Dalrymple Statement on the Return of North Dakota Guardsmen Following Yearlong Deployment

Statement

Gov. Jack Dalrymple today issued the following statement regarding the homecoming of 15 members of the North Dakota National Guard's 231st Brigade Support Battalion. The soldiers are expected to return to North Dakota late today on flights to Fargo and Bismarck, following a yearlong deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and its follow-on mission, Operation Freedom's Sentinel.

"Betsy and I are thrilled that 15 members of the North Dakota National Guard are coming home to their families, their friends and their communities," Gov. Dalrymple said. "We are proud to welcome home members of the 231st Brigade Support Battalion who successfully completed their mission and carried on the North Dakota National Guard's tradition of distinguished service. We are grateful to them and their families for their selfless sacrifice and we are forever in their debt."

The Guardsmen provided logistical support to units in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) by assisting in the management of supply, maintenance, transportation and cargo movement activities. CENTCOM, one of nine unified commands in the U.S. military, has responsibilities in 20 countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Since the 2001 terrorist attacks on America, the North Dakota National Guard has mobilized more than 4,200 Soldiers and nearly 2,600 Airmen in support of the Global War on Terrorism. About 70 percent of all members serving today have joined since that time. Currently, nearly 65 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.

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