavik, Iceland, with six F-4s that wound up intercepting eight Russian TU-95 Bear bombers as the Cold War continued. Nearly two decades later, as the U.S. was attacked on its own soil on Sept. 11, 2001, the Happy Hooligans responded again, this time in the F-16 Fighting Falcon. From an alert detachment at Langley Air Force Base, Va., Happy Hooligans took to the air and — like their predecessors on alert for decades prior — weren’t sure what would follow. Before long, they were calling in battle-damage assessments from over the Pentagon. “In a time of great peril and uncertainty, you were our nation’s first line of defense, and we’ll never forget it,” Vice President Dick Cheney said about the 119th Wing in televised comments soon after the attacks. Combat air patrols continued over the nation’s capitol 24/7 until the following spring, and then with at least two sorties daily until the Langley alert mission ended in October 2006.

Lt. Col. (now retired) Rick Omang, a N.D. Air National Guard C-21 aircraft pilot assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Operations Group, performs a preflight inspection before conducting combat operations July 26, 2009, in Southwest Asia. That same year, the 177th Airlift Squadron was named Joint Operational Support Airlift Center Squadron of the Year. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Shawn Weismiller)

BIGGER & BIGGER CHANGES Within a few months, all of the fighters had departed. After being referred to as “The Best Fighter Unit on Planet Earth” and racking up an unheard of 70,000 flying hours in the F-16 without a Class A mishap, it wasn’t an easy transition. Taking on the C-21A Learjet mission was a bit like trading in a Ferrari for a Volvo station wagon, Col. Kent Olson said Jan. 9, 2007, as he and Retired Lt. Col. Rick Omang landed the first C-21 in Fargo. The more-than-two-decades-old planes had just been saved from a trip to the boneyard. “So we received them, and what did we do? We did what our maintenance group does the best: They got the jets in such good condition that they are still, by the way, the best maintained C-21s in the Air Force inventory,” Olson said. The Happy Hooligans continued to make the mission their own while anticipating the arrival of the next flying mission: the C-27J Spartan. In a world of changing military missions — as the Hooligans know well from their storied history — the C-27J plans, too, would change. Now, the N.D. Air Guard has begun one of the biggest transitions yet: changing from a manned flying mission to one of intelligence targeting. It’s not only a first for the Hooligans, but for the Air National Guard as a whole. The newly designated 177th Intelligence Group and three intelligence squadrons will lead the way in the change, which became official with the new fiscal year on Oct. 1.

“It’s difficult to see the record … of one of the best units in the world flying and maintaining … (manned aircraft) come to an end,” Olson said. It’s not the first change the unit has weathered as a team, though, and he expressed optimism that the unit would “successfully emerge through this better than ever.” That’s the Hooligan way, many say. “The difference between the Hooligan unit and every other unit in the world is that everybody on the base is a Hooligan, not just the flyers: the cooks, the mechanics, avionics, weapons … supply. Everyone is a Hooligan. Everyone is proud of that, and you will not see that on another base in the United States or anywhere in the world,” said Retired Lt. Col. Richard “Ollie” Larson. No matter the mission, that’s not expected to change.

Maj. Ryan Rastedt and 1st Lt. Brandon Balkowitsch, both with the N.D. Air National Guard’s 177th Airlift Squadron, launch a C-21 aircraft over the runway at Hector International Airport, Fargo, N.D., Aug. 23, 2013. The aircraft was making one of its final flights for the unit before being retired at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Dayton, Ohio, on Aug. 28. The aircraft was the last to depart the unit during a mission conversion, leaving the unit without a manned flying mission for the first time since it began in 1947. (Photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp)

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Sgt. Conrad Roberts, from Detachment 1, 815th Engineer Company, flips a tire as part of the “mystery event” during the Best Warrior Competition Aug. 25 at Camp Grafton Training Center near Devils Lake. At right, Soldiers compete in a variety of other events to test their skills and acumen as warriors. Photos by Staff Sgt. Brett Miller, N.D. National Guard Visual Information

n.d. army national guard

By Spc. Cassandra Simonton, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

2014 BEST WARRIOR The N.D. Army National Guard’s 2014 Best Warrior Competition was a blitz of excitement and rigor as 13 Guardsmen from across the state tested their warrior knowledge and skills during three days of events Aug. 23-25 at Camp Grafton Training Center, near Devils Lake. This year’s winning Soldiers were Sgt. Richard Coughlin, of the Williston-based 818th Engineer Battalion, in the noncommissioned officer category, and Spc. Stephen Leard, of the Bismarck-based Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment, in the enlisted category. The state-level competition kicked off early in the morning Aug. 23, when Soldiers took part in a standard Army Physical

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Fitness Test to assess their physical health and abilities. Soldiers then individually faced a board made up of senior enlisted leaders who confronted them with a barrage of questions, testing their level of military knowledge. They were further quizzed with a written exam that included 50 questions on more military-related topics and a 500word essay. Sgt. Maj. Mark Nelson, of the N.D. National Guard’s 136th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, based in Devils Lake, helped with logistics for the competition. Nelson also contributed as a member of the board. “This competition helps develop younger Soldiers,” Nelson said. “It’s a good foundation for them to determine where they want to be as a leader.” The competition continued with events

in land navigation, both during daylight and nighttime hours, marksmanship and warrior tasks (general military skills all Soldiers must possess). The competition culminated with a “mystery event” — and one last chance for Soldiers to impact their individual scores. This year’s mystery event required Soldiers to march five kilometers wearing 50-pound ruck sacks. Throughout the march, competitors happened upon obstacles and other physical challenges they needed to complete. Among the Soldiers seeking to grind out a victory was Spc. KayCee Rubbelke, of the 136th CSSB. “Many elements of the competition are challenging, but this has been a really fun experience,” Rubbelke said. Soldiers competing in the Best Warrior Competition are accompanied to the event

Photo by Spc. Zach Schuster, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

Photo by Spc. Cassandra Simonton 116th Public Affairs Detachment

Photo by Spc. Zach Schuster, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

EST COMPETITION by a sponsor, usually from their unit, to guide them through the tasks and assist with any preparations. Rubbelke’s sponsor for the weekend was her father, Sgt. 1st Class Duane Rubbelke, of the 164th Regional Training Institute, Devils Lake. “They asked if I wanted my dad there, and I knew, if he had time off, it would be good to have him,” Rubbelke said. She said that she and her father, who has served in the military since 1988, make a great team, and that he continues to teach her many valuable lessons. Sgt. 1st Class Rubbelke shared that he’s happy to pass on his knowledge and experience, but he believes KayCee has gotten to where she is in the Guard all on her own. “I’m really proud that she was chosen by her unit to represent them,” he said.

The older Rubbelke said that among the many great aspects of the competition is that Soldiers receive excellent training by taking part. “Everything covered in the Best Warrior competition could easily take up a full year of training,” he said. While three Soldiers from his unit were competing, Nelson said he was excited for whoever would end up winning. “It is a point of pride if they come from my unit, but — at the end of the day — it’s all one unit, the N.D. National Guard,” Nelson said. The winners will now prepare for the regional competition, which will take place at Camp Rapid, S.D. There, Soldiers will go up against Guardsmen from seven other states: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington and Wyoming. Regional winners go on to compete in

(Top right) Spc. Stephen Leard, of the Bismarck-based Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment, took first place, and Spc. Joshua Baneck, of the Bismarck-based 957th Multirole Bridge Company, was runner-up, in the enlisted category. (Above) Sgt. Richard Coughlin, of the Williston-based 818th Engineer Battalion, took first place, and Sgt. Ross Brumley, of the 188th Engineer Company, was runner-up, in the noncommission officer category.

the All-Guard Competition and, if they win there, they compete in the All-Army Competition. Should any of the winners find themselves unable to compete, competitors who finished second would take their place as alternates. The runnerup in the NCO category is Sgt. Ross Brumley, of the Oakes-based 188th Engineer Company, and the runner-up in the enlisted category is Spc. Joshua Baneck, of the Bismarck-based 957th Multirole Bridge Company. “The challenge I’ve put out to the competitors is for them to challenge their peers to try out next year,” Nelson said. “I would like to see everyone try, and I challenge younger Soldiers to step forward, take the challenge, and push themselves.”

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

Family, friends and fellow military members gather Sept. 11 to remember and honor military members who have given their lives in defense of the United States at the N.D. Memorial to the Fallen in the Global War on Terrorism in Bismarck. Photo by Staff Sgt. Brett Miller, N.D. National Guard Visual Information 12 路 Guardian 路 October 2013

Director of Ghana Armed Forces – Air Force Training Brig. Gen. Evans (right) welcomes Brig. Gen. Ron Solberg, N.D. National Guard assistant adjutant general for air, to Burma Camp in Accra, Ghana, on Sept. 17. Solberg and other N.D. Air National Guard leaders are participating in meetings with the Ghana Air Force as part of the Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program, which partners the African nation of Ghana with the N.D. National Guard. Photo by Sgt. Jonathan Haugen, N.D. National Guard Visual Information

Brady Scribner, Cass County (N.D.) Public Health, points out a Geographic Information System setting to a Ghanaian student Sept. 18 in Accra, Ghana. Scribner is working with the National Disaster Management Office to teach a GIS class as part of the Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program.

Josie Orgaard watches as her husband, Jesse Orgaard, hugs Alexis Fleener, during a candlelight vigil Sept. 11 at the N.D. Memorial to the Fallen in the Global War on Terrorism in Bismarck. The Orgaard’s son, Spc. Tyler Orgaard, and Fleener’s father, Sgt. 1st Class Darren Linde, are honored by the memorial.

Photo by Sgt. Jonathan Haugen, N.D. National Guard Visual Information

Photo by Staff Sgt. Brett Miller N.D. National Guard Visual Information

Gene Longenecker, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employee from Denver, assists Michael Katamomso with an exercise during a Geographic Information System class. The GIS class is showing the Ghana National Disaster Management Office how GIS can be useful in a disaster. Photo by Sgt. Jonathan Haugen, N.D. National Guard Visual Information

An I.D. tag for each N.D. service member who has serving in the Global War on Terrorism hangs from the N.D. Memorial to the Fallen in the Global War on Terrorism during a candlelight vigil Sept. 11 in Bismarck. Photo by Staff Sgt. Brett Miller N.D. National Guard Visual Information www.ndguard.ngb.army.mil · 13

A N.D. Air National Guard military kid tries a simulator at the Fargo Air Museum Sept. 8, as part of Flying High Pilot Camp. The camp was offered to the children of N.D. Air National Guard members as a way to introduce the students to aerodynamics, aircraft performance, airport operations and navigation. Photo by Tech Sgt. Bradly A. Schneider, 119th Wing

N.D. Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Cody Martin, of Bismarck, is greeted by Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, N.D. adjutant general, Sept. 10 at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Bismarck. Martin, along with two other Soldiers from the 1919th Contingency Contracting Team, are being welcomed home after a nine-month mission in Qatar and Afghanistan.

Sgt. 1st Class Heidi Sigl, of Bismarck, is greeted by her children Sept. 10 at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Bismarck. Soldiers of the 1919th Contingency Contracting Team are being welcomed home to North Dakota by family and friends after a deployment to Qatar and Afghanistan.

Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Steve Urlacher, N.D. National Guard Visual Information

14 路 Guardian 路 October 2013

Retired N.D. Army National Guard Col. Mike Aberle (left), of Bismarck,accepts a U.S. flag in honor of his more than 35 years of military service from Brig. Gen. Alan Dohrmann, N.D. deputy adjutant general, during a retirement ceremony Sept. 22 at Bismarck’s Raymond J. Bohn Armory. In his last assignment, Aberle served as the N.D. National Guard’s Army chief of staff, where he was responsible for Army staff members and more than 700 full-time National Guard Soldiers, who work in support of the 3,300 Soldiers of the N.D. Army National Guard. As a civilian, Aberle is now a transition assistance advisor at the Military Service Center in Bismarck, where he helps Guardsmen transition from deployments.

Mr. Andrew Coppersmith, Mandan Walmart manager, presents Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, N.D. adjutant general, with a check for the N.D. National Guard Foundation on Sept. 11 outside of the store. The nonprofit N.D. National Guard Foundation supports the N.D. Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and the N.D. National Guard Emergency Relief Fund, which benefit Guard Soldiers, Airmen and their families.

Photo by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Kiel Skager, N.D. National Guard Visual Information

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Submit your photos to be considered for inclusion in the N.D. Guardian! Email high-resolution photos to Staff Sgt. Eric Jungels, N.D. Guardian editor, at eric.p.jungels.mil@mail.mil.

Photo by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Kiel Skager, N.D. National Guard Visual Information

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We’re Mobile. To stay caught up on all of the N.D. National Guard’s news and events, visit NDGuard.com. While you’re there, install the N.D. National Guard App for news, and stay up-to-date from anywhere!

www.ndguard.ngb.army.mil · 15

119th INTELLIGENCE GROUP FLAG UNFURLED

Air Guard Units Redesignated, Activated By Sgt. 1st Class Amy Wieser Willson, Joint Force Headquarters

Photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp, 119th Wing New 119th Intelligence Squadron commanders and enlisted leaders present new squadron guidons during a redesignation and activation ceremony Sep. 7 at the N.D. Air National Guard Base in Fargo. During the ceremony, the 119th Maintenance Group was redesignated the 119th Intelligence Group, signaling the change to the Airmen’s missions. Holding the flags (from left) are Lt. Col. Gred McDonald, 119th Intelligence Support Squadron commander, Lt. Col. Teresa Luthi McDonough, 176th Intelligence Squadron commander, and Maj. Micaela Brancato, 177th Intelligence Squadron commander.

he men and women of the N.D. Air National Guard who will lead the transition from manned aircraft to an intelligence group accepted the flags representing the new units during a ceremony Sept. 7 at the Fargo base. “The members of the N.D. Air National Guard have weathered numerous changes in the past,” said Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, N.D. adjutant general. “This may be one of the biggest cultural changes, as the Airmen transition from a manned flying mission to an intelligence mission, but it’s one I know they will again successfully undertake and excel in.” The traditional flag ceremony is steeped in military history dating to the 18th century reign of King Frederick the Great of Prussia. At that time, organizational flags were first used to represent individual military units by incorporating unique colors and symbols. As commanders changed, the flags were passed from the outgoing commander to the incoming commander in a ceremony in front of the unit’s soldiers. In the same way, the flags are ceremoniously cased or unfurled to designate the unit’s deactivation or activation. The symbolic tradition has survived throughout military history. On Sept. 7, Lt. Col. Nathan Erstad, of Fargo, furled the flag

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for the 119th Maintenance Group as that unit’s service ended. Lt. Col. Darrin Anderson, of West Fargo, then unfurled the flag for the new 119th Intelligence Group, which he will soon command. Three squadrons will fall within the new group: the 177th Intelligence Squadron, 176th Intelligence Squadron and 119th Intelligence Support Squadron. Each squadron commander accepted their respective flags during the ceremony in front of hundreds of N.D. Airmen standing in formation at the Guard’s main hangar in Fargo. Maj. Micaela Brancato, of Detroit Lakes, Minn., will command the 177th, Lt. Col. Teresa Luthi McDonough, of Moorhead, Minn., will lead the 176th, and Lt. Col. Greg McDonald, of Fargo, will lead the 119th. Training for the intelligence mission is expected to take one to three years yet for the new group, which is being established to exploit intelligence to perform target system analysis and target development. The ceremony also marked the inactivation of the 177th Airlift Squadron, which piloted C-21 Learjets. Lt. Col. Jerrad Krapp, of Dilworth, Minn., furled the Airlift Squadron’s flag, marking the official end of the unit. In August, the N.D. Air National Guard’s last C-21 departed the base, ending 66 years of manned flying missions. The state was selected for the new intelligence mission earlier this year after the U.S. Air Force decided to divest the C-27J Spartan, which the unit known as the Happy Hooligans had expected to be the next mission.

Watch a video recap of 66 years of flying history: http://bit.ly/HappyHooligans8thDay

By Craig Nelson N.D. National Guard Energy Manager

As I sit down to write my first N.D. Guardian article, I have to pause and reflect on the work of my predecessor, Wesley Schmidt. I knew Wes for several years, both personally and professionally. Prior to his passing in March 2012, Wes made great strides toward establishing an effective energy management program that promotes innovative ways for meeting energy reduction goals. The Energy Independence and Security Act requires federal buildings to reduce energy use by 3 percent per square foot per year, between 2006 and 2015. From 2010 to 2012, the N.D. National Guard saw a 16 percent reduction in its energy consumption per square foot. Additionally, Executive Order 13423 requires federal buildings to reduce water use by 2 percent per square foot per year from 200715. The N.D. National Guard achieved a 6 percent reduction from 2010-12. Your efforts to reduce energy consumption, reuse materials and

recycle are helping the N.D. National Guard meet these federal goals. I will continue to evaluate and apprise you of our progress. Everyone should continue to focus on reducing energy and water consumption on a daily basis. Your efforts will: • Assist us in continuing to exceed federal requirements. • Better position the organization as we navigate our way through fiscal constraints. • Promote energy security. • Make us all better stewards of the environment. If you have any suggestions about energy conservation, use the N.D. National Guard Energy Suggestion Box on the N.D. Knowledge Online, or NDKO, site. The box is under the “Helpful Links” tab on the left-hand side of the site’s main page. You also can call me at 701-333-2090 with any questions or ideas regarding energy and water consumption reduction.

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NewsBriefs Solberg Promoted to Brigadier General A Happy Hooligan became the state’s newest general last month. Ronald Solberg was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the N.D. Air National Guard during a ceremony at the Fargo base. With the promotion, he becomes one of only four generals in the entire N.D. National Guard. “Brig. Gen. Solberg’s civilian and military education and training, coupled with his leadership skills, have made him a great fit for the N.D. National Guard,” said Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, N.D. adjutant general. “Now, as he takes his 31-year career to the next step, I know we will continue to see great things as he continues his service to our communities, state and nation.” Solberg, who was born in Fargo, enlisted into the Wyoming Air National Guard in 1982 and transferred to the N.D. National Guard the following year. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from North Dakota State University in 1988 and, in 1989, was commissioned as a second lieutenant. His military career has included multiple assignments with the 119th Civil Engineer Squadron — including

the mobility officer, operations officer and commander — as well as commander of the 119th Mission Support Group and 119th Maintenance Group. In 2012, he was appointed as the joint chief of staff for the N.D. Office of the Adjutant General. In December 2006, Solberg deployed to Al Asad, Iraq, where he served as the 438th Air Expeditionary Group Support Squadron commander. During the promotion ceremony, Solberg also received the N.D. Legion of Merit. Solberg and his wife, Dawn, have four adult children: Rachael, Joe, Dan and Sam. Joe and Dan also serve in the N.D. Air National Guard and Sam serves in the U.S. Marine Corps. Ron Solberg is the son of Retired Col. Wayne and Pat Solberg, whom he thanked during the ceremony. Wayne served as a Happy Hooligan, and all six of Wayne and Pat’s children also served — or continue to serve — in the unit, as have other family members. “The extended family of my folks has produced enough Happy Hooligans to fill a small squadron,” Solberg said. In addition to thanking his family for their support to his career, he thanked the military members and offered advice as

Find More Guard News Online! 1919th Contingency Contracting Team Soldiers Return Home Soldiers with N.D. Army National Guard’s 1919th Contingency Contracting Team (CCT) were welcomed home to North Dakota in September by family, friends and loved ones. The unit is comprised of four Soldiers, each with specialized skills in planning, coordinating and issuing contracts for supplies and services required for supporting U.S. military forces in the field. The 1919th CCT Soldiers are based out of Bismarck and, as a small team, their deployment experience was unique because they were dispersed individually to Afghanistan and Qatar, where they were responsible for contracting support with civilian organizations, which included American contractors, in-country 18 · Guardian · October 2013

Photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp, 119th Wing Brig. Gen. Ronald Solberg serves as the N.D. National Guard’s assistant adjutant general for air.

they begin to transition to a new mission that does not include flying or maintaining aircraft for the first time in the unit’s 66year history. “Accept change, and look for the opportunities it brings,” he said. With the promotion, Solberg assumed the title of the North Dakota National Guard’s assistant adjutant general for air. — By Sgt. 1st Class Amy Wieser Willson Joint Force Headquarters

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contractors, and foreign businesses. The Soldiers trained for a year prior to their deployment to hone their highly specialized skills. A formal send-off to honor the Soldiers was held last November and, after mobilization training, they arrived in Qatar and Afghanistan in December. The unit’s Freedom Salute, a formal welcome home event, is scheduled to take place Dec. 7 in Bismarck. — By Sgt. 1st Class Billie Jo Lorius N.D. National Guard Public Affairs

Photo by Bill Prokopyk, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs N.D. Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Curtis Richter, of Bismarck, is greeted by his family Sept. 10 at the N.D. National Guard’s Army Aviation Support Facility in Bismarck. Richter, along with two other Soldiers of the Guard’s 1919th Contingency Contracting Team (CCT), were welcomed home to North Dakota by family, friends and loved ones after a nine-month mission in Qatar and Afghanistan.

SoundOff!

Too Blessed?!

By Chaplain (Lt. Col.) David L. Johnson Staff Chaplain and Deputy Joint Force Headquarters Chaplain As I drive around town and travel around the state, I have a lot of time to think. It’s one of the few times in life when I have complete silence. It’s hard, at first, to be in complete silence, but after a while, I hate for the trip to end! Why? In that silence, I am able to think through or reflect on the things I have to do. I also use this time to pray — asking God’s help to do the work he’s called me to do. In that time of reflection, I sometimes feel overwhelmed with all that I have to deal with or the tasks that lie ahead. But, overall, I come to feel a sense of peace, knowing that I don’t have to do it all alone! My heavenly Father gives me the strength, courage and all that I need for each day. Like the author of a recent devotional I read pointed out, “I’m too BLESSED to complain.” He read this quote on a bumper sticker and the words

convicted him … at first. You see, he realized that too often his thoughts went “negative” instead of focusing on all the good that God has given him. He is not alone in this regard. I suspect that all of us find ourselves, at times, going “negative.” It’s easy to do. The challenge for all of us, I think, is to stop, find somewhere quiet (the best that you can), and truly reflect on the blessings that we have in life. We all have struggles, concerns and challenges of every kind, but we also have good things in our lives as well. My challenge to each of us is to find some time in each day or other strategic times to think about the blessings that you have and to give thanks for them. I want to close with some words of a well-known hymn by Rev. Johnson Oatman.

Not Forgotten.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Brett Miller N.D. National Guard Visual Information

Chaplain (Lt. Col.) David L. Johnson

Count your blessings — name them one by one. Count your blessings — see what God hath done.

Have a BLESSED day. Psalm 107:1-8

Members of the N.D. Patriot Guard join Families and Guardsmen to honor fallen military heroes during a prayer service Sept. 11 at the N.D. Memorial to the Fallen in the Global War on Terrorism in Bismarck. The memorial was dedicated in 2009 to members of the U.S. military and Department of Defense civilians who lost their lives in the Global War on Terrorism. It remains a place where families, friends and fellow citizens can reflect on the lives of the fallen and remember their service to our country. Establishing the memorial was a joint venture between the City of Bismarck and the N.D. National Guard, and it was funded through the generosity of businesses, organizations and individuals throughout North Dakota and across the United States. www.ndguard.ngb.army.mil · 19

Meanwhile, In Ghana...

Photo by Sgt. Jonathan Haugen, Joint Force Headquarters Sgt. 1st Class Billie Jo Lorius, Bismarck, makes friends with a little girl Sept. 19 in Accra, Ghana. Lorius, a member of the N.D. National Guard, is in Ghana participating in training sponsored by the Department of Defenseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s State Partnership Program , which partners the African nation of Ghana with the N.D. National Guard to fortify relationships, share ideas and develop military capabilities.