South Dakota National Guard 

Public Affairs Office 

2823 West Main St. 

Rapid City, S.D. 57702 

Phone 605-737-6721 

E-mail PAO@sd.ngb.army.mil

June 14, 2008 

SDNG-PA-06-14B-08 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Real-world mission pulls Iowa Guard from exercise 

By Spc. Joe Bungert, 129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment 

RAPID CITY, S.D. – Iowa Guard units withdrew from the Golden Coyote training exercise 

Friday, June 13, from various locations in the Black Hills, to respond to their home state’s realworld mission. 

Approximately 650 Soldiers from the Iowa Army National Guard were pulled from their annual 

training exercise to provide assistance in recovery operations in response to recent flooding and 

tornado activity in the area. 

“We have to cut training short due to the situation in Iowa,” said 1st Lt. Graham Giles, a platoon 

leader with the 1133rd Transportation Company from Mason City, Iowa. “There’s mass flooding 

and tornados that the state is reacting to, so we’re being pulled out early to help support the 

disaster response.” 

The 1133rd came to this year’s Golden Coyote training exercise to participate in convoy lanes 

training that includes scenarios based on lessons learned in Operations Iraqi Freedom and 

Enduring Freedom. 

“We’re deploying later this year, so this was a great opportunity for us to react to different 

situations and get us focused on our future mission,” Giles said. 

The loss of the Iowa units was felt in several of the forward operating bases, said Lt. Col David 

Seybold, commander of the 168th Petroleum Supply Battalion, Nebraska Army National Guard. 

“We lost approximately one third of the personnel in this FOB,” Seybold added. 

Not only is the loss of these units felt in the FOB’s, but also in the support missions provided by 

each of the participating units throughout the exercise, said Lt. Col Daniel Iverson, Golden 

Coyote exercise coordinator, South Dakota Army National Guard. 
“The 152nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion from South Dakota will replace the 734th 

Regional Support Group from Iowa and become the command element for logistical operations,” 

Iverson said. 

“Water distribution will now be handled exclusively by the 311th Brigade Support Battalion, 

along with maintenance support that the 3654th Maintenance Company was providing,” he 

added. 

-30- 

High resolution photos will be available at the following Web site: 

LINK: https://sdguard.ngb.army.mil/sites/GC2008/default.aspx

Photo Cut Lines: 

080613-A-5356B-041.JPG: Members of the 1133rd Transportation Company, Iowa Army 

National Guard, broke camp Friday, June 13, to return to their home state in response to flooding 

and deadly tornado activity that recently devastated the area. The unit was participating in this 

year’s Golden Coyote training exercise in the Black Hills of South Dakota. (Army National 

Guard photo by Spc. Joe Bungert) (RELEASED) 

080613-A-5356B-043.JPG: Soldiers of the 1133rd Transportation Company, Iowa Army 

National Guard, stack tents Friday, June 13, as they prepare to return to their home state in 

response to the flooding and deadly tornado activity that recently devastated the area. The unit 

was participating in this year’s Golden Coyote training exercise in the Black Hills of South 

Dakota. (Army National Guard photo by Spc. Joe Bungert) (RELEASED) 

080613-A-5356B-046.JPG: Trucks from the 1133rd Transportation Company, Iowa Army 

National Guard, are lined up to prepare for the unit’s return to its home state Friday, June 13, in 

response to the flooding and deadly tornado activity that recently devastated the area. The unit 

was participating in this year’s Golden Coyote training exercise in the Black Hills of South 

Dakota. (Army National Guard photo by Spc. Joe Bungert) (RELEASED) 

080613-A-5356B-045.JPG: Sgt. 1st Class Richard Slack, a platoon sergeant from the 1133rd

Transportation Company, Iowa Army National Guard, moves his gear Friday, June 13, as the 

unit prepares to return to its home state in response to the flooding and deadly tornado activity 

that recently devastated the area. The unit was participating in this year’s Golden Coyote training 

exercise in the Black Hills of South Dakota. (Army National Guard photo by Spc. Joe Bungert) 

(RELEASED) 

 

Location of South Dakota National Guard Public Affairs Office: 

2823 West Main Street 

Building 400 

Rapid City, SD 57702-8186 
(605) 737-6721 

MEDIA WISHING TO EMBED are asked to RSVP with Maj. Orson Ward at (605) 737-

6721, cell (605) 431-8753 or via E-mail at orson.ward@us.army.mil. 

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION about the South Dakota National Guard, please visit our 

Web site at https://sdguard.ngb.army.mil/default.aspx

NOTE: The South Dakota National Guard will host the annual Golden Coyote exercise from 

June 7 – 21 in the southern Black Hills. More than 4,000 service members from 92 units 

representing 27 states and four foreign nations are participating in the exercise. The Golden 

Coyote exercise has been conducted for the past 24 years. The exercise provides relevant training 

opportunities in support of the war on terror and homeland defense. 

Residents should be aware of an increase in military traffic throughout the Black Hills and an 

increase in the level of noise due to military operations. Aviation activity will be operating out of 

Camp Rapid and the Army Aviation Support Facility next to the Rapid City Regional Airport. 

Aircraft will be primarily training on equipment and personnel transport missions as well as 

medical evacuation. Aircraft will respond to real-world emergencies during the exercise and 

remain in an all-hours-ready status during the exercise. 

Spectators to military training are welcome, however caution is warranted and spectators are 

asked to remain at a safe distance from all moving military vehicles and aircraft to prevent injury 

to personnel or damage to property.