ACHIEVEMENTS

Col. Darrin Anderson, the 119th Wing commander, holds the unit flag as Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, North Dakota National Guard adjutant general, attaches the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award streamer during a ceremony at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base, Fargo, North Dakota, March 6, 2021.

ARMY

The 957th EN CO received the U.S. Army’s Meritorious Unit Citation.

Best Warrior Competition (BWC): • Staff Sgt. Brandon Wendland, 957th EN CO, finished first in the noncommissioned officer (NCO) category of the Region VI BWC at Camp Rilea, Oregon, and runner-up in the National Guard Bureau (NGB) competition at the Florence Military Reservation and Camp Navajo, Arizona. He represented NGB at the All-Army BWC in Fort Knox, Kentucky. • Sgt. Andrew Doss, 191st MP Company, placed third in the Region VI BWC in the Soldier Category • State BWC – NCO Category o Winner: Sgt. Zachary Fischer, 188th Army Band o Runner up: Sgt. Tara Loomer, 164th Engineer Battalion (EN BN) • State BWC – Soldier Category o Winner: Sgt. Austin Hanten, 191st MP Company o Runner-up: Spc. Jeffrey Boyer, 187th EN CO

Staff Sgt. Evan Messer, 815th EN CO, was named Top Open Class Individual Shooter and was awarded the Governor’s Twenty Tab at the annual NDNG Adjutant General’s Combat Marksmanship Match.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Cody Schmidt, 141st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, was named Army Engineer Association Outstanding Engineer Warrant Officer for 2021.

Capt. Thomas Hansen, 81st CST, received the National Guard Association of the United States Theodore Roosevelt Leadership Award for his contributions to North Dakota’s fight against COVID-19.

Maj. Kristopher Elijah and retired Staff Sgt. Keith Pic, 131st MP Battalion, were awarded the Order of the Marechaussee in bronze. Sgt. 1st Class Jon Benedict, 142nd EN BN, earned the order of Saint Martin for excellence and dedication to the Quartermaster Corps.

Sgt. 1st Class Jill McGough, 142nd EN BN, earned the Robert L. Manning Award for excellence in the Adjutant General’s Corps.

Sgt. Michael Heying, 957th EN CO, was awarded the Army Combat Engineer Sergeants (ACES) Squad Leader of the Year award.

AIR

The 119th Wing was recognized with its 22nd Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. The Happy Hooligans are among the most decorated units in the Air National Guard.

The NDANG earned these National Guard Association awards: • Distinguished Flying Unit Plaque. Recognizes the five highest-rated

Air National Guard Flying units. • William W. Spruance Safety Award. Recognizes the Air National

Guard unit judged to have contributed most significantly to accident prevention in the reporting year. Nominees must make significant and far-reaching contributions to safety; achieving low accident rates and high inspection results. • Major General John J. Pesch Flight Safety Trophy. Recognizes two

Air National Guard units annually that have been judged to have demonstrated the highest standards of flight safety.

Tech. Sgt. Ryan Fontaine received the Woodrow W. Keeble “Je Suis Pret” (I am Ready) Award for his participation in the rescue of a 91-year-old woman trapped in an ambulance sinking in a frozen pond.

Tech. Sgt. Aaron Fagerwick received the Air Force Association’s Gen. John P. Jumper Award for sensor operator, which recognizes the most outstanding remotely piloted aircraft crew members in the U.S. Air Force.