Volume 2, Issue 3 South Dakota Army National Guard Summer 2005

Joint Thunder returns to Hills

SDNG Public Affairs Office

RAPID CITY – South Dakota’s premier 

Joint Forces exercise, known as Joint 

Thunder 2005, was held June 11-25.

More than 2,200 military personnel from 

the Army National Guard, Air Force, Active 

Army, Naval Reserve and the Civil Air 

Patrol participated in the annual training 

exercise conducted in and around the Custer 

area, as well as Rapid City and Orman Dam 

near Belle Fourche. 

 South Dakota’s Army National Guard 

has conducted this training event for 21 

years and has developed it into one of the 

Army National Guard’s most prominent 

training exercises in the nation.

 Soldiers from as far away as 

Connecticut, Maine, and New Mexico 

attended this years gathering of forces, 

which included about 50 units from 23 

states. About 5,500 Soldiers participated 

in Joint Thunder 2002 but numbers have 

dropped considerably over the last two 

years because most were actively involved 

in the war. This year’s totals are up nearly 

1,000 from last year.

 “Probably 90 percent of the units 

involved in this year’s exercise have 

deployed to support Operations Iraqi 

Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Noble 

Eagle,” said Brig. Gen. Ray Carpenter, 

assistant adjutant general for the South 

Dakota Army National Guard. “We’re 

dealing with experienced Soldiers and units 

who have been in combat. Most of these 

folks are hometown heroes.”

 Carpenter said units trained on the 

latest maneuver and survival techniques 

developed in Iraq such as vehicle convoy 

exercises and military operations in urban 

terrain. 

 “Our military is still at war and our 

goal has always been for these units to be 

better prepared for mobilization,” he said. 

“This is one of the few exercises that trains 

combat support and combat service support 

units in a realistic, yet simulated combat 

environment.” 

 He pointed out that two units currently 

on alert have used this training exercise to 

prepare for duty in Iraq. 

 Over the past 20 years, the National 

Guard has developed a good working 

relationship with government agencies like 

the U.S. Forest Service, S.D. Game Fish 

and Parks as well as area communities and 

youth organizations. In return, the exercise 

units had the chance to train in the Black 

Hills and train on realistic projects.

 Training highlights included homeland 

defense missions, a simulated mass-casualty 

exercise on the Custer football field, road 

repair in Custer State Park and the Black 

Hills National Forest, river crossing 

operations near Chamberlain, and bridge 

building over the inlet canal at Orman Dam. 

Since its origin in 1985, this annual exercise 

has trained more than 60,000 Soldiers and 

has completed numerous beneficial projects 

in the Hills area. Turn to page seven for 

stories on SDARNG units involved in Joint 

Thunder 2005.

Racing time

Exercise draws 

more than 2,200 

troops across U.S.

IN THIS ISSUE

A former South Dakota 

Guardsman recalls the 

events in which he received 

the Medal of Honor and 

reflects on the latest 

recipient. 

– Page 2

More benefits are coming to 

Soldiers. Recently deployed 

Soldiers can now receive 

low-cost health insurance. 

Life insurance increases 

to a $400,000 maximum 

and tuition assistance now 

covers 100 percent. 

– Page 3

The recruiting age increases 

for new Solders.

– Page 5

South Dakota Soldiers

shoot their way into high

standings.

– Page 6

People across the state take 

care of Soldiers.

– Page 8

Photo by Spc. Mark Watson

Shawn Erickson races to do another 

sit-up before time expires during the 

physical training assessment portion 

of the Recruit Sustainment Program. 

For the full story on the RSP, 

turn to pages 5 and 6.

Sgt. Daniel Iverson, 147th Army 

Band, and Staff Sgt. Eric Borah, 

235th Military Police Co. were 

announced as the 5th Army 

Northwest 

Region 

Soldier 

and NCO 

of the Year. 

After being 

selected as 

the Soldier 

(Iverson) 

and NCO 

(Borah) of 

the Year for 

the SDARNG, 

the two Guardsmen went on to 

compete 

in the 

5th Army 

Northwest 

Regional 

competition 

in May. 

The two 

Soldiers 

will go on 

to compete 

against 

National Guard, Reserve and 

Active Duty Soldiers from 21 

states in the 5th Army Region 

competition in July.

Soldiers 

win regional 

competition

Photo by Spc . Katie Loseke - 111th Press Camp

Military police from the 235th MP Co. escort a casualty back to the quarantined area 

after he was contaminated with mustard gas as part of a mass casualty training 

exercise held at the Custer football field.

Iverson

Borah
By Spc. Mark Watson

129th MPAD

For the first time in more than a decade and 

only the third time since the Vietnam War 

a Soldier earned the nation’s highest honor, 

the Medal of Honor.

America posthumously honored Sgt. 1st 

Class Paul R. Smith, April 4 when President 

George W. Bush presented the medal to 

Smith’s son, David Smith, in the East Room 

of the White House.

The day may have brought back 

memories for one South Dakotan who 

earned the Medal of Honor while serving in 

Vietnam.

“Once you get in a group like that, the 

people are more like brothers,” Michael 

Fitzmaurice said. “They are not just 

someone you met. They are more like 

family, and you do the best you can for 

them.”

Fitzmaurice, who later joined the South 

Dakota National Guard, earned the medal 

when he dove on an explosive device 

thrown into the bunker that he and three 

fellow Soldiers were in moments before 

it blew up. Somehow he survived and 

continued the fight.

He said Smith was doing the best he 

could for his family, the Soldiers under his 

command.

“We count ourselves blessed to have 

Soldiers like Sergeant Smith who put their 

lives on the line to advance the cause of 

freedom and protect the American people,” 

Bush said at the award presentation.

Two years ago to the day of the 

presentation, Smith and his unit, 2nd 

Platoon, Company B, 11th Engineer 

Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, were 

outside the then Saddam Hussein 

International Airport, setting up a prisoner 

of war holding area when 100 Iraqi Soldiers 

attacked the Americans.

According to reports, Smith organized 

the defense and ordered a nearby Bradley 

Fighting Vehicle to move through the 

courtyard and past the northern gate. Smith 

fired his personal weapon, threw grenades 

and fired AT-4s, anti-tank rockets, at the 

enemy. The Bradley fired at the enemy until 

its ammunition was completely spent. An 

Armored Personnel Carrier that was near 

the Bradley was hit by a mortar and the 

three Soldiers in it were wounded. Smith 

climbed into the hatch of the damaged APC 

and began firing the .50 caliber machine 

gun telling one of his Soldiers to, “feed me 

ammunition whenever you hear the gun get 

quiet.” 

Sgt. Matthew Keller, a team leader, 

yelled to Smith that they should pull back. 

Smith looked at Keller and gave a cutthroat 

symbol as if to say he wasn’t leaving. After 

he fired at least three boxes of ammo at the 

Iraqis, Smith’s gun went silent for the last 

time. 

“Sergeant Smith’s leadership saved the 

men in the courtyard, and he prevented 

an enemy attack on an aid station just up 

the road,” Bush said. “Sergeant Smith 

continued to fire...until he took a fatal 

round in the head. His actions in that 

courtyard saved the lives of more than 100 

American Soldiers.”

Smith fulfilled the promise he made in 

an un-mailed letter which stated he “was 

prepared to give all that I am, to ensure that 

all my boys make it home,” Bush added. 

He died shortly after he was hit at an aid 

station.

The Medal of Honor was established 

in 1861 and has only been awarded 3,460 

times with the strong majority awarded 

during the Civil War. Of those, 614 medals 

were awarded posthumously. Nineteen 

service-members received the medal 

twice and one woman received the medal 

during the Civil War. In South Dakota, four 

medals have been accredited to the state, 

Fitzmaurice being one of them. 

According to his Medal of Honor 

citation, on March 23, 1971, Fitzmaurice, 

and three fellow Soldiers were occupying 

a bunker when a company of Vietnamese 

enemy attacked the area. The enemy threw 

three explosive charges into his bunker. 

Fitzmaurice tossed two charges away and 

then threw his flack jacket and himself on 

top of the remaining charge just before it 

blew up. 

His actions shielded his fellow Soldiers 

from the blast but severely wounded 

Fitzmaurice. Despite this, he got up and 

charged out of the bunker firing his rifle 

until it was destroyed in yet another 

explosion. While searching for a new 

weapon, he came across another enemy 

Soldier and overcame him in hand-to-hand 

combat. He found another weapon and 

returned to the bunker continuing the fight.

Despite all this, Fitzmaurice does not 

believe he is a hero. 

“In my case I had friends there,” he said. 

“I figured I wasn’t going to make it out of 

there, so I figured I would try to get them 

out. I just wanted my three buddies out. We 

were going to fight to the end. There was 

nothing heroic about it. We were just there 

and we did what we had to do.”

While Fitzmaurice believes he is not a 

hero, he said Smith is.

“I feel he is a hero,” he said. “He knew 

that he probably wasn’t going to make it out 

of there and had his buddies with him. He 

tried to make sure they all got out.”

Fitzmaurice said there are only little 

more than 100 Medal of Honor recipients 

alive today, but there are many more heroes 

whose stories are not as recognized.

“There are a lot of people who do things 

that aren’t recognized,” he said. “It just 

depends on who was there and who saw 

what happened. I was there by the luck of 

the draw and I was lucky to have made it 

back.”

Page 2 Summer 2005

Former S.D. Soldier credits OIF hero

U.S. Army Photo

Paul Smith poses for a picture shortly before he was killed in Iraq. Smith is the first Soldier to receive the Medal of Honor during 

Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Fitzmaurice knows 

full measure of 

selfless service

CURRENT SOUTH DAKOTA 

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENTS

Det. 3, Co. F, 238th Avn.

Det. 3, Co. A, 249th Avn.

C Btry., 1st Bn., 147th FA (mob station)

(Iraq)

Since 9/11, more than 3,000 South Dakota Army 

and Air National Guard members have deployed 

to the Middle East. During that time many were 

put in harm’s way when they took mortar rounds, 

witnessed Improvised Explosive Device attacks 

or received direct small-arms fire. 

According to the Military Order of the 

Purple Heart, the medal was first know as the 

Badge of Military Merit, created by Gen. George 

Washington in 1783 during the Revolutionary 

War. Although scores of Americans earned the 

medal, there are only three known recipients of 

the badge. On May 3, 1783, the first medals 

were awarded Continental Soldiers.

 In more recent times the name changed to 

the Purple Heart and 11 South Dakota National 

Guard Solders received the medal when they 

were injured due to hostile fire.

Listed below are South Dakota Soldiers who 

received the medal while deployed in support 

of Operation Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.

KILLED IN ACTION

• Sgt. Dennis Morgan, 153rd Engineer Battalion.

WOUNDED IN ACTION

• Sgt. 1st Class Todd Bartels, 854th Quartermaster 

Detachment

• Spc. Dana Bindert, 1742nd Transportation 

Company

• Sgt. Tyler Campbell, 200th Engineer Company

• Staff Sgt. Daryl Devries, 200th Engineer Company

• Staff Sgt. Guy Gronewold, 1742nd Transportation 

Company

• Sgt. 1st Class Steven Gruener, 1742nd 

Transportation Company

• Sgt. 1st Class Michael Hudson, 153rd Engineer 

Battalion

• Sgt. Luke Perman, 200th Engineer Company

• Sgt. Jason Veen, 740th Transportation Company

• Staff Sgt. Eric Jennings, 109th Engineer Group
Soldiers receive more health benefits

Page 3 Summer 2005

Adjutant General

Maj. Gen. Michael A. Gorman

129th MPAD Commander

Maj. Joseph V. Jacobson

Chief Public Affairs/NCOIC

Master Sgt. Cal Crooks

Print OIC/Editor

1st Lt. Anthony Deiss

Coyote Staff

2nd Lt. Sarah Dickenson

Sgt. 1st Class Kim Smith

Sgt. Wes Nowitzki

Spc. Mark Watson

Spc. Joe Bungert

Pfc. Nick Fousek

Pfc. Bob Graner

Pvt. Nikki Kueter

SDNG PAO Staff

Lt. Col. Harold Walker

Sgt. 1st Class Don Matthews

Staff Sgt. Matt Johnson

The Coyote Magazine is an unofficial 

publication of the South Dakota Army 

National Guard, published quarterly on 

the South Dakota National Guard website: 

sdguard.ngb.army.mil for its Soldiers. The 

Coyote is published by the 129th Mobile 

Public Affairs Detachment, Camp Rapid, 

2823 West Main Street, Rapid City, South 

Dakota 57702, in accordance with AR 

360-81.

Views and opinions expressed in this 

publication are not necessarily those of the 

South Dakota Army National Guard.

Contributions to the Coyote are 

encouraged. Send articles, photos and art 

to Editor, 129th MPAD, 2823 West Main 

Street, Rapid City, South Dakota 57702, or 

e-mail:anthony.deiss@sd.ngb.army.mil

By Spc. Mark Watson

129th MPAD

More than 2,500 South Dakota National 

Guard Soldiers who mobilized since 

September 11, 2001 are now eligible for 

more military health coverage.

 The new program will initiate medical 

coverage for at least a year and up to eight 

years, depending on the extent of the 

Soldier’s deployment.

 The new program started April 26 and 

offers low-cost coverage for both returning 

Soldiers and their families after their sixmonth Transitional Assistance Management 

Program coverage expires, said Mike 

Ochenbein, a Congressional relations 

representative for Triwest.

 Under the new Tricare Reserve Select 

plan, Soldiers returning from active duty 

are eligible to purchase a year’s coverage 

of Tricare for every 90 days of service on 

active duty, if they remain in the select 

reserves. The program is offered at 75 

dollars a month for members only and 233 

dollars a month for members and their 

family members enrolled in the Defense 

Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System

 “This will provide good medical 

coverage to service members and will give 

them something back for their sacrifices,” 

said Michele Anderson, the family 

assistance coordinator for the South Dakota 

National Guard. 

 The coverage does come with certain 

restrictions however. Soldiers must sign 

up for the coverage and a commitment to 

serve for the expected time of coverage. 

Once the enrollment is established, it cannot 

be changed Anderson added. For example, 

a Soldier who has four years of eligible 

coverage, but chooses to only sign up for 

two years, can’t add the other two years 

later on, she said. 

 According to Tricare, Soldiers who 

served in a contingency operation since 

9-11 and decided to leave the military can 

choose to re-enlist and receive the new 

benefits, she said. If a service member has 

been discharged from the Guard prior to 

April 26, 2005 and would like to use the 

TRS, the Soldier may reenlist by Oct. 28 to 

use the plan. After Oct. 28, they will forfeit 

their benefits.

 For more information on the program, 

visit, www.tricare.osd.mil.

New SGLI law to increase coverage for Soldiers

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON – Defense and Veterans 

Affairs officials are ironing out details of 

programs that will expand benefits provided 

through Service members’ Group Life 

Insurance. 

 The $82 billion supplemental 

legislation signed into law by President 

Bush May 11 increases maximum SGLI 

coverage to $400,000 and provides payouts 

of up to $100,000 for service members with 

traumatic injuries, said Stephen Wurtz, the 

VA’s deputy assistant director for insurance. 

 The increased SGLI coverage will take 

effect Sept. 1, and the so-called “traumatic 

SGLI” benefit, Dec. 1. Wurtz said the 

legislation directs that both benefits will be 

retroactive to Oct. 7, 2001. 

 Traumatic SGLI benefits will be 

retroactive for troops who have lost limbs, 

eyesight or speech or received other 

traumatic injuries as a direct results of 

injuries received during Operation Iraqi 

Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. 

The benefit does not apply to service 

members suffering from disease. 

 The retroactive coverage increase 

is payable as a result of deaths in either 

operation, or under other conditions 

prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, 

Wurtz said. 

Service members enrolled in the SGLI 

program will notice an increase in their 

premiums when the increases take effect. 

The traumatic SGLI benefit will be rolled 

into the basic SGLI program and will likely 

cost about $1 a month, Wurtz said. 

 Troops opting for maximum SGLI 

coverage - $400,000 vs. the current 

$250,000 - will see their monthly premiums 

increase from $16.25 to $26, Wurtz said. 

This is based on the rate of 6.5 cents per 

$1,000 of insurance coverage. 

 SGLI coverage is currently available in 

$10,000 increments, but as of Sept. 1, the 

increments will increase to $50,000. 

 Because the rates have not changed, 

service members who retain $250,000 

or less coverage will see no increase in 

their premiums, Wurtz said, except for 

the $1 “traumatic SGLI” premium. While 

these expanded benefits will be provided 

retroactively, affected service members 

won’t be charged retroactive payments, he 

said. The Department of Defense (DoD) 

will absorb that cost. 

 In a new twist, introduced through 

the supplemental legislation, troops with 

dependents must get their spouse’s approval 

to purchase less than the full amount 

of SGLI coverage. When members are 

unmarried, notice will be provided to the 

designated beneficiary when the member 

purchases less than the maximum coverage. 

 The new traumatic SGLI benefit is 

designed to provide “a quick infusion of 

cash” for cash-strapped families of troops 

recuperating from traumatic injuries 

received in the line of duty, Wurtz said. 

 Compensation will range from $25,000 

to $100,000 and is designed to help families 

of wounded troops leave their homes and 

jobs to be with their loved one during 

recovery. “These families incur a lot of 

expenses, and this is designed to help them 

financially,” Wurtz said. 

 While VA staff members consult with 

DoD to write regulations that will put the 

new SGLI benefits into effect, Wurtz said, 

“lots of details have to be worked out.” 

 Among outstanding issues is the fact 

that the expanded SGLI coverage is part of 

the supplemental legislation package that 

funds operations only through Sept. 30. 

That’s 30 days after the new SGLI limit 

takes effect and two months before the 

traumatic SGLI benefit begins. 

 Wurtz said the VA is confident 

Congress will resolve this issue before 

there’s any lapse in coverage.

Tuition assistance increases for Guard

By Kristen M. Strissel

SDNG Public Affairs Office

In the 2004 fiscal year, South Dakota 

National Guard Soldiers used $493,000 in 

federal tuition assistance. This fiscal year, 

that number has already skyrocketed to 

$857,000. 

 The reason for this dramatic increase 

in aid are recent alterations made to South 

Dakota’s tuition assistance policies. The 

changes are so extensive that the S.D. 

Education Support Center forecasts the 

amount of federal tuition assistance used by 

South Dakota Guard members to increase to 

$1.25 million by the end of the fiscal year. 

 Under the changes, instituted on Oct., 

1, 2004, the Federal government will now 

cover 100 percent of student tuition, as well 

as fees up to $4500 yearly. This is a big 

change from the 75 percent coverage and 

limited fee payment previously offered. It 

is particularly useful when typical tuition 

and fees total roughly $2200 per semester at 

state schools.

 Maj. Charlie Blasdell, South Dakota’s 

Education Officer, said this change may 

even have a positive effect on Guard 

retention. “The National Guard Bureau 

has put a high priority on funding federal 

tuition assistance,” said Blasdell. “One of 

the reasons we have found for that is that 

people who use tuition assistance more 

often stay in the Guard.”

 In addition, new policy dictates that 

Soldiers are no longer required to complete 

Basic Combat Training or Advanced 

Individual Training before receiving 

educational benefits. 

 One of the biggest changes to the 

educational assistance program is benefits 

no longer apply only to undergraduate 

and vocational education. Soldiers can 

now direct their assistance to parochial 

high school costs, recertification training, 

earning a general equivalency diploma, or 

earning an associates, bachelors or masters 

degree. In fact, if the Soldier did not apply 

any federal assistance to his or her first 

bachelor’s degree, federal tuition aid may 

be used to complete a second bachelor’s 

degree in a different field of study. 

 Following the changes, the Education 

Support Center fielded so many tuition 

assistance requests that it became 

financially overextended and in need of 

additional federal assistance to fund the 

applicants. “We were totally unprepared 

for the usage and the amount of money the 

program has taken up,” said Blasdell. 

 However, the National Guard Bureau 

stepped in and sent an additional $400,000 

in funding to South Dakota to pay for the 

spring semester assistance. 

 This is not entirely uncommon with 

Minnesota having also been sent an 

additional sum of $200,000. 

 One of the significant components 

accompanying this transformation is 

streamlining the cumbersome application 

process. Instead of a time-consuming 

method involving multiple pre-approvals 

and a great deal of paperwork, the new 

system is simplified by three easy steps. 

First, the applicant must fill out a form 

online. Next, the form is submitted to the 

S.D. Education Officer, who sends it to the 

applicant’s school of choice for approval. 

Once the education officer receives the 

school’s invoice, the Guard will pay the bill 

within two business days. 

 Previously, the online application form 

was just one way of applying for tuition 

assistance; however, in upcoming months, 

the online application will become required. 

 “Because of changes in the program, 

we have been flexible on accepting late 

and improperly submitted applications,” 

said Blasdell. “Starting this fall, we will 

accept only tuition assistance applications 

submitted online before the first day of class 

begins.”

 There are options of recourse if those 

guidelines cannot be met though. “In 

special cases when there are extenuating 

circumstances, we will accept applications 

endorsed by the Soldier’s chain of 

command,” said Blasdell.

 As of June 1, 2005, roughly 13.6 

percent of National Guard members have 

used the federal tuition assistance program, 

this equates to 440 members. Blasdell 

anticipates that this number will increase to 

530-550 by the end of the year.

Program covers 

all tuition, $4500 in 

fees for Soldiers
Page 4 Summer 2005

By Sgt. Wes Nowitzki

129th MPAD

In an effort to reduce new recruit losses during initial entry 

training, the South Dakota National Guard has started a 

Recruit Sustainment Program.

 The program will teach rank identification, drill and 

ceremony, familiarization with the M-16 rifle, Army values, 

physical training readiness and other military procedures.

 The South Dakota Army National Guard started its 

program in April at three different locations; Fort Meade in 

Sturgis, Pierre, and Sioux Falls. Sturgis had 15 participants, 

Pierre had about 30, and Sioux Falls had about 70 new 

recruits for the opening program.

 “In the past it was the unit’s responsibility to train 

their Soldiers,” said Maj. John Weber, Recruit Sustainment 

Program commander. “We are conducting recruit training to 

take better care of Soldiers.”

In the past, basic training had a short, three-day field 

exercise, but now it has a 21-day field exercise, so some of 

the tasks, such as rank identification, were shortened. 

New Soldiers

Photo by Spc. Mark Watson

Julieanne Morse finishes the one-mile run during 

the physical training assessment portion of the 

Recruit Sustainment Program in Pierre. 

New Program

Fewer Losses

Training for Basic 

A CLOSER LOOK

Recruit Sustainment Program 

is an intense environment to 

better prepare new Soldiers to 

the shock and rigors of basic 

combat training.

The RSP is at three Locations 

across the state. One is at Fort 

Meade near Sturgis with another 

located in Pierre and the last is 

in Sioux Falls. 

The RSP gives new recruits 

an in-depth look at basic 

Soldier skills such as drill and 

ceremony, rank identification, 

Army values, familiarization with 

the M-16 rifle, physical training 

and map reading.

The program allows for an easier 

transition from civilian life to 

Army life.

Photo by Sgt Wes Nowitzki (left) Spc. Mark Watson

(left) New recruits learn the inner works of the M-16 rifle during their first day of training. (right) Philip Karber heats his 

Meal Ready to Eat during the fist day of Recruit Sustainment Program.

Continued RSP pg. 5

Photo by Spc. Mark Watson

Joe Meyer, having already exceeded the standard, strains to get one more push-up before time expired during the physical 

training assessment. The recruits are tested during one minute of push-ups and sit-ups and a one-mile run.
Continued from pg. 4

“Whenever we lose (trainees) it is usually 

because of physical training failures, 

injuries or they are not mentally prepared,” 

said Weber. “This program better prepares 

them for these issues.”

 The environment, at the one weekenda-month training, “Is an intense atmosphere 

that is not an abusive,” said Weber. The 

cadre, mainly consisting of sergeants, 

teaches self-discipline and respect 

while creating a realistic basic training 

environment. The recruits must ask for 

permission to speak and must address the 

cadre as ‘sergeant’ or reap the consequences 

through push-ups or other physical 

activities.

 “We learn to be quick thinking and to 

pay attention to detail, all while learning 

Army values,” said Pfc. Crystal Walker.

Walker will be going to basic training 

at Fort Jackson in July. She joined 

Company B, 109th Medical Battalion as a 

medic.

 The ‘Warriors’ will participate in this 

program until they go to basic training. The 

first phase is the red phase, which is only 

one weekend long. Their next weekend will 

be in the white phase. They will spend most 

of their time in white phase. The weekend 

before they leave for basic training they 

will be in the blue phase.

 “It’s all really helpful and will make 

it that much easier,” said Pfc. Cameron 

Lynch. With this new information and 

training, the recruits will be given the 

chance to excel in their new field; well, 

right after they encounter the wrath of the 

drill sergeant. 

Page 5 Summer 2005

Photo by Staff Sgt. Matt Johnson

Angela Johnson prepares to start the sit up portion of her physical training assessment 

under the watchful eye of the scorer as Private Tiffany Henriksen holds her feet.

Photos by Spc. Mark Watson

(left) Staff Sgts. Tracy Fuerst, left, and Jonathan Nesladek encourage Melissa Wilslef as she finishes the one-mile run portion of the Recruit Sustainment Program’s physical 

training assessment. (right) Warriors with the Recruit Sustainment Program watch Staff Sgt. Jonathan Nesladek over-exaggerate marching in place.

RSP: Consolidates new recruit 

training in state

Guard, Reserves boost new recruit age cut-off

By Spc. Mark Watson

129th MPAD

South Dakota National Guard recruiters 

may start seeing a new trend with potential 

recruits, a few grey hairs.

 A change raises the National Guard and 

Reserve age cutoff for new recruits from 

34 to 39, increasing the number of potential 

recruits by scores.

 The change does not affect the active 

duty Army. 

 “The effect of the age increase remains 

to be seen,” said Lt. Col. Tracy Settle, the 

South Dakota National Guard’s recruiting 

and retention manager. 

 There hasn’t been a rush of potential 

older recruits, but the program has attracted 

the eye of several aspiring Soldiers.

 “I have one person who 37 and is very 

interested in joining,” said Staff Sgt. Ryan 

Harris, a recruiting and retention officer. “I 

think this new program is good. In the past, 

I’ve talked to people who were 36, 37, 38 

and came in or called for more information 

but they were too old.” 

 Harris added the older recruits not only 

boost the strength of the Guard, but they 

also bring more experience and maturity to 

the military.

 “With age come wisdom,” he said. 

“If anything, the older recruits will know 

why something is necessary more than the 

younger ones.”

 One thing recruiters have seen as an 

increasing trend in new recruits is enlisting 

for the chance to serve their country.

 “We’ve seen a lot more people come 

in, not for the student loan repayment or the 

GI Bill, but a lot are coming to us for pride, 

patriotism and service to their country,” he 

said. 

 The first Soldier who enlisted with 

help of the new age category shipped off 

to basic training June 1. Ken Regalado 

joined the 727th Transportation Company in 

Brookings as truck driver. 

 “He came in before and wanted to join 

before the age cut-off went up,” said Staff 

Sgt. Pat Chapman, a recruiter in Brookings. 

“I told him there was nothing I could do for 

him at the time. After I learned about the 

age increase I was actually looking for his 

phone number to tell him when he called 

me.”

 Regalado saw the story on the morning 

news and was quickly on the phone with his 

recruiter.

 “I was ecstatic,” he said. “I asked if he 

saw the news, if I could sign up now and 

where I had to sign.”

 After the proper paperwork and a trip 

to the Military Entrance Processing Station, 

Regalado, the son of a former Marine, 

signed the dotted line and enlisted in the 

South Dakota Army National Guard.

 “This is going to be an adventure, and 

I will be ringside for it,” he said. “This is a 

dream for me. I want to keep a log of this 

because it is a one-shot deal. Joining the 

military is a very big deal. Serving your 

country is probably the biggest honor you’ll 

ever get to do.”

 While the new age increase will give 

recruiters access to a new patch of recruits, 

Settle said his recruiters are not focusing on 

the new group.

 “This is a young person’s Army, and we 

are not changing our efforts to recruit the 

17-24 year olds at this time,” Settle said.

 Regalado understands he is almost 20 

years older than the youngest recruit, but 

said he feels he will do fine at basic training.

 “I think some things will be difficult 

for me: the physical things will be hard, but 

other aspects, the more mental ones, I’ll be 

above average,” Regalado said.

SDNG names LT and Warrant Officer of Year

Congratulations to 1st. Lt. Jason Kleinschmit (right) of the 727th Transportation Company as the recipient of the 

2005 John J. Steele Lieutenant of the of the Year Award, and to Chief Warrant Officer Jerry B. Eaton of HHC, 

153rd Engineer Battalion as the recipient of the 2005 Warrant Officer of the Year Award. Congratulations to all 

Soldiers and Airmen who were selected to represent their MACOMS for each award.
Page 6 Summer 2005

Marksmen gather for annual shooting competition

SDNG Public Affairs Office

CAMP RAPID – South Dakota Army and 

Air National Guardsmen gathered at Camp 

Rapid May 21 and 22 to participate in the 

annual Adjutant General’s Outdoor Combat 

Marksmanship competition hosted by the 

small arms readiness training section of the 

South Dakota National Guard Joint Force 

Headquarters. 

 Soldiers and Airmen from across 

South Dakota tested their skills with rifle, 

pistol machine gun and sniper rifles in this 

intense, two-day competition.

 “This is more than a shooting match, it 

is an intense, hands-on training event that 

enhances basic but essential military skills,” 

said Chief Warrant Officer John Gregor, 

state marksmanship coordinator for South 

Dakota.

 Lessons learned in places like Iraq and 

Afghanistan show that basic marksmanship 

is a critical skill for our military forces 

and the more opportunities there are to 

work with their issued firearms, the more 

successful they are in a combat theatre of 

operation. 

 Recently, military leaders have 

increased the training time and ammunition 

allowed so Soldiers can improve their 

marksmanship skills, said Chief Warrant 

Officer B. J. McGuire, range officer. 

 “It’s been found that most Soldiers 

are not as proficient with their individual 

firearms as they should be,” McGuire said. 

“The military has doubled the amount of 

ammunition for Soldiers to train with.” 

 Leaders said it is very beneficial to 

have experienced marksmen in a unit to 

help train other Soldiers and competition 

reinforces that training and capability. 

 “This is as close to the real thing as 

you can get,” said Col. Nancy J Wetherill, 

who has been the commander of engineer 

forces in Afghanistan for the last year. “This 

gives Soldiers the experience of firing their 

individual weapon at close quarters in rapid 

succession.”

 This competition is the beginning of 

the competitive ladder that can lead South 

Dakota National Guardsmen to multiservice and national level competition. “We 

have been very successful with our teams 

at National level competition,” said Chief 

Warrant Officer Walt Hofmann. 

 Top competitors from this match will 

be selected to compete as part of the South 

Dakota National Guard team at the sixth 

region competition to be held in Guernesy, 

Wyo., in September. And if successful in 

that competition, they will move on to 

National level at the Winston P. Wilson, 

National Guard championship matches in 

Little Rock, Ark., in October.

 This competition is open to all 

members of the South Dakota National 

Guard regardless of the individual level of 

experience. “We are always on the lookout 

for talented Soldiers with a desire to show 

they’re stuff in competition,” Gregor said.

 For more information on competitive 

marksmanship activities or how to join 

the state shooting team, call Chief Warrant 

Officer John Gregor, state marksmanship 

coordinator at 605-737-6526.

Citizen Soldiers prove extremely tough to beat

By Sgt. Wes Nowitzki

129th MPAD

CAMP RAPID – Bam, the bullet screams 

forward as it spins and twists its way 

through the barrel on a catastrophic 

collision course with a target down range at 

a mere 1000 yards away.

 “We’re the Army’s greatest threat when 

we show up to a match,” said Chief Warrant 

Officer Walter Hofmann, officer in charge. 

“We have beat the Army team the last two 

times we met them, at Creedmore Cup and 

then in the Nevada State Regional.”

 Sgt. 1st Class Darrel Barry from the 

South Dakota National Guard finished as 

the match winner for the individual 200, 

300, and 600-yard competition in the 

Creedmore Cup held at Camp Pendleton, 

Calif. by shooting a 790 out of 800. Each 

shot is worth ten points at the center of the 

target and decreases down to 5 at the outer 

edge. A complete miss is worth zero points.

 Team members use slightly modified 

M-16 rifles. Most modifications are done 

to the barrels, triggers, and rear sites, 

and shoot at targets from 200 to 1000 

yards away. An 80-grain bullet is used 

for all distances under 600 yards and a 

90-grain bullet is used for the 1000-yard 

competition. 

 “The members are some of the most 

highly qualified shooters from the Air and 

Army National Guard,” said Hofmann.

 There are two big competitions coming 

up that the team is preparing for. The InterService National Championship in Qantico, 

Va. which only includes service members, 

and the National Championship in Camp 

Perry, Ohio which draws about 1500 

individuals from all the services and private 

civilians.

 Last July, Sgt. Rick Zolnowsky from 

the South Dakota National Guard finished 

as the match winner proclaiming him as 

the top military shooter. Zolnowsky is a 

previous Presidents 100 winner.

 Most recently, the team went to Florida 

to shoot in the Orange Blossom Regional 

where they won the team competition, out 

shooting more than 100 competitors. 

 Being this competitive makes the All 

Guard Team. 

 “The number one threat for the Army,” 

said Hofmann. “As a matter of fact they 

come down and put somebody behind us 

just to watch us shoot and keep track of our 

score.”

 The Army and the Marine Team 

have a huge advantage over the Guard 

Team because they can recruit people 

from National tournaments, they don’t 

get mobilized, and they get a full time job 

shooting for three years. 

 Guard teams don’t get the chance 

to practice together unless they are at a 

tournament or special arrangements are 

made. However, individual team members, 

being the experts that they are, have 

been helping train units to be designated 

marksman. A designated marksman team 

consists of one or two members who engage 

targets from 300 to 600 meters.

 Even with their lack of practice, 

compared to the Army and Marine Teams, 

Hofmann’s outlook for this year is very 

positive, “I think we will beat the Army and 

Marines.”

Photo by Spc. Mark Watson

Sgt. Scott Wallace (left) uses his rifle scope to estimate the range to his target while Sgt. Jeremy Evans, both with the 200th Engineer Company, acts as the spotter. The two 

both shot the sniper rifle in the competition.

Photo by Spc. Mark Watson

Sgt. Wes Spencer readies his rifle during the competition.
By Spc. Steve Hardesy 

111th Press Camp

CUSTER STATE PARK – Working together 

to complete a mission is paramount, be it in 

the workplace or in the battlefield.

Sailors from the United States Navel 

Reserve and Soldiers from the South Dakota 

Army National Guard assisted each other 

Saturday, June 18 at Custer State Park as 

part of the training that took place during 

this years Joint Thunder exercise.

The exercise was a mass casualty scenario 

that evaluated the response of Soldiers and 

Sailors in a battlefield event with a large 

number of injuries to deal with. With the 

addition of an opposing force attack, it was 

more realistic for the battlefield.

“The attack stressed them,” said Lt. Cmdr. 

Leslie Pafford, Operation Health Support of 

the Navy Fleet Hospital, United States Naval 

Reserve in Dallas, Texas. “It really forced 

them to think of alternate resources to use 

and how to utilize it.”

However, there were barriers to take care 

of even before this exercise. It is rare that 

different branches of the military, get to train 

together and learn how each branch works 

specifically.

“There is a need for as much interaction 

as you can get with other branches of the 

services. The Army has different resources 

than the Navy have and vice versa,” said 

Rear Adm. David Maserang from the Bureau 

of Medicine and Surgery of the United 

States Navy in Washington, D.C. “We need 

to learn everything that we can about how 

to integrate and operate within each other’s 

environment.”

Interaction between the two branches 

wasn’t the only learning experience. 

Frequently, units and different companies do 

not have the opportunity to train together. 

Medics from the 1085th Medical Company 

and Company B, 109th Area Support Medical 

Battalion combined the use of their air 

and ground ambulances in this exercise. 

Normally, annual training is the only time 

that these units get to work together.

“A lot of times we don’t have the 

opportunity to train with other medical assets,” 

said Maj. Michael Snow, commander of the 

1085th Medical Company (Air Ambulance), 

“It really helps us to understand our job 

better and train with a degree of realism.”

While this is required training, it reflects 

on what is going on with the current situation 

in the Middle East. 

“I have friends that are deployed in 

Kuwait and Iraq right now,” said Pafford. 

“They point out what we need to train on.”

In preparation for the field training, the 

Soldiers and Sailors trained throughout the 

week to get ready for the exercise.

“The Sailors are fired up and ready 

to utilize all of the training that they have 

received,” added Pafford.

And according to Snow, the training had 

a high degree of realism and is congruent 

with what is being seen on the battlefields 

in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere in the 

world.

“In this day in age, deployment is very 

likely,” said Snow. “Opportunities like this 

training help us to prepare for it.”

Page 7 Summer 2005

Photo by Spc. Shelley Brown - 111th Press Camp

Spc. Nate Scott from the 842nd Engineer Company, receives training from a local firefighter

in setting up a waterline to fight wildland fires.

By Spc. Steve Hardesy 

111th Press Camp

CUSTER – Wildland fires are not an uncommon occurrence in the Black Hills of South 

Dakota. Residents know all too well that a single spark can escalate into a raging inferno, 

burning large areas of forest land.

This year’s Joint Thunder exercise gave Soldiers and local firefighting personnel the 

chance to work together in a classroom and a field setting to learn how to effectively 

extinguish a wildfire.

“It’s a great opportunity to work with the local personnel,” said Senior Master Sgt. 

Gene Gillen from the Joint Force Headquarters of the South Dakota Air National Guard 

in Rapid City. “We are helping each other. And when we go to a fire, we aren’t leading. 

We are assisting.”

This year’s training has the Soldiers of the 842nd Engineer Company and local 

firefighting personnel from the Black Hills area going through 40 hours of training in 

four days to prepare themselves if an event arises.

Training consists of three days of classroom instruction and then a complete day of 

hands on training in the field.

“The training is outstanding,” said 1st Lt. Stuart Muzzy from the 842nd Engineer 

Company, Detachment 1 in Belle Fourche, “We’re making sure that all of our Soldiers 

are getting a chance to get their hands on the equipment and do their job.”

The wildland fire training is important in the area and to the residents of the Black 

Hills. Just five years ago, the largest wildfire in South Dakota’s history tore through the 

Jewel Cave region and beyond burning over 80,000 acres of land.

“This training is making sure that the Soldiers and local personnel know how to take 

care of themselves,” said Gillen. “And this training is all about the safety of the firefighters 

and the local residents.”

The wildland fire training also gave a lot of young Soldiers from the 842nd the 

opportunity to actually use classroom knowledge out in a field environment.

“You never know what could happen,” said Spc. Marshall Osloond from the 842nd.

“This will better prepare you for the unexpected. And with this training, people will 

remember what to do.”

Joint effort helps prevent wildland fires

Soldiers and Sailors train for joint mission

Photo by Spc. Shelley Brown - 111th Press Camp

A medic from Company B, 109th Medical (Ground Ambulance), SDARNG, assesses the severity of injuries after a simulated car accident at Custer 

State Park. Medics from the 109th and the 1085th Medical Company (Air Ambulance), SDARNG, evaluated the victims.
Page 8 Summer 2005

Afghanistan veterans 

return from deployment

SDNG Public Affairs Office

RAPID CITY – The 109th Engineer Group returned home Friday, May 13 after 

serving a year in Afghanistan. 

 The unit arrived at the old terminal at the Rapid City Regional Airport where 

they were greeted by family and friends. 

 The veterans were honored with a downtown parade and a welcome home 

ceremony at Rapid City Central High School.

 Many people were on hand for the welcome home ceremony to include guest 

speakers Gov. Mike Rounds, Senator Tim Johnson, Senator John Thune and Rep. 

Stephanie Herseth.

 “I remember almost 13 months ago we were here, and we talked about what 

was going to happen. I told families that I wished I could take away the hurt 

you were feeling, but we couldn’t. Well, tonight, we get to feel the joy of the 

homecoming, and that’s special,” said Gov. Mike Rounds.

 The 109th departed South Dakota April 12, 2004 for Fort Carson, Colo. where 

they trained on a variety of tasks to prepare them for the deployment. 

The engineer group was the first South Dakota National Guard unit to serve in 

Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. 

 During their time in the country, they supervised all engineer projects to 

include clearing some of the estimated millions of land mines, pouring millions of 

cubic feet of concrete and building a massive road connecting Kandahar to Tarin 

Kowt through the heart of Taliban country. 

 The South Dakotans worked with more than 1,800 engineers in the Air Force, 

Army and Army National Guard as well as Soldiers from five different countries. 

 The 76 members of the 109th Engineer Group now rejoin the nearly 3,500 

Soldiers still serving in a non-active duty status in South Dakota to continue to 

provide support for state and national emergencies and homeland defense.

Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Don Matthews

Master Sgt. Dan McGough hugs his grandchildren at the 109th Engineer 

Group’s return to South Dakota.

Operation Cares helps 

Guard families in need

By Spc. Mark Watson

129th MPAD

In the small, tight-knit communities of 

South Dakota, the townspeople are more 

like a family than just neighbors and when 

hard times come, they pull together to help 

one another.

Operation Cares reflects this 

togetherness. It is a charitable program 

with a mission solely to take care of the 

families of deployed Soldiers.

“We have done absolutely everything to 

help these families,” said Les Cummings a 

retired South Dakota National Guard state 

command sergeant major. “We have fixed 

cars, bought cars ... we’ve paid grocery 

bills and heat bills. We’ve paid for baby 

sitting and flown mothers to see their 

sons in the hospital. It’s been absolutely 

phenomenal what we’ve been able to do.”

Operation Cares began in 2003 when 

1st Battalion of the 147 Field Artillery 

mobilized to Fort Sill, Okla. Since that 

time, Cummings said hundreds of people 

have helped with the program and founders 

of the program have collected more than 

$100,000. Mike Heineman and Cummings, 

creators of the program, have spent more 

than $90,000 in the Sioux Falls community 

since it began.

“Military families are full of pride 

and don’t often go looking for help,” 

Cummings said. “I’ve had people call me 

in the middle of the night crying, thanking 

me for what we’ve done to help them out.”

The organization, made up solely of 

volunteers and relies on its funding strictly 

from donations made by people and 

businesses throughout the communities, 

helps the families of deployed service 

members in any way it can. The program 

also reaches out to reservists and active 

duty service members’ families in the 

eastern part of the state.

Rebecca Anderson, the 114th Wing 

family coordinator for the South Dakota 

Air National Guard said she received 

tips of families in need from a variety of 

places. She also serves as a Red Cross lead 

volunteer where she occasionally works 

with families of deployed Soldiers. 

“When I am done talking to them about 

what the Red Cross can do, I take off 

the Red Cross hat and ask them what 

Operation Cares can do for them and what 

they need,” Anderson said. 

The gratitude is easy to see when the 

program can help someone, she added.

“Absolute relief,” she said about the 

program’s offering. “You can see it’s a 

huge load off their shoulders and just 

absolute relief. They don’t have to pay 

it back. This is truly a gift and a thank 

you for their families’ sacrifice. This isn’t 

just dollars and cents, this is a significant 

amount for significant problems.”

Cummings said if it weren’t for the 

generosity of the communities, the 

program would not be operational.

“We have an absolutely outstanding 

civilian task force,” he said. “They 

know freedom isn’t free. They know the 

American Soldier will go anywhere around 

the world to defend democracy, and this is 

their way of helping them.”

Program set to remodel 

Soldiers’ homes

By Spc. Mark Watson

129th MPAD

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has 

become a popular Sunday evening show 

that takes a well deserving family’s, often 

times run-down house, a hand full of gifted 

designers, a dedicated construction crew 

and a neighborhood full of volunteers and 

transforms the house into a magnificent 

home in seven days. 

Projects have included rebuilding a 

house for a family of eight children who 

just lost both their parents and remodeling 

a house for a wheelchair bound family 

member.

A spin off is set to remodel its first 

home in South Dakota. However, founders 

of Operation Opening Doors hope their 

services are never needed.

The operation works hand-in-hand 

with the Associated General Contractors 

of South Dakota and is designed to help 

service members who have been or injured 

during the Global War on Terrorism.

“They have stepped up to the plate and 

have said they will do all the labor and 

donate all the materials needed free,” said 

Les Cummings, a retired state command 

sergeant major of the South Dakota 

National Guard. “That is huge. Just one 

home could have easily taken up all the 

money we have raised.”

Certain modifications have to be made 

to a house with someone wheelchair bound, 

so it complies with the housing codes. One 

of the most obvious is that doors have to 

be widened to allow the wheelchair to pass 

thru.

“We want to make sure that when 

they leave the hospital and go home, it is 

handicap accessible,” Cummings said. “We 

will build a ramp, we’ll take out doors, 

we’ll make things in the kitchen so they 

can reach them. We’ll do things in the 

bathroom and the bedroom so he can get 

into stuff. We’ll do everything we can so 

he doesn’t have to struggle when he gets 

home.”

Getting a handicap accessible home 

up to “code” could easily wipe out many 

families’ finances.

“It could cost as little as $500 if we 

only needed to put in a ramp, or I might 

be conservative when I say $25,000 for 

widening the doorways, putting new 

fixtures in the bathroom and kitchen,” 

said Bob Weerheim, the public relations 

community chairman for the group. 

This program isn’t just for South 

Dakotans either. Cummings said if a 

service member needs a home remodeled in 

the corner of Iowa or Minnesota, the group 

will cross the state lines to help out if they 

do not have a similar program.

“I feel that they are making a sacrifice 

for us,” Weerheim said about the group’s 

decision to help out. “It was pretty much 

100 percent unanimous that we wanted to 

do this for the troops.”