04.15.18

Hoeven Honors the Service of the 1-188th ADA Regiment During Homecoming Ceremony

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today honored the service of the North Dakota National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Regiment at a homecoming ceremony in Grand Forks. The unit, which also has members stationed in Bismarck and Fargo, returned from Washington, D.C., in February following a year-long deployment in support of Operation Noble Eagle, which guards the airspace around the National Capitol Region. The unit has been deployed 11 times since 2004, including a previous deployment to D.C. for Operation Noble Eagle from 2013 to 2014.

“We are tremendously proud of the dedicated service of our National Guard members and their families,” Hoeven said. “Time and again, they have answered the call to defend our nation and its interests, both at home and abroad. I am grateful for the opportunities I had to visit with the members of the 188th ADA during their two deployments to D.C. It was clear they represented the North Dakota National Guard with distinction as they helped ensure the security of our nation’s capital. Today, we join with their community and loved ones in thanking them for their continued service and in welcoming them home.”

Hoeven continues working through his roles on the Defense Appropriations as well as the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Committees to ensure members of the National Guard receive the benefits and support they deserve. Last year, Hoeven secured provisions in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) as well as legislation to improve the G.I. Bill that provide health and education benefits for Guard members deployed for pre-planned operations, like the members who served in Operation Noble Eagle.

Further, Hoeven worked to secure strong support for the nation’s military in the FY2018 funding legislation passed by Congress last month. This bill helps ensure servicemembers have the tools, facilities and equipment they need to be successful in their missions, while also fully funding a 2.4 percent pay increase for the troops.

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