Soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard assist in clearing levees from Third Street in Minot, N.D., on July 8. This action will enable the Third Street Bridge to reopen. One hundred and twenty soldiers from the Minnesota Guard are assisting the North Dakota National Guard in the Minot area with their efforts fighting against the flood waters of the Souris River through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.

The assistance provided by the Minnesota National Guard during the 2011 flood fight in Minot has been an invaluable asset to the North Dakota National Guard, who has been engaged in flood response operations in the central region of the state for almost 50 days. Minnesota has deployed 120 soldiers to assist in the Minot area in the first of two rotations.

The Minnesota Guard became engaged in the flood fight through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. They are assisting with the removal of sandbags and levees, operating traffic control points and conducting security patrols in evacuated areas.

“The Minn. Guard soldiers have displayed an excellent attitude while assisting Minot during this disaster”, said Command Sgt. Maj. Norman Deschene, of the Devil Lake based 136th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. “They are tackling their missions with a commitment to do the right thing, being helpful to citizens and take care of Minot.”

Lt. Nathan Sokolowski, with the Litchfield, Minn., based 849th Mobility Augmentation Company, is the officer in charge of the unit’s engineering operations in Minot.

“Instead of building up defenses against the flood waters, we will begin tearing down, thus helping the community return to normal,” said Sokolowski. “As the flood waters recede, our primary mission will be debris removal.

Sokolowski said that they had cleared out 116 one-ton sandbags in one day as a part of the cleanup mission. Since the Black Hawk helicopters left Minot, there was no reason to keep the large sandbags ready for aerial placement. After disassembling the sandbags, the sand was returned to the city’s public works division.

Soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard assist in clearing levees from Third Street in Minot, N.D., on July 8. This action will enable the Third Street Bridge to reopen. One hundred and twenty soldiers from the Minnesota Guard are assisting the North Dakota National Guard in the Minot area with their efforts fighting against the flood waters of the Souris River through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. Photo by: Spc. Cassie Simonton

In spite of minor state-to-state differences, Sokolowski found the commonality in the Army bond enabled his unit to work smoothly with the North Dakota Guard.

“We felt like we were North Dakotans ourselves,” said Sokolowski. “I’d like to personally thank the North Dakota engineers and the Guard’s Task Force-Flood for their great support.”

Sgt. First Class Chris Swoboda, a soldier with the Minnesota National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 151st Field Artillery Regiment, serves as the non commissioned officer in charge of that unit’s missions in Minot and agrees with Sokolowski.

“Communication with the North Dakota Guard has been outstanding,” Swoboda said. “It seems like we’ve been working together for years.”

The initial group of Minnesota soldiers is scheduled to be in Minot for two weeks, making it easier for civilian employers and family back home. This first group of soldiers will be replaced by a follow-on contingent in mid-July.

“This is my fifth tour of state active duty this year,” said Slobodan. “The flooding here is one of the worst disasters I’ve seen but I’m glad I could come to North Dakota and help.”

Slobodan also commented on the accommodations at the Minot High School’s Magic City Campus.

“This is one of the nicest working and sleeping facilities I’ve stayed on any active duty,” said Slobodan. “We’ve received great community support during this duty.”

He cited the small things that really make a difference making the Minnesotans feel welcome. For example, community members constantly restock the common areas near their sleeping quarters with snacks and drinks for the Minnesota Guard soldiers to make their stay as comfortable as possible as they assist Minot in its flood fight.

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Story by: Spc. Cassie Simonton
116th Public Affairs Detachment

North Dakota National Guard troops are receiving some relief after assisting state and local authorities with flood mitigation and disaster relief efforts for some 75 days so far in 2011. About 120 soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard will be arriving in Minot and assuming some of the duties now being performed by their North Dakota counterparts.

Guardsmen continue patrols in the flooded areas of the city as well as patrolling the many dikes and levees. If weaknesses are discovered, the Guard is responding with heavy equipment and sandbags to shore up the threatened dike.

816th Engineer Company loads sand removed from HESCO barriers taken down south of the river in Minot, N.D. July 1, 2011. Photo by Sgt. Jesica Geffre, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

Some of the temporary barriers are coming down. HESCO barriers in parts of the downtown Minot are being removed by the National Guard. These barriers consist of cardboard and wire mesh holding dirt so removal is easy though a bit messy.

HESCO barriers emptied in downtown Minot, N.D. July 1, 2011. Photo by Sgt. Jesica Geffre, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

The flooding from the Souris River in Minot, North Dakota, is slowing subsiding. At the Minot 4NW river gauge, also known as the Boy Scout Bridge, the water is eight feet above flood stage but down over two feet in the last week. At the Broadway Bridge river gauge the water is also eight feet above flood stage but down over two feet from its record crest.

Downtown Minot, N.D. July 1, 2011. Photo by Sgt. Jesica Geffre, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

By Friday, the water level is projected to reach 1,555 feet which would put the river below the original level of the dikes and levees. The City of Minot has set that level as the criteria for opening much of the evacuation zone to the residents. Some areas are already open for a part of the day.

Former water levels visible on the buildings around East Central Avenue and 2nd Street East in Minot, N.D., July 1, 2011. Photo by Sgt. Jesica Geffre, 116th Public Affairs Detachment

The ACE Hardware in the photo, according to the data on Google Earth, is at 1,560 feet in elevation. The flood water mark is about three feet higher.

The “boil water” order for residents and businesses using municipal water in Minot remains in effect. The water conservation order also continues in effect with loss of pressure and flow being seen in many areas on both North and South Hill. Until the flooding recedes the city cannot locate all the water and sewer breaks and make repairs. The two orders are expected to remain in effect for the indefinite future.

Spc. Jaron Johs, of Bismarck, N.D., who serves with the North Dakota National Guard's 191st Military Police Company, directs civilian traffic around the scene of an accident on Highway 2, June 27. Photo by Staff Sgt. Cody Johnson, 191st Military Police Company

Controlling traffic at points throughout flooding communities remains a common duty around the clock for North Dakota National Guard members. Soldiers and airmen help travelers know what roads are blocked and alternative routes while controlling access for residents and ensuring quick movement for civilian and military flood fighters and emergency responders.

Most days are pretty routine for the Guardsmen, who are well-experienced in the mission after having served about 70 days on flood duty this year alone. Monday proved to be a different story for Soldiers with the 191st Military Police Company staffing a traffic control point at an intersection on Highway 2.

As Spc. Jaron Johs, of Bismarck, N.D., and Pfc. Dylan Nerem, of Minot, N.D., manned the point, a three-car accident happened nearby on Highway 2. The soldiers responded quickly on foot to perform an immediate scene assessment, noting one civilian had been injured.

Johs quickly called 911 and reported the incident to Staff Sgt. Cody Johnson, the non-commissioned officer in charge of the traffic control mission. Then, Johs and Nerem directed traffic around the scene to ensure no further accidents occurred.

Within two minutes of being called, Johnson, of Bismarck, arrived on scene with Pfc. Lucas Zabka, of Max, N.D. Johs provided a situation report to Johnson to bring him up to speed on the situation, then Johnson redialed 911 to ensure authorities were aware that there was one injury and that an ambulance was en route.

Zabka assessed the hurt civilian’s injuries and ensured the person’s c-spine was immobilized to prevent any further injury. In the meantime, the other three soldiers controlled traffic, funneling it into a single lane around the accident scene.

When the emergency medical service, fire and law enforcement officials arrived, Zabka briefed the paramedics on what he found and what actions he took. The Ward County Sheriff’s Department requested the soldiers continue to maintain traffic control until the scene was cleared and the injured civilian was transported to the hospital. Then, the Minot Police Department thanked the Guardsmen and they returned to their duties.

“Spc. Johs, Pfc. Nerem and Pfc. Zabka responded and performed exactly as military police are trained and expected to do. Their quick actions and control of the scene ensured that EMS, fire and law enforcement personnel were able to carry out their duties on scene while keeping the welfare of all parties involved at the utmost priority,” Johnson said.

Guardsmen are providing 13 around-the-clock traffic control points in Minot, five each in Burlington and Sawyer and three in Velva. Guardsmen also are patrolling levees, providing quick reaction force team support, serving on security patrols and evacuation teams, procuring fresh water, monitoring pumps and working in borrow pits.

As of today, more than 1,100 Guardsmen are on flood duty in the state. About 850 are in the Minot/Ward County/McHenry County area working alongside 100 airmen from the Minot Air Force Base. In the Bismarck and Mandan areas, more than 250 Guard members continue to serve on flood duty. North Dakota National Guardsmen have served 33,615 workdays in the summer flood fight, which began May 24.

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By Pfc. Tiffany Lewis

North Dakota National Guard members monitor flood water along the Broadway flood levee as they remain on alert with one-ton sandbags June 24. The one-ton sandbags are at the ready to patch any breaches in the earthen levee should they occur. The flood levee work being done along Broadway in Minot is in hopes of keeping the main arterial road open that connects north Minot to south Minot. DoD photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp

You gotta laugh, or you’d cry.

Minot is under water. As I write this piece, the water level at Minot 4W, the Boy Scout bridge, is at 24.12 feet. The record was 23 feet and the projection is for the Souris River to rise to 27.5 feet.

This data needs to be converted to be compared to the gauge at Broadway in Minot. That gauge is measured in feet above sea level, and it is currently showing the Souris River at 1,560.13 feet. That is two feet above the previous record and three feet below the projected crest.

Converting the Minot 4W gauge to feet above sea level gives us a current value of 1,569.87 feet with a projected crest of 1,573.25 feet. There’s ten feet of difference in the two crests. From the 4W gauge to the Broadway gauge, the projected crest drops ten feet. Both the projections and the gauge readings have varied during the flood due to changes in data and the physical condition of the gauge, so take all of this with a grain of salt.

The North Dakota National Guard has activated about 800 troops for duty in Minot and Ward County. They are doing just about everything:

levee patrols, two Quick Reaction Forces (QRFs), Traffic Control Points, TrapBag and Hesco installation, dike building, security patrols, evacuation support, air boat evacuation, rescue support team and have four humvee ambulances and medical personnel responding, and a fire truck loaded on a tractor-trailer for high-water emergency response. Two NDNG UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters are operating…

Minot Air Force Base is assisting the Guard and civilian authorities with about 150 airmen and two UH-1 Huey helicopters.

Maj. Greg Pieper, nurse practitioner for the medical readiness training exercise from the Army Reserve 256th Casualty Support Hospital, screens a young patient as her mother comforts her during a visit, June 14. Columbian, Canadian and American military medical and dental professionals treated more than 2,200 Haitian patients at Hospital Saint Pierre de Grande Desdunes, near La Hatte, Haiti, by the end of day two of a 10-day MEDRETE as part of New Horizons 2011.

Colombian, Canadian and American military medical and dental professionals treated more than 2,200 Haitian patients during a New Horizons medical and dental training exercise June 14 at Hospital Saint Pierre de Grande Desdunes, near La Hatte, Haiti.

Task Force Bon Voizen, New Horizons Haiti 2011, a U.S. Southern Command sponsored, U.S. Army South conducted, combined humanitarian exercise under the command of the Louisiana National Guard, provides an opportunity for real-world training while providing humanitarian assistance at the request of the government of Haiti.

As part of Task Force Bon Voizen, this group of 48 professionals melded together to create a team dynamic to not only meet their mission of conducting humanitarian relief missions and medical training exercises June 11-25, but to exceed expectations in care and services provided. June 13, day one of the 10-day medical readiness training exercise, set the tone for doing just that.

“We were able to treat 1,049 patients,” said 2nd Lt. Matthew Wright, the officer in charge of this exercise from the 369th Minimal Care Detachment in Sharonville, Ohio. “That number exceeded all Day 1 totals for 2011 Haiti MEDRETEs.”

As the fourth of four MEDRETES for this region, the momentum continued as day-two totals ended at 1,158 Haitian patients receiving medical and/or dental care. Proactive measures taken by the Government of Haiti’s Ministry of Health was a significant contributing factor for the volume of patients seen.

“The government of Haiti has been very accommodating with space and other requests,” said Sgt. 1st Class Mary Huffman, noncommissioned officer in charge of the exercise from the Ohio Army Reserve 369th MCD. “We were able to expand beyond the original rooms allocated and provide more areas for treatment and a dedicated obstetrician/women’s clinic with a sonogram.”

The ability to employ more of the medical and dental professionals than planned added to the efficient streaming of patients. The vetting process also helped improve the flow of incoming patients from staging, to preventative-measures classes, to triage and ultimately to appropriate medical services.

The commitment to care from the nine Colombians, five Canadians and 34 Americans seemed to energize their efforts as team members rolled up their sleeves and bore the 99 degree Fahrenheit heat and 60 percent humidity. The team members’ 10-hour day on site continued once they returned to task force headquarters as they prepared for the next day’s patients.

For some the compassion runs deeper than a commitment to service.

“Being here for this MEDRETE is the first time I have been back in Haiti since my family left,” said Canadian Capt. Whitney Dagrain, a dentist who has seen more than 50 patients in the two days since this exercise began. “My parents left when I was 16, and coming back, for part of me, is like coming home. I am glad I am able to be here and help.”

In addition to medical training exercises, Task Force Bon Voizen has deployed military engineers to build a technical school, two medical clinics and a latrine facility. These projects are also nearing completion as New Horizons 2011, which also includes projects and MEDRETEs in the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Suriname, draws to a close.

Task Force Bon Voizen is a Commander, U.S. Southern Command sponsored, U.S. Army South conducted, joint foreign military interaction/humanitarian exercise under the command of the Louisiana National Guard. Task Force Bon Voizen is deploying U.S. military engineers and medical professionals to Haiti for training and to provide humanitarian services. Task Force Bon Voizen will build a school, two medical clinics and a latrine facility, as well as staff three medical clinics and one dental clinic between April 28 and June 25 in the Artibonite Department.

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