Page 1 Coyote Courier

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Delivering the news from Golden Coyote 2014
Coyote Courier
Volume 30, Issue 4
June 18, 2014
Golden Coyote 2014 ends with a bang
Continued on page 2
O
n a winding gravel road deep
in the Black Hills, a small
convoy of Humvees manned by the
Danish Home Guard slowly comes
into sight. In front of them is a
straight stretch of road with open
ground to their right and forma-
tions of high rocks about 50 yards
away. Tey smell a rat.
Te convoy halts and two crews
dismount. Cautiously, but in plain
view, they begin moving into the
tall grass. Bang! Stung by a trip
wire, the soldier falls. Small-arms
fre pours in from the rocks. Te
Danes return it. Shouting every-
where. Belts of an M249 are emp-
tied into the lead vehicles. BOOM!
Its a remote-controlled IED. Te
rest of the trucks move forward.
Te crews crouch behind them.
Te Danes begin fre and move-
ment toward the machine gun.
Teir use of cover is poor. Teyre
losing the frefght. Casualties are
dragged in behind the vehicles.
But its over.
Tat was bad! shouts a tri-
umphant insurgent. Hes one of
half a dozen, a motley crew in a
mixture of kit from pure civilian
to backwoods gear to something
like a uniform, face cam included.
Teyre credible insurgents and
they know very well what theyre
doing.
Tis is the Counter IED lane
of Exercise Golden Coyote. Te
scenario is a post-confict stability
operation where the mission is, ac-
cording to orders from the 110th
Maneuver Enhancement Brigade,
to improve civil security, increase
political stability, and facilitate
economic recovery. Tis means
a large role for engineers working
on the countrys infrastructure but
it also means convoy operations,
dismounted patrols, fghting in
urban areas and plenty of combat
lifesaving.
Te enemy was live and expe-
rienced, in this case Soldiers of
the 118th Sapper Company of the
Utah National Guard. Tey were
deployed to Afghanistan in 2010
and learned about IEDs the hard
way. Now, they get to pass that
experience along, improving their
A role player acts as an insurgent as a convoy of Danish Home Guard troops approach during a Counter IED training lane as part of Golden
Coyote 2014. Photo by Cpl. Hlne Mogensen de Monlon, Danish Home Guard Public Afairs.
Story by Capt. Bob Kennedy
32 Canadian Brigade Group
Page 2 Coyote Courier
own skills in the process. Playing the role of insurgent,
said Sgt. Sterling Juarez, gives us a whole new per-
spective.
Tis link to real-world
experience could be
seen across the entire
exercise. You never
know when youre going
to end up in another
war zone, said Lt. Cdr.
Darlene McMiddle-
ton, a Navy Reservist
from Charlotte, N.C.
Weve all gained a lot
of knowledge these
past years in Iraq and
Afghanistan. We dont
want to lose all that
knowledge so we keep
training. McMiddleton
was running the Imme-
diate Lifesaving Measures lane at West Camp Rapid.
Another feature of Golden Coyote was the visible
presence of foreign contingents and their total inte-
gration into the exercise. Out at
FOB Custer, four diferent fags
were fying over the mud. Under
the command of the 110th MEB
is a Canadian battalion head-
quarters from the Army Reserve
brigade in Toronto. Teir sub-
units are a Reserve squadron
from 71 Engineer Regiment of
the United Kingdom, the 155th
Engineer Company (Vertical)
of the South Dakota National
Guard, and a construction
platoon from the Danish Home
Guard. Tese were the troops
applying their skills to projects
of direct beneft to communities across South Dakota:
a building for Habitat for Humanity, for example,
and timber for Native
American reservations.
Elsewhere in the exer-
cise are a detachment
from Surinam, ofcers
of the Air Reserve in
Germany, and more
Canadians attached to
the Civil Afairs organi-
zation.
Te biggest hurdle is
translating acronyms,
said Lt. David Shaw,
an ofcer of Te Royal
Regiment of Canada
who has ofen worked
with Americans. Everything is almost identical with
how we do things its just the terms that are dif-
ferent. Te German view, understandably, was a bit
more distant. We defnitely have diferences in how
we approach things, said Capt. Alexander Kullak. But
that is a positive, because we have so much to learn
from one another.
All of this suggests the grand scale and complexity
of Golden Coyote. Te immediate area of operation
was some 3,100 square miles of the Black Hills and the
Custer National Forest. Various Civil Afairs engage-
ments ranged from Yankton in the south-eastern
corner of the state to Harding County in the far north-
west. Some training was even done in Wyoming. More
than 45 units from 15 states, plus the international
contingents, generated some 4,400 troops. Tey came
from the National Guard, the Army Reserve, the Navy
Reserve and the U.S. Air Force. Te 147th Brigade Sup-
port Battalion from Colorado delivered, in only seven
days, 90,344 gallons of fuel and 86,686 meals.
FOB Guernsey saw an airborne insertion. High-tech
simulators trained troops in vehicle rollovers, small
arms and convoy operations. Insurgents challenged
Soldiers on operations ranging from dismounted
patrols to recoveries of pilots from downed aircraf
to penetrations of urban terrain. Engineers repaired
roofs, dug sediment ponds and even built a washroom.
Te mighty Missouri River was crossed in less than
half an hour.
Ever since I started as a private, said Spec. Jonathon
Crain, Ive always been told to train how you fght.
Tis principle understood by the Military Policeman
from North Carolina was never far from the mind of
Col. John Oberkirsch, the Commander of the 110th
MEB whose staf spent nine months planning the exer-
cise. My mission was to come out here and make this
30th Golden Coyote the best ever, he said on the fnal
day. I think weve accomplished that and so hopefully
weve set the stage for future commanders to take it to
the next level.
Top left: A soldier with the United Kingdoms 591st Royal Engineers unloads from a CH-
47 Chinook helicopter during an air assault training mission at Camp Guernsey, Wyo.,
June 15, 2014. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Mark VanGerpen.
Center: Soldiers and members of the Danish Home Guard unload a truck as they pre-
pare camp at FOB Custer. Photo by Cpl. Hlne Mogensen de Monlon, Danish Home
Guard Public Afairs.
Bottom left: A member of the Danish Home Guard gives the victory sign after par-
ticipating in a training exercise at Golden Coyote. Photo by Cpl. Hlne Mogensen de
Monlon, Danish Home Guard Public Afairs.
Ends with a bang
Continued from page 1
Page 3 Coyote Courier
CAMP GUERNSEY, Wyo. National Guard
Soldiers and Airmen teamed up to perform a combat
airdrop training mission at Camp Guernsey, Wyo.,
June 13, 2014.
Tis event was coordinated between the Texas
Army National Guard 1st Battalion (Airborne),
143rd Infantry Regiment and Wyoming Air National
Guard 153rd Air Wing as part of the 2014 Golden
Coyote training exercise.
We have so many paratroopers that its not feasible
for us to jump out of anything but Air Force aircraf,
said Maj. Wade Aubin a drop zone safety ofcer for
the 143rd. Golden Coyote was the frst time we [part-
nered with] the 153rd Air Wing out of Cheyenne and
they have been great to work with.
Te airdrop was a historic event as it was the frst
airborne mission that was conducted during Golden
Coyote.
It demonstrates the capabilities of the National
Guard to the rest of the military, said Shane Whit-
worth, an operations non-commissioned ofcer in the
Wyoming National Guard.
Tis jump was one of four airborne missions that
took place during Golden Coyote. Te
frst mission was a large-scale airfeld
assault, the second combat airdrop was
a smaller support mission, and the third
drop will be a daytime exercise that will
help them prepare for their culminating
night mission.
Te four jumps helped the unit com-
plete their training requirements; while
the frst three helped the unit prepare
for the last mission, which is a high-risk
exercise.
Were the frst Army National Guard
infantry battalion to perform an airfeld
seizure on camp Guernsey, said Aubin.
Units complete an airfeld seizure in
order to gain control of a landing zone
to conduct further missions from that
area.
Te mission for the 143rd was to per-
form an airdrop then move to a tempo-
rary headquarters to gain accountability
before marching to and then clearing a
helicopter-landing zone, where CH-47
Chinooks could land and take them
back to Camp Guernsey.
Tere is a constant steady learning process, its not
one of those things that you stop learning about, said
Aubin. Te more you do it, the better you do it.
One aspect to making the jump a success is ensur-
ing equipment is ready for each soldier for every
jump. Soldiers help each other strap their parachute
and gear to them before a rigger checks it for safety
and a jumpmaster does a fnal check on the gears
readiness before the airdrop.
We make sure everything is done by the books, we
double-check and triple-check because we have lives
in our hands, said Spc. Regina Ruizmoreno a para-
chute rigger for the Texas Army National Guard 294th
Quartermasters Company.
Although Ruizmoreno has roughly completed 20
jumps, anticipation and nerves are still a big part of
the experience.
Once we get up and start getting ready thats when
I get nervous and the adrenalin starts pumping, said
Ruizmoreno.Once Im out and my chute opens its just
relaxing, its beautiful, but its only for a split second
then you have to realize youre about to land.
Army teams with Air force
for combat drop
Story and photos by Spc. Donald E. Williams
129th Mobile Public Afairs Detachment
South Dakota National Guard
Capt. Joshua Edgington, a jump master for the Texas Army National Guard 1st Battalion (Airborne), 143rd Infantry
Regiment performs the Jump Master Personnel Inspection for Sgt. Oscar Moreno, a parachute rigger with the 294th
Quartermasters Company. Jumpmasters have to check the paratroopers equipment to make sure it is safe for the Soldiers
to use. This exercise helps to prepare units for both their wartime and peacetime missions. U.S. Army National Guard
photo by Spc. Donald E. Williams.
Page 4 Coyote Courier
E
ight years afer its inception, the timber haul
mission at Golden Coyote will likely reach a peak
by delivering 201 loads of wood to Native American
reservations throughout the state of South Dakota.
With a ceremonial run to the Crow Creek reserva-
tion, the 190th Combat Sustainment Support Battal-
ion plans to celebrate the delivery of the 190th load
of timber as they zero in on their objective to surpass
200 loads. Before this year, 185 loads was the top
haul.
Tis team had a lot of energy, they wanted to work
this real-world mission and push toward our goal,
said Capt. John Bleile, the 190th CSSB support op-
erations ofcer who coordinated the mission. Tree
National Guard transportation companies worked
the mission including the Kansas 137th, Nebraskas
1057th and Michigans 1463rd. Canadian soldiers
worked side-by-side with the Americans.
Bleile said this years harsh winter made the need
for wood on the reservations more important.
Teyre very appreciative, he said of the Native
American recipients who use the timber primarily
for frewood and sometimes for fence building.
Te mission began in cooperation with the Nation-
al Forest Service in 2006 as a means to help remove
the trees that were previously cut in a conservation
efort to help avoid the spread of forest fres. Deliver-
ing the wood to the Native Americans is an added
beneft.
Te team faced challenges with the heavy rains that
dominated the frst days of Golden Coyote. It was a
tough go in the beginning but we got back on track,
Bleile said. Heavy thunderstorms caused drop sites
to shut down at least three times and the trucks dedi-
cated to the mission were ofen called away to haul
military equipment.
Tis was an actual state mission that gave Soldiers
an opportunity to drive, maintain and run their equip-
ment, Bleile said. Tey dont normally get a chance to
do all this at home station training.
First Lieutenant Eric Grant, company commander of
the 137th, said this year
was the frst time the
team used a palletized
loading system (PLS)
during the Golden
Coyote exercise.
While the PLS teams
were waiting for the
timber, National Guard
Soldiers of the 842nd
Engineer Company
from Spearfsh, South
Dakota and Canadian
Reserve soldiers of
the Lorne Scots from
Georgetown, Ontario,
cut and cleaned the
timber in preparation
for loading it onto pal-
lets.
We pull in, we stage
up and lower our fat
racks, said Spc. Mat-
thew Moore from the 137th Transportation Company.
Ten the engineers will load our fat racks with all the
logs up to a certain height up to the two-by-fours we
stick in the sides.
Bleile said the detailed coordination, working with the
transportation units, higher headquarters and contacts
on the reservations helped make this years timber haul
a success.
Timber haul mission aims for record loads
Left: National Guard Soldiers man-
uever timber into place in before
loading it onto pallets and hauling
it to Native American reservations.
U.S. Army photo.
Below: Canadian Pvt. Monique
Dunford with the Lorne Scots
from Georgetown, Ontario cuts
timber in preparation for hauling.
U.S. Army photo by Staf Sgt. Paul
Roberts.
Page 5 Coyote Courier
By Staff Sgt. Steve Reeves
314th Press Camp Headquarters
M
embers of the 105th
Military Police Battalion
training in South Dakota
as part of Golden Coyote 2014
teamed up with a local utility
company on Saturday for a real-
world training scenario designed
to prepare them for a domestic
disturbance.
Te 300 members of the Ash-
ville, N.C.-based National Guard
unit worked with Black Hills Power
security personnel to make the
scenario, in which troops had to
deal with civilian protesters outside
of the Ben French power station in
Rapid City, as realistic as possible.
Coyote courier
Comander of Troops: BG Kevin Griese
South Dakota National Guard
MAJ Anthony Deiss, Public Affairs Officer
SFC Don Matthews, PA NCOIC
The editorial content of this newspaper is
prepared, edited and provided by the 314th
Press Camp Headquarters.
LTC Stephen Harlan, Commander
MAJ Jesse Stalder, Executive Officer
CPT Christopher Parker, Operations Officer
CSM Christopher Luchsinger
SSG Bryan Tull, Assignments Editor
SSG Lisa Simunaci, Layout & Design
SSG Paul Roberts, Photographer
SSG Kevin McSwain, Contributor
SSG Steve Reeves, Writer/Photographer
SGT Kade Miller, Proofreader
2LT Carolyn Nielsen, Contributor
SGT Samantha Hamilton, Contributor
Additional contributions from:
129th Mobile Public Affairs Detach-
ment
MAJ Wayne Asscherick, Commander
CPT Amber Symonds
CPT Sam Otto
SSG Jackie Fitzgerald, NCOIC
124th Mobile Publid Affairs Detach-
ment
Sgt. Michael Uribe
Danish Home Guard Public Affairs
Rune Kronenberg, Chief
CPT Ulla Srensen-Mlgaard
CPL Hlne Mogensen
32 Canadian Brigade Group
CPT Bob Kennedy, PA Chief
Where local law enforcement
get overwhelmed with an issue
such as Hurricane Katrina or any
other large security piece, we can
assist, said Lt. Col. Eric Locklear.
Locklear said teaming up with
Black Hills Power allowed the
105th to add a layer of authenticity
to its training.
We saw an opportunity not only
to train, but to train in a diferent
environment, he said. Locklear
said the exercise validated the units
ability to perform security opera-
tions in response to a credible ter-
rorist threat.
Black Hills Power ofcials said
cooperating with military units like
the 105th is useful when evaluating
MPs train for domestic threat
Soldiers with HHC 110th Manuever Enhancement Brigade served up
more than 16,000 meals at the Camp Rapid Dining Facility during Golden
Coyote 2014. Photo by Cpl. Hlne Mogensen de Monlon, Danish Home
Guard Public Afairs.
A famililar sight
Continued on page 6
Above: Members of the North Carolina Army National
Guards 105th Military Police Battalion from Ashville, N.C.,
team up with the local Black Hills Power and Light com-
pany personnel, to provide perimeter
security during a simulated domestic
training exercise. U.S. Army National
Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Donald J.
Matthews.

Left: Role players protest outside the
Ben French power station in Rapid City,
S.D. during Golden Coyote. North Caro-
lina National Guardsmen teamed with
Black Hills Power security personnel
to create a realistic scenario. U.S. Army
National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class
Donald J. Matthews.
Page 6 Coyote Courier
The Assistant
Adjutant General of
the South Dakota
Aarmy National
Guard, Brig. Gen.
Kevin Griese, pins a
Bronze Star Medal
on Canadian Capt.
Rob Ryan in the
shadow of Mount
Rushmore. Capt.
Ryan served in
Afghanistan with
Combined Joint Task
Force 101 during
Operation Enduring
Freedom in 2013
and was awarded
the U.S. decoration for his personal courage and commitment to mission accomplishment in a
combat zone. Watching from below is his brigade commander from Toronto, Col. Dwayne Hobbs,
along with (standing) Chief Warrant Ofcer Mike Lacroix. Photo by Capt. Ulla Srensen-Ml-
gaard, Danish Home Guard Public Afairs.
Spc. Ryan Dannen, left, a combat engineer with the South Dakota National Guard 211th Engineer Company (Sapper), carries Rachel Shields, a sap-
per with the United Kingdoms 591st Royal Engineers, into Combat Outpost Roberts during an air assault training mission at Camp Guernsey, Wyo.,
June 15, 2014. The Guard unit coordinated with the 591st for the mission during the 30th annual Golden Coyote Training Exercise. The exercise pro-
vides realistic training opportunities for National Guard, Reserve, and active duty units from 15 states and four foreign nations. U.S. Army National
Guard photo by Sgt. Mark VanGerpen
Continued from page 5
Threat
Canadian earns Bronze Star
company security procedures.
Vance Crocker, vice president of
operations at Black Hills Power,
said that while the company has
procedures in place to deal with
potential disturbances, it was help-
ful to put those procedures to the
test with the help of the military.
Tis exercise with the 105th MP
Battalion provided a great op-
portunity to validate many of our
internal processes, Crocker said.
Black Hills Power gained a lot of
experience and insight from this
cooperative efort.
Te training scenario was one of
many that have taken place across
South Dakota since Golden Coyote
kicked of nearly two weeks ago.
Page 7 Coyote Courier
Continued on page 11
Employers try hand at military training
Story and photos by Sgt. Mark VanGerpen
129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
of what its like to fre an M-4 rife and be part of a
mounted patrol. Drill sergeants taught them the basics
of marching in true drill sergeant fashion.
Tey also saw Soldiers practicing hand-to-hand
Nineteen employers from across South Dakota re-
ceived a small sample of military life at the South
Dakota Employer Support of the Guard and Reserves
Bosslif, June 11-12, during the Golden Coyote train-
ing exercise.
Nominated for the event by their military employees,
the employers experienced weapons training, convoys,
fight simulators, combat scenarios, early mornings
and military meals in two fast-paced days at Camp
Rapid and Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.
Employers ofentimes dont understand what it is
their employee does for their military duty, said Maj.
Lona Christensen, program director, South Dakota
ESGR. When we bring employers out, they see the
scope of responsibility their service member may have.
Tey see talents and skills that they may not see at
their place of employment. So it really helps them to
see what it is their service member does, what theyre
responsible for and how many service members they
may be leading. It also allows them to take a look
inside the military as to what we do, how we train and
how we support our communities.
Te days started early, with Humvee convoys and
a weapons simulator, giving the employers a taste
Bruce Ashlund, an accountant with Dons Tax Service of Rapid City, S.D., takes aim on an M240B machine gun in a weapons simulator during the
South Dakota Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Bosslift, June 11-12, 2014, at Camp Rapid, S.D.
Dishing it up
Spc. Toni Maxwell, a food
specialist with HHC 110th
Maneuver Enhancement
Brigade from Kansas City,
Mo., pours carrots into a
large pan in preparation
for the evening meal. U.S.
Army photo by Staf Sgt.
Paul Roberts.
Page 8 Coyote Courier
T
he Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau,
Air Force Lt. Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel, visited one
of the largest and longest-running National Guard
exercises in the country this week, Golden Coyote.
Lengyel visited the 30th annual training exercise June
8-9 throughout western South Dakota and at Camp
Guernsey, Wyoming.
Hosted by the South Dakota Army National Guard
and held in the Black Hills National Forest and Custer
State Park the two-week exercise, which began June 7
and continues until June 21, provides National Guard,
Reserve and active-duty military units with relevant
training opportunities in support of overseas contin-
gency operations and homeland support missions.
I came to talk to the service members, said Lengyel.
I wanted to see what kind of training they are con-
ducting and hear their perspective to fnd out what we
can do to help them become better Soldiers and Air-
men in the National Guard. It was a distinct honor
to show the vice chief the excellent training that occurs
during our Golden Coyote exercise, said Maj. Gen.
Tim Reisch, the adjutant general of the South Dakota
National Guard.
Te best salesmen and women we have are the Sol-
diers, Sailors and Airmen who participate each year.
Tis year, more than 4,400 service members from 45
units representing 15 states, which includes soldiers
from fve allied nations from the United Kingdom,
Denmark, Canada, Suriname and Germany, are par-
ticipating in the exercise. Units come from multiple
branches of military service Army, Navy and Air
Force to conduct combat support and combat ser-
vice support missions in a realistic environment and
work together to create an invaluable training experi-
ence. During the two-day tour, Lengyel stopped to see
frst-hand how the Missouri National Guards 311th
Brigade Support Battalion, purifes 1,500 gallons an
hour for the exercise.
It was a great opportunity, for Alpha Company
Soldiers to demonstrate the capabilities of the tactical
water purifcation system, said Capt. Ryan Borgmeyer,
unit commander. It was awesome to see that Lt. Gen.
Lengyel was willing to go the extra mile and drink
a sample out of the purifcation system itself. Not
only did Lengyel learn how the 311th is providing
water to three forward operating bases but he took
the time to talk to the Soldiers about their career, said
Borgmeyer. It was outstanding that Lt. Gen. Lengyel
would talk to the Soldiers about the continuation of
their service, said Borgmeyer. It meant a lot to the
Continued on page 10
National Guard vice chief
checks in on Golden Coyote
Missouri Army National Guard 2nd
Lt. Caton Jefries, right, member of
the 311th Brigade Support Battalion,
Missouri National Guard, explains
the process of their water purifca-
tion system to the Vice Chief of the
National Guard Bureau, Air Force Lt.
Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel, and Maj. Gen.
Tim Reisch, left, the adjutant general
of the South Dakota National Guard,
at the Central States Fairground in
Rapid City, S.D., as a part the 30th
annual Golden Coyote training
exercise June 8, 2014. The 311th
are providing water for the entire
two-week Golden Coyote training
exercise supporting approximately
4,400 service members. U.S. Army
National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st
Class Theanne Tangen.
Page 9 Coyote Courier
Going to the dogs (and cats)
Veterinary mission serves Native American pet owners
M
embers of the Army Reserves 432nd Civil
Afairs Battalion are visiting the Cheyenne
River Indian Reservation in South Dakota dur-
ing the Golden Coyote training exercise looking
for dogs and cats to vaccinate against diseases
such as rabies and distemper.
Te Reserve Soldiers are headquartered in
Eagle Butte, a small community on the Chey-
enne River Indian Reservation, for the duration
of this years Golden Coyote.
Te 432nd is partnering with the Cheyenne
River Sioux Tribe in its eforts to reduce disease,
particularly rabies, among its large dog and cat
population.
Ethel Morgan, the animal control manager
for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, said many
of the reservations residents fnd it difcult to
aford veterinarian visits. Te 432nd is provid-
ing free vaccinations for dogs and cats during
Golden Coyote.
Were trying to make our streets safe so that
our children can play in the playgrounds and
our older people can get out in their neighbor-
hoods to exercise, said Morgan. Rabies has
been a problem here on the reservation and the
Army has been a really big help to us.
Tis is the second year in a row that Soldiers
have provided veterinarian services to residents
of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe during the
annual exercise.
Te 432nd, along
with Morgan, ex-
pects to visit more
than 20 communi-
ties on the reserva-
tion by the time
Golden Coyote
ends. Te vac-
cination drive requires
the Soldiers to conduct
door-to-door visits with
as many houses as pos-
sible in each community.
If I were out here by
myself, it would take me
at least two days to go door-to-door even in a smaller
community, Morgan said. Te Soldiers help me do
this so much faster. Plus, Id probably miss a lot of ani-
mals if I were alone.
At each house that has a dog or cat, Soldiers take a
picture of the pet and make notes on what type it is so
the tribes animal control ofce has a record of it. Each
pet then receives a rabies and distemper vaccination.
Maj. Adam Wiechmann, a veterinarian with the
407th Civil Afairs Battalion, who is attached to the
432nd for Golden Coyote, said the local residents seem
very receptive to the immunization eforts.
Weve had a lot of success, especially in the smaller
communities, said Wiechmann, a resident of Sum-
merset, S.D. A lot of times when people see us pull
into their town, we almost get swarmed by them want-
ing to get their pets immunized.
Te immunization team estimates it will vaccinate
about 400 animals during Golden Coyote, he said.
We want people here to see our uniforms and know
that were here to help them, Wiechmann said. Were
providing pet vaccines for a lot of people who other-
wise might not be able to aford it. Being able to meet
that need is very satisfying.
Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Steve Reeves
314th Press Camp Headquarters
Above: Maj. Adam Wiechmann, a veterinarian with the 407th Civil Afairs Battalion, U.S. Army
Reserve, vaccinated a dog against rabies in the community of Isabel, S.D. Wiechmann and mem-
bers of the 432nd Civil Afairs Battalion are vaccinating cats and dogs on the Cheyenne River Indian
Reservation during Golden Coyote 2014.
Left: Ted Marrowbone, an animal control ofcer for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, makes a tag
for a dog that has just received rabies and distemper vaccinations. Marrowbone is assisting Soldiers
who are vaccinating pets on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation.
Page 10 Coyote Courier
troops. Another highlight during Lengyels visit was
witnessing an airborne assault mission consisting of a
mass-tactical, four-ship airborne operation for the frst
time during Golden Coyote and Army National Guard
history at Camp Guernsey.
Two-hundred and ffy paratroopers from the Texas
Army National Guards 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry
Regiment (Airborne) exited out of the C-130s and
landed to secure the John Edmunds drop zone as they
infltrated Golden Coyote. Tis is the frst time in
Army National Guard history that we have been able
to drop hundreds of Soldiers in one fell swoop, said
Maj. Max H. Krupp, 1-143rd commander, who greeted
Lengyel shortly afer jumping.
We usually only have two aircraf, but this opera-
Some Soldiers were able to take advantage of the Mount Rushmore
backdrop to extend their Army enlistment. Sgt. Jefrey Greenwood
of the 135th Signal Company takes his reenlistment oath from Col.
John Oberkirsch, Joint Task Force commander of the 110th Manuever
Enhancement Brigade during a Mount Rushmore ceremony Staf Sgt.
Andrew F. Domsch with the 135the Signal Company and Staf Sgt.
Andrew Kaufman of HHC 110th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade also
reenlisted at Mount Rushmore.
Continued from page 8
Vice chief visit
tion shows that we are diverse and our capabilities
are comparable to the active duty. Lengyel expressed
how great the Golden Coyote exercise is because of the
realistic training opportunities from the truck drivers
hauling equipment hundreds of miles to setting up a
forward operating base in muddy conditions on a rainy
day.
Tis has been a great opportunity to step away from
Washington, D.C. and see service members train,
said Lengyel. I have found that Golden Coyote is a
fantastic exercise. Tese are real missions Soldiers and
Airmen are able to do for annual training. Tis rein-
forces how the National Guard is an important part of
the United States Army. To see us all come together for
this exercise makes me more convinced that the Army
National Guard is a better force than its ever been in
its 377th year.
Let me take
a selfe
Army Reserve Soldiers from the
314th Press Camp Headquarters
located in BIrmingham, Ala., take
a selfe with National Guard Vice
Chief Lt. Gen. Joseph Lengyel
during his visit to Golden Coy-
ote. Lengyel visited the troops
and asked for feedback about the
value of the training underway
at the annual exercise. U.S. Army
Georgia National Guard photo by
Sgt. Michael Uribe
A scenic backdrop
Page 11 Coyote Courier
combat, reacting to enemy contact and care under fre
or frst aid on the battlefeld.
All of it highlighted the vastly diferent lifestyles that
Guard members and Reservists lead when they leave
the workplace for military duty.
Debra Mehrer, nurse manager for the adolescent
and chemical dependency program at the Human
Services Center in Yankton, S.D., oversees four Na-
tional Guard members in her department. Seeing
military training frsthand gave her a better un-
derstanding of those employees responsibilities
on drill weekends and their two-week military
commitments during the summer.
Everything has been an eye-opening experi-
ence, seeing what all the Soldiers do to prepare
and what the training all entails, Mehrer said.
I give them a lot of credit, because it is a lot
of hard work. Im tired from just two days, but
these young men and women are up early, prob-
ably out late, and its just day afer day. I give
them credit for their stamina, endurance and
patience.
Not all of the training was on the ground. Em-
ployers also got in the cockpit of a fight simu-
lator at Ellsworth Air Force Base, toured a B-1
bomber and few aboard a UH-60 Black Hawk heli-
copter fight past Mount Rushmore.
Tyler Ruhd, assistant director of admissions with
Dakota State University, said the whole experience
showed him not only the vast knowledge base neces-
sary to being profcient as a Soldier or Airman, but
also how to alter his own leadership style to more
efectively communicate with the military employee
under him.
Tis was an opportunity to see what my employee
does on his one weekend a month, two weeks a year
obligated duties, Ruhd said. Instead of just signing
of on his timesheet, I can actually physically see what
he actually does.
ESGR has hosted Bosslifs in a variety of locations,
usually at military bases where employers service
members are mobilizing for deployment. However,
Golden Coyote ofers civilian employers a more
extensive list of training experiences, due to the large
number of service members who attend every year.
Its been a great experience, Ruhd said. I defnitely
recommend it to anyone else out there. Ill defnitely
be talking it up when I get back.
Employers
Continued from page 7
Left: Tyler Ruhd, left, assistant
director of admissions at
Dakota State University, and
Jennifer Klawitter of Sanford
Health, get fipped upside
down in the Humvee Egress
Assistance Trainer during the
South Dakota Employer Sup-
port of the Guard and Reserve
Bosslift.
Below: Kathleen Hawks,
owner of Bobs Lock and
Key Shop in Sioux Falls,
S.D., has her Army Combat
Helmet adjusted by Maj. Lona
Christensen, program director,
South Dakota Employer Sup-
port of the Guard and Reserve,
during the ESGR Bosslift, June
11-12, 2014.
Page 12 Coyote Courier
T
he Acting Director of the Army
National Guard, Maj. Gen. Judd
H. Lyons, visited Camp Rapid to
tour the 30th annual Golden Coyote
training exercise hosted by the South
Dakota Army National Guard, June 11,
in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Lyons, along with Maj. Gen. Tim
Reisch, the adjutant general of the
SDNG, and other key leadership few
to some of the training locations for
Golden Coyote to get an overview
of operations and see the training in
action.
The way that the South
Dakota National Guard has
organized Golden Coyote
offers several different
opportunities for participating
units, Lyons said. A unit
commander that participates
has the opportunity to design
his or her own training
objectives and tap into some
great training
areas, support
and support staff,
which allows a
commander to
focus on his or
her goals.
With the
National Guards
dual mission of
supporting both
state governors
in peacetime missions and
reporting to the president in
federal or wartime situations,
being prepared for a wide
Touring the training area
Maj. Gen. Judd H. Lyons, acting director of the Army National Guard, and Col. Andy L.
Hall, chief of operations division, tour Forward Operating Base Custer, in Custer State
Park, S.D., during the Golden Coyote training exercise, June 11, 2014. Lyons visited
Golden Coyote to get insight on the operations and training happening in the Black
Hills during the exercise. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staf Sgt. Jacqueline
Fitzgerald.
Above: Maj. Gen. Judd H. Lyons, acting director, Army National Guard
visits with (from left to right,) Staf Sgt. Penelope Hudgins, Spc. Alex-
ander Andrews, 1st Lt. Cassandra Hartshon, of the 137th Transportation
Company, Kansas National Guard.
Left: During his tour of the Golden Coyote training exercise, Maj. Gen.
Judd H. Lyons, acting director of the Army National Guard, visits with
Spc. Patrick Irvin, 110th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Missouri Na-
tional Guard, about tactical operations center procedures on Camp Rapid,
S.D., June 11, 2014. The 110th MEB served as the higher headquarters
for feld training exercises throughout Golden Coyote. U.S. Army National
Guard photo by Staf Sgt. Jacqueline Fitzgerald.
By Staff Sgt. Jacqueline Fitzgerald
Page 13 Coyote Courier
variety of warrior tasks is essential.
Col. Tim Moran, SDNG deputy chief
of staff of operations, said the Golden
Coyote exercise has a unique theme
that gives units an advantage when it
comes to annual training.
If I had to use one phrase I would
use unsanitized environment,
Moran said. Its not scripted so that
at 10 p.m. the opposition force will
attack at this location with this many
people; its based on what the units
want to train on in this unsanitized
environment. You wont get that
specialization at other events.
With the National Guard being better
trained, equipped and more heavily
relied upon than ever, providing
quality training opportunities is vital
to maintaining combat and support
readiness for any scenario.
Lyons said in order to maintain
this level of commitment its vital to
provide high quality-training events.
We have to continue to offer
these types of opportunities, said
Lyons. I believe home-station
training is important; it defnitely
has a role, but in order for us to keep
our Soldiers engaged in what theyre
doing we have to give them different
opportunities in different locations to
exercise their military occupational
skills and collective training, and
Golden Coyote is a great example of
that.
According to Moran, visiting
Golden Coyote may help Lyons and
staff at National Guard Bureau in
upcoming plans for training troops
as deployments draw down and the
Guard shifts to more stateside focused
missions.
(Lyons) got to see the capabilities
of what this exercise brings to Guard
units across the nation, Moran said.
He will do a mental assessment and
it will help him make future decisions
on how to train those units. Now he
will know what Golden Coyote brings;
especially in reference to using scarce
resources and funding for units to be
able to travel to this exercise.
faces of golden coyote
Spc.Latya Morgan
Michigan Army National Guard
Role at Golden Coyote:
Performs laundry, shower,
personnel and clothing
decontamination, and
other functions to support
feld-training missions.
Maj. Gen. Judd H. Lyons (right), acting director of
the Army National Guard, and Maj. Gen. Tim Reisch,
the adjutant general of the South Dakota National
Guard, meet with Mr. Bryan Brewer, Oglala Sioux Tribe
President, at a drop point on the Pine Ridge Indian Res-
ervation for the timber haul mission during the Golden
Coyote training exercise, June 11, 2014. The timber haul
mission involved hauling raw lumber to a number of
towns within the reservation to help support the Oglala
Sioux Tribe. Lyons visited Golden Coyote to get insight
on the operations and training happening here in the
Black Hills during the exercise. U.S. Army National Guard
photo by Staf Sgt. Jacqueline Fitzgerald.
Touring
Continued from page 5
Maj. Gen. Tim Reisch, the adjutant general of the South Dakota
National Guard, visits the newly constructed Black Hills Playhouses
Executive Director, Linda Anderson and Operations Manager, Jason
Reuter to tour the newly constructed costume building. The 155th
Engineer Company (vertical) along with soldiers from the U.K.
began the construction project last year during the 2013 Golden
Coyote exercise. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Cpt. Amber
Symonds.
Page 14 Coyote Courier
Scenario teaches aircrew rescue
M
embers of the 109
th

Regional Support Group
took part in aircrew rescue
training on Monday as part of
Golden Coyote 2014.
Te National Guard unit based in
Rapid City, S.D., was the frst unit
to go through the aircrew rescue
training lane at West Camp Rapid.
Tis years Golden Coyote, one of
the largest National Guard military
exercises in the country, kicked of
June 7.
Te scenario required the
Soldiers to move tactically toward
a hilltop crash site and attempt
to recover two pilots while
encountering hostile enemy
fghters. Te training is designed
to enable military personnel to
be able to assist in recovery or
rescue operations in a real-world
environment.
Staf Sgt. Brandon Dunphy of
Ellsworth Air Force Base, the
NCOIC of the Survival, Evasion,
Resistance and Escape team, 28th
Operational Support Squadron,
oversaw the training and consulted
with the National Guard personnel
stafng the lane.
Dunphy said Golden Coyote is
relevant not only due to the real-
world scenario, but also because of
the inter-service and international
favor of the training.
In this day and age, knowing
how to operate in a joint-service,
as well as with allied nations, is
critical, he said. Were all working
toward one goal so we all have
to now how to work with one
another.
Tis was really a great experience
for me, said Pfc. Stephanie Stark of
Nisland, S.D. Te human resources
specialist acted as a team leader
during the training exercise. I
dont get the chance very ofen to
take charge. Tis will defnitely help
prepare me to be a future leader as I
move up the ranks.
Aside from the National Guard,
Reserve and active component
units taking part, there are
personnel from the military forces
of fve allied nations participating
in Golden Coyote.
An ofcer with the German Air
Force Reserve augmented the 109th
RSG during the aircrew rescue
training. Stark said it was her
frst opportunity to work side-by-
side with someone from an allied
nations military.
It was interesting to see the
diferent perspective that he
brought to the training, Stark said.
Continued on page 15
Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Steve Reeves
314th Press Camp Headquarters
Soldiers from the 109th Regional Support Group, South Dakota National Guard, approach a simulated downed helicopter during an aircrew rescue
training exercise as part of Golden Coyote 2014. U.S. Army photo by Staf Sgt. Steve Reeves.
M
ilitary personnel taking part in Golden
Coyote 2014 get intense, hands-on medical
training they can rely on when they end up
on a real-world mission.
The performing-immediate-lifesaving training
lane at West Camp Rapid involves learning various
techniques such as needle decompression, applying
bandages and tourniquets, carrying an injured per-
son on a litter and calling in a medical evacuation
over a radio.
Members of the Army Reserves 418th and
432nd Civil Affairs battalions were among the first
Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Steve Reeves
314th Press Camp Headquarters
Hands-on medical training pays dividends
Continued on page 16
Petty Ofcer 2nd Class Jeremiah Schneider, a Navy Reserve Sailor with Expeditionary Medical
Facility (EMF) Dallas One, shows Soldiers from the 418th Civil Afairs Battalion how to transport a
patient on a litter.
Page 15 Coyote Courier
Continued from page 14
Aircrew rescue
Left: A Soldier with the 109th Regional Support Group, South Dakota National Guard, guards the perimeter around a simulated donwed
helicopter during an aircrew rescue exercise. U.S. Army photo by Staf Sgt. Steve Reeves.
The chief of the Danish Home Guard Generalmajor Finn
Winkler (equivalent to rank of U.S. Army major general)
surprised two American Soldiers during a briefng at Golden
Coyote when he awarded South Dakota National Guard
Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Tim Reisch, and Golden Coyote
Coordinator Maj. Travis Eastman the Danish Home Guards
Fortjensttegn medal. The medal, authorized by her majesty
Queen Margreth II, is awarded for special, unselfsh and
dedicated contribution to the Danish Home Guard. Winkler
bestowed the award in recognition for the three years the
Danish Home Guard has participated in the annual training
exercise. Photo by Capt. Ulla Srensen-Mlgaard, Danish
Home Guard Public Affairs.
Pfc. Latoinetta Duhart of the Michigan National
Guards 272nd Regional Support Group of Jackson,
Mich., takes a selfe during medical training at
Camp Rapid.
Soldier selfie
The Danish Home Guard started building a pond soon after they arrived at FOB Custer, and
over the period of the exercise it has come to be known as Lake Custer. Troops of other
nationalities staying at FOB Custer have also adopted the pond and are making their own
additions. Lake Custer has come to feature a plastic crocodile, a rubber duck and a light-
house and is comlete with an island and beaches. Lake Custer has become a gathering
place where the troops are getting to know the Danes whenever they have a few minutes
to spare. Photo by Cpl. Hlne Mogensen de Monlon, Danish Home Guard Public Afairs.
Lake Custer takes shape
Its important to learn to work with military personnel from our allied
nations because we all need to understand one another and make sure
were all on the same page.
Capt. Alexander Kullak, the German Air Force reservist who augmented
the 109
th
, said he found it interesting to see his American counterparts
communicate with each other as they work to complete a mission.
We defnitely have diferences in how we approach things, Kullak said.
But that is a positive because we have so much to learn from one another.
Kullak said he was impressed by how open and accepting American
military personnel were toward their allied partners.
Were not just military allies, he said. Were also close friends.
Americans receive Danish medal
Page 16 Coyote Courier
Photo right: Second Lieutenant Abina Mac Intosch, lo-
gistics officer, Suriname Defense Force, gets behind the
wheel of one of the South Dakota Army National Guard
200th Multi-role Bridge Company boats and drives across
the Missouri river during the river cross mission on June
7, 2014, near Chamberlain, S.D. Mac Intosch traveled to
Golden Coyote as part of the State Partnership Program
between South Dakota and Suriname as an exchange. This
knowledge exchange provides an opportunity to interact
with the members of the South Dakota Army National
Guard, other U.S. military units and international forces.
U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Jacqueline
Fitzgerald.
Photo left: Members of the
Suriname Defense Force,
South Dakota Army National
Guard and U.S. Navy trav-
eled to Chamberlain, S.D. to
observe the Golden Coyote
river cross mission June 7,
2014. This event provided
an opportunity for the State
Partnership Program to
continue to build the cultural
bridge between the U.S. and
Suriname by gaining a better
understanding of each others
military capabilities and
culture. U.S. Army National
Guard photo by Spc. Donald
E. Williams.
Suriname Defense Force teams with National
Guard, Navy for Golden Coyote missions
to go through the training, which was conducted by 14
Navy Reservists assigned to Expeditionary Medical
Facility Dallas One.
Our goal is to teach the basics of providing imme-
diate care when a person is injured under fire, said
Lt. Cmdr. Darlene McMiddleton, a civilian trauma-
care nurse in her hometown of Charlotte, N.C. That
includes stopping bleeding and getting them to a safe
zone so they can be evacuated.
McMiddleton said its important that military per-
sonnel, no matter their job or branch of service, con-
tinually hone their lifesaving skills.
You never know when youre going to end up in
another war zone, she said. Weve all gained a lot of
knowledge these past years in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We dont want to lose all that knowledge so we keep
training.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Jeremiah Schneider, a native
of Sioux Falls, S.D., trained the Soldiers on how to
properly transport a patient using a litter.
Its probably one of the most important skills that
we teach, said Schneider, a flight medic in civilian
life. They have to know how to transport a patient
from point to point. If they cant do that, the patient
cant get the life-saving care they need.
The training culminated with the Soldiers put-
ting the skills they had learned through a scenario in
which they were required to treat and then transport a
wounded comrade while being attacked by opposing
forces.
Pvt. Rachel Ransdell, a supply specialist with the
418th Civil Affairs Battalion, said the training was
stressful, yet realistic.
I definitely look forward to more training like this
because it prepares you for real-world missions, said
Ransdell, a native of Kansas City, Mo. And working
with the Navy was really awesome.
Continued from page 14
Hands-on medical
Page 17 Coyote Courier
Up in smoke
T
he South Dakota Army National
Guard 451st Engineer Detach-
ment (Firefighting Team)
conducted training on how to react to
vehicle fires during the Golden Coy-
ote Training Exercise, June 10, 2014
near Sturgis, S.D.
The training scenario had a real-life
aspect as the Guard members were
joined by local civilian firefighters.
Were all going to deal with similar
situations, said Kaleb Zook, a pro-
bationary firefighter with the Sturgis
Volunteer Fire Department. As
city-based firefighters we get more of
these types of calls.
In order for the 451st to conduct this
training during Golden Coyote, the
unit coordinated with the city of Stur-
gis to arrange safety crews and space
for the site. A Sturgis Emergency
Medical Technician, the Fort Meade
Fire Department and the Sturgis VFD
joined the 451st to partner in this
unique training event.
Golden Coyote is where we get
most of our big training opportuni-
ties, said Spc. Ryan Krogstad, a
firefighter with the 451st. In the two-
week exercise we have the opportuni-
ty to train on car fires, structure burns
and go on other missions that help us
refresh our skills.
For the mock situation, the two fire
trucks were staged in a nearby loca-
tion, then called by the fire chief to
the scene of the fire. After arriving,
the firefighters raced to prepare hoses
and combat the fire as fast as possible.
This event gave Soldiers a chance to
put their training into action.
Every type of fire has its compli-
cations; you dont know whats in
that vehicle, could be gas, could be
propane tanks, could be whatever,
said Staff Sgt. Max Stoltenburg sta-
tion chief and the non-commissioned
officer in charge of the
451st. There are also
complications where
there is magnesium in the
steering column, and that
can pose a problem.
The firefighters worked
as a team to put out the
fire. There were two
groups of soldiers: one
group on the primary
and secondary hose, and
another for safety and
control.
According to Spc. Seth
Mulvehill, a firefighter
in the 451st, the firefight-
ers are a tight-knit group
because of their small size,
which allows them to func-
tion better as a team.
After the initial fire was out, the
firefighters continued to spray the
burn site until all the flames were out
and all the hot spots were gone. This
process, known as overhaul, is used to
ensure the fire wont start back up.
The 451st and civilian teams suc-
cessfully exhausted six car fires during
the days training event. These Sol-
diers will continue to conduct train-
ing on various missions throughout
Golden Coyote to prepare them for
both wartime and peacetime missions.
Top photo: Pvt. Matt Komes, left, and Spc. Seth Mulvehill frefghters with the South Dakota
Army National Guard 451st Engineer Detachment (Firefghting Team) combat fames from a
car fre north of Sturgis, during the Golden Coyote Training Exercise June 10, 2014. U.S. Army
National Guard photo by Spc. Donald E. Williams .
Above: Kaleb Zook, left, and Dan Grubel, frefghers with the Sturgis Volunteer Fire Department,
douse the fames of a staged car fre, June 10, 2014, north of Sturgis, U.S. Army National Guard
photo by Sgt. Mark VanGerpen.
Story by Spc. Donald E. Williams
129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
Page 18 Coyote Courier
I
t looks like a video game, but the
skills it teaches could mean the
difference between life and death in
the real world.
Military personnel going through
the virtual-convoy-operations train-
ing during Golden Coyote 2014
take advantage of the high-tech
simulator to hone their convoy
skills in a challenging but safe
environment.
We try to make it as real world
as possible, said Staff Sgt. Mi-
chael Kroells, a range safety officer
with the South Dakota National
Guard Training Center. You
never know when youre going to
end up on a convoy while youre
deployed. No matter what service
branch youre in, you need to know
convoy operations.
Members of the 28th Communi-
cations Squadron from Ellsworth
Air Force Base took part in the
training and for many of them,
it was their first experience in a
convoy.
Air Force personnel deploy
overseas and a lot of the times
they find themselves on a convoy,
Kroells said. The virtual trainer
provides the skills necessary to be
successful on convoy ops. Its defi-
nitely worth its weight in gold.
The virtual trainer is housed
inside a trailer that looks ordinary
from the outside. But the inside is
packed with high-tech computer
equipment. There are four simu-
lated Humvee stations, each with a
place for a driver and gunner.
Trainees wear visors with a digi-
tal display that simulates a driving
mission with condi-
tions similar to those
found in Iraq or Af-
ghanistan. The NCO in
charge of the simulator
controls the condi-
tions of the missions,
such as the number of
enemy combatants.
The trainees commu-
nicate with one another
over radios and coor-
dinate movement and
reacting under fire.
Its as real as it gets
in training, Kroells
said. Here they can
train in a safe environ-
ment before taking
those skills to the next
level.
Senior Airman Luis
Peralta, a communica-
tions specialist with the
28th Communications
Squadron, was the
convoy leader during his
rotation in the simulator. He said he
felt the training was invaluable.
It really shows how teamwork
and communication are important
to completing a successful convoy
op, Peralta said. You have to
talk to one another and trust one
another if you want to get the job
done and this simulator allows you
to build teamwork skills.
Convoy operations go virtual
Story and photo by Staff Sgt. Steve Reeves
314th Press Camp Headquarters
The virtual convoy trainer allows military members to get realistic convoy ops training in a high-tech simulator.
faces of golden coyote
Spc. Paulina Wentworth
Missouri National Guard
Role at Golden Coyote: Ensures
meals are prepared on time
and cooked to safety and health
standards. She also makes sure
there is enough food to serve in
garrison and in the feld.
Page 19 Coyote Courier
Te South Dakota Army National Guard 200th
Multi-Role Bridge Company transported military units
across the Missouri River near Chamberlain, as part
of the Golden Coyote Training Exercise on Saturday.
Soldiers loaded vehicles onto three separate rafs and
transported them across the river in less than half an
hour.
Te event gave the company an opportunity to
practice its skills and efciency in preparing for battle
operations.
Te ability to transfer troops across the river ensures
that operations can be conducted regardless of terrain.
One of the more technical aspects of building the
bridges is driving the boats, said Sgt. Bryan Beringer,
an engineer in the 200th MRBC. It takes a lot of train-
ing and practice to get good at it.
While maneuvering boats is a big aspect of the river-
crossing mission, it is not the sole step. Beringer was
part of the entry control point on top of the hill where
he would stage the vehicles and prepare them to board
the raf.
Te success of the mission depends on the cohesion
of the units, said Sgt. Eric Mullen an engineer in the
200th MRBC. Te biggest challenge is to get the two
boats on either side of the raf to work together.
Te unit used an Improved Ribbon Bridge, a bridge
that can be confgured as either a full closure bridge
Take me to the river
or partially assembled and used for rafing operations.
According to Mullen this bridge system gives the unit
the fexibility to cross the river to any safe point on the
opposite side.
Te most important part of being a bridge engineer
is the fact that we can get any unit anywhere, said
Beringer. We can cross what cant be crossed water
or canyon. We get people where they need to go.
Guard unit practices skills on the Missouri
Members of the South Dakota Army National Guard 200th Multi-Role
Bridge Company prepare rafts to transport vehicles across the Missouri
River, near Chamberlain, S.D., during the 2014 Golden Coyote Training
Exercise, June 7.
Spreading the word
Senior Army National Guard Chaplain COL John Morris John
Morris provides training for chaplains and chaplain assistance
during the Golden Coyote exersice. U.S. Army photo by Staf Sgt.
Lisa Simunaci.
Story and photos by Spc. Donald E. Williams
South Dakota National Guard, 129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
Page 20 Coyote Courier
F
or the third consecutive year,
the Danish Home Guard is
taking part in Golden Coyote.
Tis year, they also have the re-
sponsibility for one of the Warrior
Lanes.
Te Danish Home Guard has
sent a platoon of Soldiers to take
part in training. Additionally,
there is a three-person public
afairs team and another three-
person team responsible for the dis-
mounted patrol Warrior Lane. Ten
Soldiers from the Utah National
Guard are working with the team to
provide the dismounted training. In
total, 43 soldiers have taken the trip
from Denmark to Rapid City.
Liaison Ofcer and senior na-
tional representative Capt. Peder
Hagensen, explained why the Dan-
ish Home Guard members made
the fourteen-
hour, three
legged trek over
the North Atlan-
tic Ocean.
Golden
Coyote is a great
opportunity
for the Danish
Home Guard to
educate and train
the soldiers in
a multinational
environment and
at the same time
show the skills
and qualities
that the Danish
Home Guard
represents, he
said. Its also a really good oppor-
tunity for our soldiers to learn from
their foreign colleagues and see
foreign soldiers in action in a very
large exercise.
Te Danish Home Guard con-
sists of around 44,000 soldiers. Te
soldiers in the Danish Home Guard
are all volunteers and are unpaid
for their services.
Tis means that the soldiers in
the platoon have used their vaca-
tion to come to Rapid City and be
part of this exercise without com-
pensation for their time.
Te overall mission for the is to
reinforce and to support the Army,
the Navy, and the Air Force in ful-
flling their missions.
Te overall mission for the
Home Guard is to reinforce and to
support the Army, the Navy, and
the Air Force in fulflling their mis-
sions.
Te Danish Home Guard was
founded in 1949, initially consisting
of former members of the Resis-
tance Movement from the occupa-
tion during the years 1940 to 1945.
In 1948, the Danish Parliament
passed the frst Home Guard Act.
Danish volunteers return to South Dakota
Cpl. Kenneth Christiansen of the Danish Home Guard takes aim after encoun-
tering enemy fre during a warrior training lane at Golden Coyote. Photos by
Hlne Mogensen de Monlon, Danish Home Guard Public Affairs.
By Rune Kronenberg
Danish Home Guard Public Affairs
Page 21 Coyote Courier
T
here are about 80 Canadians
here at Golden Coyote and,
with only a few valuable ex-
ceptions, theyre all from the Army
Reserve in and around Toronto.
Teres a handful of staf ofcers
scattered around the exercise
organization, and a small group of
Civil-Military Cooperation troops,
which the Americans call Civil
Afairs. However, the main body
is a large battalion headquarters
deployed to command sub units of
U.S., British and Danish engineers.
Tat headquarters is based
on an infantry regiment called the
Lorne Scots (Peel, Halton and Duf-
ferin Regiment). Teir name speaks
of a rich history that says a lot
about the nature of the Army Re-
serve what used to be called the
Militia in Canada. Peel, Halton
and Duferin are counties west of
Toronto where the regiment began
as home-defence Militia battalions
in the early nineteenth century
(guess who the enemy was then!)
Lorne refers to the Marquis of
Lorne, a popular Governor General
of Canada in the 1880s and one of
the sources of the regiments Scot-
tish style.
Te original battalions all contrib-
uted men to the units formed to
fght the First World War, which
Canada entered in 1914 along with
the rest of the British Empire. In
1936, all of these elements were
brought together to form the regi-
ment that exists today.
Tere is no system of
National Service in Canada and so
the Reserve (as well as the Regular
Force) is recruited directly from
schools and the street. A Canadian
Reservist could be a student, a
policeman, a plumber, a lawyer, a
business executive in short, any
Canadian citizen in good health
and with a bit of education. Be-
cause it is an all-volunteer force,
they are all well compensated with
daily pay, a range of medical, dental
and educational benefts, and a
small pension.
Each Reservist is expected to serve
A Canadian Reserve Soldier takes aim
with his laser training gear at the
manuever warfare training center in
Wainwright, Alberta Canada. More
than 80 Canadian Reserve soldiers
are taking part in Golden Coyote.
one evening a week, one weekend
a month and, ideally, several weeks
each summer either teaching or
taking a course or joining a major
feld exercise. On top of this, the
social life of the regiment and an
endless stream of training tasks
from higher can absorb the rest of
a Reservists free time. Te biggest
challenge is faced by those with a
family as well.
Tey cannot be ordered
overseas but they regularly have
the chance to volunteer, because
the Regular units that get these
missions always have holes to fll.
During the last decade, some 800
members of the Toronto brigade
(which is nearly 3,000 strong) have
served in United Nations or NATO
missions ranging from Africa to
the Balkans to the Middle East,
namely Afghanistan. Plenty of
Lorne Scots are familiar with the
dust of Kandahar, and thats part
of the experience theyve brought
with them to South Dakota.
Oh, Canada
Understanding our neighbors to the North
Story by Capt. Bob Kennedy
32 Canadian Brigade Group
Page 22 Coyote Courier
On a construction site at the eastern end of Rapid City, the
many layers of international cooperation, practical training
and community service that are the essence of Golden
Coyote are vividly evident. Construction engineers from
three nations
including National
Guardsmen, Army
Reservists and
Regular forces
are all working
together on a new
volunteer training
and administration
building for
the Black Hills
Area Habitat for
Humanity.
In charge on
the site is Capt.
David Dodson,
commanding the
155
th
Engineer
Company (Vertical)
of the South Dakota
National Guard.
Were doing this
project for community development as well as for the
training value, he says. We employ our skill sets in a way
that benefts them.
Te Executive Director of the Black Hills Area HFH
is Scott Engmann, who told Dakota Pack magazine last
month that the new facility will become the training hub
for the volunteers and staf who build homes and hope for
vulnerable, hardworking families.
Te Guard is making this project possible with their
expertise, he said. We are able to get this project
completed sooner than expected, especially considering
the delays imposed by the longer-than-usual winter.
With the beginning of Golden Coyote, Dodsons
workforce became multinational. He has a dozen
Guardsmen on site as well as ten engineers from 71
Engineer Regiment of the British Army Reserve and
13 more from the Danish Royal Air Force Regular
construction engineers and from their own Home Guard.
For the next ten days, they are all under the command of a
Canadian Army Reserve headquarters from Toronto, which
in turn is under the command of the 110th Maneuver
Enhancement Brigade of the Missouri National Guard.
Among the engineers on site is Lance Corporal Ejner
Libach of the Royal Danish Air Force, a Regular soldier
who also serves in the Home Guard. It makes sense to
do something that really matters, to leave something
permanent, he says. Tis Habitat for Humanity project
isnt something hed be able to do at home, because the
work would
be regarded as
competing with the
local construction
industry.
Te construction
standards and
techniques are, of
course, American.
Here they use a
lot of wood, notes
Libach, who is
himself a stone
mason. In my
country, its stone
and concrete.
Also, at home hed
be using more
woodscrews than
nails, and more steel
reinforcement with
the concrete.
Engmann of Habitat for Humanity is delighted to have
military resources devoted to community development.
Wed be interested, he said, in moving forward with more
projects in the future.
Layers of cooperation evident
Story by Capt. Bob Kennedy
Canadian Army Reserve
Lance Cpl. Hans Peter Loehr, carpenter for the 3rd Construction Com-
pany out of Skive, Denmark uses an air-powered nail gun to assemble a
stairway. Loehr and service members from United Kingdom, Denmark
and the U.S. work together to build an offce for Habitat for Humanity
during the 30th annual Golden Coyote. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt.
Paul Roberts.
Soldiers from Denmark, the South Dakota National Guard and the United Kingdom work to-
gether doing masonry work at a Habitat for Humanity offce. Photo by Staff Sgt. Paul Roberts.