shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com January 9, 2018 • Page 3 SD National Guard Looks Back On A Successful 2017 RAPID CITY, S.D. - The South Dakota National Guard Alert mission at March Air Force Base in California, Engineers for outstanding military and engineering once again distinguished itself as one of the premier providing four F-16 Fighting Falcons and pilots who are service. The 155th received the Itschner Award, which National Guard organizations in the nation in 2017, just ready on a 24-hour alert status to protect the country for recognizes the best engineer company in three categoas it has for the past 155 years. any type of emergency. ries: U.S. Army, Army Reserve and National Guard. From serving in combat operations overseas to This year also marked the 11th anniversary of the The SDANG continued to demonstrate its success as supporting domestic emergencies here at home, SDNG South Dakota and Suriname State Partnership Program. one of the top five flying units in the nation as NGAUS Soldiers and Airmen have once again answered the call There were 61 subject matter expert participants that awarded the 114th Fighter Wing with its Distinguished to help people in need. took part in 13 significant exchanges, which included Flying Unit Plaque for the third consecutive year. This Support to federal commitments worldwide continland search and rescue operations, force management, is the seventh time the unit has received this award for ued in 2017 as more than 275 Soldiers and 125 Airmen HAZMAT planning and prevention, officer professional exceptional meritorious service. The award is based from five units supported overseas contingency operadevelopment and an engineer mission to help renovate on overall combat readiness and the unit's performance tions. parts of a school in Paramaribo. with respect to all other Air National Guard units. The 153rd Engineer Battalion and its Forward Support Both the South Dakota Army (SDARNG) and Air The 114th was also announced as a recipient of the Company returned 165 Soldiers from duty in the Mid(SDANG) National Guard had another outstanding trainAir Force Outstanding Unit Award for the third straight dle East. The Huron and Parkston-based units served ing year and received a number of awards demonstrating year. This is the ninth time the unit has received this 10 months providing command and control of attached their operational readiness. award for exceptional meritorious service by the U.S. Air engineer units. Members of the unit served in multiple Twenty-three out of 42 SDARNG units received the Na- Force and Air National Guard. locations throughout the region, including Iraq and tional Guard Bureau's Superior Unit Award in recognition The SDARNG won a National Guard Bureau Excellence Syria. of outstanding achievement during training year 2016. in Diversity Award for fiscal year 2016. The NGB ExcelThe Rapid City-based 216th Engineer Detachment's The Superior Unit Award is presented to units who meet lence in Diversity Awards are presented to outstanding Firefighting Team deployed three Soldiers for a ninehighly-enforced military standards in the areas of perNational Guard individuals, organizations, states and month tour to Romania where they are providing comsonnel, training and readiness. The SDARNG, who makes territories for significant contributions to diversity and mand and control of firefighting teams to provide fire up only 9/10ths of one percent of this nation's National inclusion initiatives. protection of aviation assets, facilities and installations Guard, earned 66 percent of the Superior Unit Awards for The SDNG hosted its 33rd annual Golden Coyote in the European Command area of operation. training year 2016. training exercise in the Black Hills in June. The two-week Fifteen Soldiers from the 200th Engineer Company, Detachment 1, Company B, 1-112th Aviation Battaltraining exercise has developed into one of the nation's based out of Pierre, Chamberlain and Mobridge, deion, was awarded the National Guard Association of the top training opportunities for the National Guard, Reployed to the Middle East as a Bridge Training Team United States' Certificate of Victory for having the highserve and active-duty forces, as well as military personwhere they are providing training and assistance to est overall figure of merit in weapons qualification in the nel from allied countries. Golden Coyote 2017 involved coalition forces on military bridge systems throughout nation. This is the third year in a row a SDARNG unit has more than 2,400 participants from 30 units representing the region. received the award. 13 states, one U.S. territory and two allied nations. More than 90 Soldiers with the Rapid City-based The SDARNG was presented with the gold recipiNever in our history have we been better trained, Company C, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, ent award in the 2017 Army Communities of Excellence better equipped or more heavily relied upon than we are deployed to the Middle East where they are providing Awards. The ACOE Awards recognize top performance today. The Soldiers and Airmen of the SDNG are proud aerial medical evacuation support with its HH-60M Black within U.S. Army, National Guard and Reserve instalto add to its legacy and tradition as a force ready to supHawk helicopters. lations/communities and their approach to systems port and defend our communities, state and nation. The Sioux Falls-based 114th Fighter Wing saw the demanagement. ployment of 125 Airmen to six countries throughout the Because of the gold finish, the ACOE Awards presentMiddle East and Europe as part of their Reserve Compoed the SDARNG with $100,000 to enhance theSummer AC Tune-Up! Save $30 on a organinent Period in support of Operations Inherent Resolve zation even further. The money will support process The Help Wanted and Spartan Shield. The Sioux Falls-based Airmen serve improvement, specifically supporting workforce professection can help. in a variety of capacities from administration, services, sional development. There’s something for everyone in Just give us a call and we’ll engineering, communications, force protection, mainteFor the fourth time in five years, the Department the Shopper! nance and logistics support. of Defense awarded a send out a qualifiedReserve SDARNG unit with the Place your ad now: nd rd th th th th December 2 & 3 , 9 & 10 , 16 Since 9/11, the SDNG has deployed more than 8,000 Family Readiness Award for the Army National Guard. & 17 • 1-3:00PM 605-665-5884 Service Technician Soldiers and Airmen in support of various operations. The award was presented to the Rapid City like WagnerBring Your Cameras! and The SDNG continued to provide domestic operations based 155th Engineer Tyler, to make Pentagon. The Company at the sure your support to the citizens of South Dakota and the nation annual award is presented to one unit from each of the AC unit throughout 2017. seven Reserve components is ready for those More than 150 Soldiers and Airmen provided support that demonstrate excel- summer South Dakota hot Tyler Reiser to the 58th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C., lence in engaging with and days and save $30!* Jan. 20. The SDNG service members were joined by more supporting their members' Service Technician than 7,500 Guardsmen from 44 other states and territofamilies. 13 years experience& Busch Light 30 pks ........... $14.99 •Busch ries to assist the District of Columbia National Guard and The 155th was recogfederal and local law enforcement agencies in providnized again, this time claim•Old Milwaukee & Light 30 pks ........$14.99 ing security, crowd control and traffic management of ing a top award from the •Miller High Life & Light 30 pks ........$13.99 attendees and support personnel throughout the U.S. Society of American Military Capital region. 109 W. 3rd St. • 605-665-7865 * Yankton Meridian District * www.yanktonrexall.com Guard members were Ron’s Auto Glass also called up by Gov. 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One crew assisted in the rescue of a male hiker in April who was injured on Black treasures & Pawn Elk Peak and airlifted from 301 E. 3rd Street, Yankton, SD Custer State Park to Rapid 665-3588 City for treatment. However it's not just within the state that South Dakota Guardsmen responded this year. When disaster stuck the island of Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the state responded. Gov. Daugaard activated four Soldiers of the Watertown-based Company A, 139th Brigade Support Battalion, at the request of Puerto Rico government authorities to help with recovDid you have summer damage that ery operations and provide you didn’t have time to deal with before water distribution capabiliwinter... Call to get on our ties to those in need. SPRING 2018 List NOW On Oct. 8, the Soldiers with an Early Bird Discount! deployed for six weeks with vehicles and equipment with the capability to receive, store and distribute potable water. The Soldiers personally distributed more than 420,000 gallons of water to Puerto Rico residents and helped to setup two water purification sites and two water distribution sites, which allowed for a total of 920,000 gallons of water to be distributed in support of relief efforts. The 114th Fighter Wing • NO OBLIGATION Inspection & Estimate continued support to • Insurance Preferred Contractor NORAD's Airspace Control • Licensed / Bonded / Insured Job Hunting? Always LOW Liquor Prices! When You Want Comfort...You Want Kalins 605-665-9841 Sell us Your Stuff! New Year’s Cleaning We’ll buy almost anything! RiveRcity Participating Businesses Are… Early Bird Discount 605-857-1472 407 Ruth Street, Yankton, SD J&H Cleaning Services YANKTON WORKS Want your REAL-TIME MESSAGE on the most visited media website in the Yankton area? Join our ‘Friends2Follow’ program! Contact your Yankton Media Representative today! 605-665-7811