veteransimageBismarck (CSi)  To honor North Dakota’s fallen service members and their families, a memorial will be held at 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 11, at the Memorial to the Fallen in the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) near Fraine Barracks in Bismarck. The North Dakota National Guard, in partnership with Team Red, White and Blue, will begin the event at Pioneer Park, where the public is invited to participate in an “Old Glory” run, walk or bike event as the group proceeds from the park to the GWOT Memorial.

Participants will gather in the northwest corner of the Pioneer Park parking lot between 5:30-5:45 p.m. and depart for the run, walk, bike at about 6 p.m. The remembrance ceremony at the GWOT Memorial will begin at 7 p.m.

Additionally, a Sacrifice for Freedom Memorial presentation, hosted by the North Dakota National Guard’s Service Member and Family Support Division, will honor and remember the ultimate sacrifices made by North Dakota’s fallen heroes and their families. North Dakota has presented 30 Sacrifice for Freedom Memorials prior to this event. At the remembrance ceremony, the Linde and Orgaard families will be presented the Sacrifice for Freedom Memorial. Sgt. 1st Class Darren Linde, Devils Lake, and Spc. Tyler J. Orgaard, Bismarck, both members of the 818th Engineer Company (Sapper), were killed in action while conducting route clearance operations in Afghanistan on Dec. 3, 2012, when an improvised explosive device struck their vehicle.

WHO: Families of fallen North Dakota service members, veterans and the public
WHAT: Remembrance Ceremony and Sacrifice for Freedom Tribute Presentation
WHEN: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014
WHERE: Pioneer Park, traveling to the Global War on Terrorism memorial near Fraine Barracks, Bismarck
MEDIA: The public is welcome. No pre-coordination is needed. Billie Jo Lorius   (701-426-5205) will be on site to assist media.
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Since the 2001 terrorist attacks on America, the North Dakota National Guard has mobilized more than 4,000 Soldiers and more than 2,400 Airmen in support of the Global War on Terrorism. About 70 percent of all members serving today have joined since that time. Currently, more than 80 North Dakota Guardsmen are mobilized for overseas and domestic service. With a total force of about 4,400 Guardsmen, the North Dakota National Guard remains ready for stateside response and national defense. For every 10,000 citizens in North Dakota, 65 serve in the North Dakota National Guard, a rate that’s more than four times the national average.