05.06.14

Hoeven Statement on NDNG's 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery Returning Home to North Dakota

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement as the North Dakota Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery regiment returns home to North Dakota following a yearlong deployment to Washington, D.C. in support of Operation Noble Eagle. The Grand Forks based unit served as part of the integrated air defense system designed to protect the airspace around the National Capitol Region, focusing on Avenger Air Defense System, Sentinel radar, National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System and Joint Air Defense Operation Center areas. This was the unit’s tenth deployment in less than a decade.

“Today Mikey and I are honored to join a grateful state in welcoming the North Dakota Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery home. The outstanding members of this unit have served our state and country with tremendous heart and skill during the past year as they have worked to protect the airspace over our nation’s capital. This is a vitally important mission assigned to our nation’s very best soldiers, and I feel both privileged to have seen this unit at work during this past year and grateful for their hard work and dedication to their mission.

“Moreover, I was impressed to see this unit’s dedication to public service extend well beyond their assigned mission. In December, several members of the unit came to the aid of a woman who was involved in a car accident, and four members have served as interns in my Washington office during their free time. These actions reflect the core values of North Dakotans and showcase the unique qualities that distinguish our soldiers as some of the finest in the nation. North Dakota is proud and grateful to have had such a tremendous group of individuals representing our state and defending our nation, and we gladly welcome them back home.”

During the course of the 188th Air Defense Artillery Regiment deployment, Senator Hoeven, along with Senator Heidi Heitkamp and Congressman Cramer, welcomed the unit to the United States Capitol by hosting two receptions in honor of their service defending the nation’s capital. Hoeven also visited the unit in January to see firsthand the unit performing its mission.