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 12, 2008 

SDNG-PA-06-12C-08 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Role players bring required reality to Golden Coyote 

By Sgt. Lance Schroeder, 129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment 

RAPID CITY, S.D. — Soldiers playing the role of enemy insurgents carried out a daring training 

mission Wednesday, June 11, in the Black Hills. 

Members of the 339th Military Police Company, an Army Reserve unit from Davenport, Iowa, 

staged a mock abduction of a high-ranking Army Soldier as part of the annual Golden Coyote 

training exercise. The unit is one of two currently providing exercise role players to plan and 

execute realistic opposing-force missions. 

This type of training allows participating units to experience enemy tactics that have been used 

by various insurgent groups in the past, said Lt. Col. Harold Walker, officer-in-charge of the 

exercise role players. 

“Our main mission is to provide support that enhances training for the units that are here,” said 

Walker. 

The three primary missions that were conducted by the role players were supporting the various 

training lanes, helping with external evaluations, and catering to any special requests made by 

commanders to enhance the realism experienced by their units during training. 

“These support missions vary depending upon the situation —from populating an urban training 

site with civilian nationals, to insurgent missions such as the one conducted by the 339th,” said 

Walker. 

By employing insurgent tactics observed during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi 

Freedom, the 339th can convincingly simulate the unconventional forces they represent. 

“We’re trying to use the same tactics the enemy uses so they (the participating Soldiers) can 

react more easily to these situations when they get deployed,” said Pfc. Dane Loomis, a student 

from Kansas City, Mo., attached to the 339th. 
The exercise role players in the unit are getting the most out of the training by learning both 

military and enemy techniques, therefore turning a good training experience into a great one, said 

Loomis. 

-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: 

080611-A-3871S-026.JPG: Lt. Col. Harold Walker, officer-in-charge of the exercise role 

players for Golden Coyote 2008, briefs members of the 339th Military Police Company, an 

Army Reserve unit from Davenport, Iowa, who are preparing to play the role of insurgents 

Wednesday, June 11, during a training mission being conducted in the Black Hills. (Army 

National Guard photo by Sgt. Lance Schroeder) (RELEASED) 

080611-A-3871S-032.JPG: Members of the 339th Military Police Company, an Army Reserve 

unit from Davenport, Iowa, play the role of insurgents Wednesday, June 11, during a training 

mission in the Black Hills north of Hill City during the annual Golden Coyote exercise. (Army 

National Guard photo by Sgt. Lance Schroeder) (RELEASED) 

080611-A-3871S-035.JPG: Three exercise role players from the 339th Military Police 

Company, an Army Reserve unit from Davenport, Iowa, "kidnap" a Soldier Wednesday, June 11, 

while playing the role of insurgents during the annual Golden Coyote exercise being held in the 

Black Hills. (Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Lance Schroeder) (RELEASED) 

080611-A-3871S-111.JPG: Three exercise role players from the 339th Military Police 

Company, an Army Reserve unit from Davenport, Iowa, portray enemy insurgents providing 

security while Lt. Col. Harold Walker, officer-in-charge from the South Dakota Army National 

Guard, interrogates a prisoner Wednesday, June 11, during the annual Golden Coyote exercise 

being held in the Black Hills. (Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Lance Schroeder) 

(RELEASED) 

080611-A-3871S-122.JPG: Lt. Col. Harold Walker, South Dakota Army National Guard (third 

from right) and exercise role players from the 339th Military Police Company, an Army Reserve 

unit from Davenport, Iowa, list their demands while playing the role of kidnappers Wednesday, 

June 11, during the annual Golden Coyote exercise being held in the Black Hills. (Army 

National Guard photo by Sgt. Lance Schroeder) (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.