Update…(NDNG)- The North Dakota National Guard, along with family, friends and community supporters, recognized more than 200 Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery (1-188th ADA) Regiment Sunday during a formal welcome home ceremony at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks. The event, which was open to the public, celebrated the 1-188th ADA’s recent return from the National Capital Region (in and around Washington, D.C.), where they were deployed for a nearly yearlong mission in support of Operation Noble Eagle.

During Operation Noble Eagle, Soldiers with the 1-188th ADA collaborated with personnel from other Department of Defense agencies as part of an integrated air defense system designed to protect airspace around the National Capital Region.

“We offer our deepest gratitude for protecting our nation’s capital,” said Gov. Doug Burgum. “Our pride in this battalion continues to grow with each deployment. You have proven once again that the North Dakota National Guard has some of the best Soldiers in the country.”

Lt. Col. JoDee Aubol, of West Fargo, commands the unit and Command Sgt. Maj. Joshua Entzel, of Bismarck, serves as the unit’s senior enlisted leader. Although the unit is headquartered in Grand Forks, it has units in Bismarck and Fargo. The Soldiers hail from communities across North Dakota, as well as cities in Minnesota, California, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

More than 30 Soldiers volunteered to remain on mission with the South Carolina-based 2nd Battalion, 263rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment to continue to support Operation Noble Eagle. They are expected to return to the state later this year.

“Today is about recognizing how you continue to serve our state and our nation,” said Maj. Gen. Alan Dohrmann, North Dakota adjutant general. “We’re here today to thank you for your volunteerism and your level of commitment, which has made you one of the most relevant units in the U.S. Army.”

The most recent National Capital Region mission marked the first deployment for about 80 Soldiers in the unit. More than half of those Guardsmen have been mobilized up to six times.

“The deployment was an overall great experience,” said 2nd Lt. Nick Kindelspire, who served as a tactical control officer in the Joint Air Defense Operations Center during the deployment, which was his first. Along with his team members, he was responsible for monitoring the air picture of weapons systems and coordinating with U.S. Air Force personnel.

“Our teams worked together well,” he said. “We took a lot of pride in our mission to protect the nation’s capital and we developed a strong sense of camaraderie during deployment.”

This was the 11th deployment for the 1-188th ADA since 2004, making it the most-deployed unit in the North Dakota National Guard. The unit supported the Operation Noble Eagle mission once before from July 2013 to April 2014. Prior to its National Capital Region mission, the unit deployed to Kosovo as part of a NATO peacekeeping mission, and air defense Soldiers also have deployed six times to Afghanistan and twice to Iraq.

 

Previously…

 

GRAND FORKS, N.D.  (NDNG)- A formal welcome home ceremony will honor about 200 ND Army National Guard Soldiers who returned home in Feb after a yearlong mission in Washington, D.C.  Members of the 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery (1-188th ADA) Regiment will be lauded for their service during the event at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 15, at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

As a contributor to Operation Noble Eagle, the unit’s mission involved collaborating with other Department of Defense agencies as part of the integrated air defense system designed to protect the airspace around the National Capital Region.

Gov. Doug Burgum and Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, North Dakota adjutant general, will address the service members and their families during Sunday’s event, which is open to the public.

Lt. Col. JoDee Aubol, of West Fargo, North Dakota, commands the unit and Command Sgt. Maj. Joshua Entzel, of Bismarck, North Dakota, is the senior enlisted leader. The unit is headquartered in Grand Forks with units in Bismarck and Fargo.

 

This was the 11th deployment for the 1-188th ADA since 2004, which makes it the most-deployed unit in the North Dakota National Guard. The 1-188th ADA supported the Operation Noble Eagle mission once before from July 2013 to April 2014. Prior to its National Capital Region mission, the unit deployed to Kosovo as part of a NATO peacekeeping mission, and air defense Soldiers also have deployed six times to Afghanistan and twice to Iraq.

 

 

The North Dakota National Guard is a trained and highly motivated force of about 4,000 Citizen-Soldiers and Citizen-Airmen.  We are always prepared to provide ready units, individuals and equipment in support of our communities, state and nation.  Always ready, always there.