Nevada

It’s no accident: Nevada Guard Soldier secures 2023 Distinguished Ground Safety Award

Published

2 years ago

January 2, 2024

Press Room

By Master Sgt. Erick Studenicka
Nevada Army Guard

CARSON CITY – No seatbelt? You will be chastised.

On the top step of the ladder? You will get a scolding.

No protective gear while riding your motorcycle? Now you are in real trouble and will receive a reprimand!

Like a de facto protective parent, state safety specialist Sgt. 1st Class Don Gibbs, 60, of Dayton, constantly keeps tabs on Nevada Guard Soldiers to ensure they are completing their tasks and missions as safely as possible while reducing ancillary risks. Although his admonishments may seem pesky, Gibbs dedication to safety is extraordinary, evidenced by the fact he received the Army National Guard’s Distinguished Ground Safety Award for 2023 in December in San Antonio, Texas. Only two Soldiers in the entire Army National Guard received the award for 2023.

“Sgt. 1st Class Gibbs exhibited superior excellence and distinguished accomplishments within the Nevada Army Guard’s ground safety program during 2023,” said Col. Aaron Schilleci during the award ceremony.

The Army Ground Safety program includes oversight of all Army ground activities including vehicle operation, ammunition storage and potential environment hazards.

Eligibility for the Distinguished Ground Safety Award is extremely difficult to acquire, as a state must go two years without recording an on-duty Class A (fatality or disabling injury and/or $2 million in damage) or Class B (injury and/or $500,000 to $1 million in damage) accident to make its state safety specialist eligible for the rare award. In fact, the Nevada Army Guard has not incurred a on-duty Class A or B accident since Gibbs was hired as the state safety specialist in 2019.

“It is no coincidence the absence of on-duty Class A and B accidents coincides with the hiring of Gibbs,” said state safety officer Capt. David Henry. (The Nevada Army Guard has recorded two off-duty Class A accidents since 2019 due to vehicle fatalities.)

Henry said Gibbs was an easy choice for the award because of his dedication to the safety program and the fact he goes above-and-beyond in his position to exceed program standards. For example, Gibbs instructed more than 300 students in 2023 at about 30 motorcycle safety classes across the state – on his personal time. Gibbs also compiled and edited the internal safety newsletter “Safe Bets” on his own time to share current, best safety practices with the state’s Soldiers.

Gibbs did those tasks in addition to his usual duties of organizing and instructing Occupational Safety and Health Administration and confined spaces classes as well as forklift training. Gibbs and Henry also planned and coordinated the 2023 Western Region Safety Council meeting in Reno where councilmembers could share their ideas to standardize and modernize safety functions across the Army Guard.

When Gibbs was hired by the Nevada Army Guard in 2019, it marked a homecoming for the native Nevadan who grew up in Clark County and graduated from Las Vegas High School in 1981. After high school, Gibbs recorded a stint in the Marines Corps until 1987 when he began his longtime civilian career as a first responder and law enforcement officer in Soldotna, Alaska, as a firefighter and emergency medical technician.

After meeting and marrying his wife Renae in Alaska, Gibbs relocated to his spouse’s home state, South Dakota, and he became a Custer County Sheriff’s Deputy. He subsequently was a Sturgis police officer from 2010-2019.

About the same time in life, Gibbs realized his first responder and law enforcement skills could be useful in the military and he enlisted in the South Dakota Army Guard in 2009 as a medic.

While in the South Dakota Guard, Gibbs gravitated toward the safety arena with the realization that safety is a top key to military readiness.

“As my years of experience in law enforcement and emergency response continued, it became increasingly clear to me that safety and prevention are the simplest way to decrease and minimize devastating events and mishaps,” Gibbs said.

Gibbs knows he won’t win the 2024 Distinguished Ground Safety Award but it’s for a good reason – he’s set to retire this April. He’s looking forward to spending more time with Renae, his two daughters, Katelyn and Kaitlin, and grandsons Owen, 7, and Louis, 1.

Even with retirement on the horizon, Gibbs warns Nevada Soldiers to continue to prioritize safety and he notes his safety admonishment bark is as sharp as ever.

“We have all had moments of second guessing in our lives,” Gibbs said. “It’s my goal to make sure we are not second guessing about the safety precautions and measures we could have taken in the event of any mishap in our lives.”

Date Taken:	01.02.2024
Date Posted:	01.02.2024 15:55
Story ID:	461205
Location:	CARSON CITY, NV, US
Hometown:	DAYTON, NV, US

Web Views:	35
Downloads:	0

PUBLIC DOMAIN

This work, It’s no accident: Nevada Guard Soldier secures 2023 Distinguished Ground Safety Award, by SFC Erick Studenicka, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.

Source link

Nevada

Nevada gets back in win column, downs Wyoming, 92-83

Published

11 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Nevada gets back in win column, downs Wyoming, 92-83

Corey Camper Jr. put on a shooting clinic and helped Nevada get back in the win column.

Nevada beat Wyoming 92-83, on Saturday in front of an announced crowd of 8,906 fans at Lawlor Events Center.

Camper Jr., playing for the third time after missing a month with a back injury, scored a career-high 31 points as Nevada improved to 4-1 in the Mountain West Conference, 12-4 overall. He was 10-of-13 from the field including 5-of-7 from 3-point range, and 6-of-8 from the free throw line, playing 32 minutes. He had seven rebounds.

Elijah Price had a double-double with a career-high 20 points and 16 rebounds, in 34 minutes, while Tayshawn Comer, Amire Robinson and Peyton White each added 10 points. Comer had 10 assists as Nevada had 21 as a team. Vaughn Weems returned to the court after missing the San Diego State game on Tuesday with the flu. He played 12 minutes and scored nine points.

The Wolf Pack shot 61 percent from the field (31-51) and made 10-of-16 from the arc.

Nasir Meyer led Wyoming with 27 points as the Cowboys dropped to 2-2 in conference, 11-5 overall.

Nevada coach Steve Alford said the Wolf Pack’s defense was better against the Cowboys than it was in the loss to San Diego State.

But still not to the level he would like it.

He cited communication and players’ stances while both guarding the ball and off the ball as a few of the many fundamentals the Pack needs to improve.

“We had slippage in the (San Diego) State game and we didn’t have a whole of improvement in this game, from a defensive standpoint,” Alford said Saturday night.

Nevada’s offense was much better, though, than in the loss to the Aztecs. The Pack took better shots and eliminated bad shots.

Alford said Price played more of a complete game than he has most of the season.

Price said the Pack’s defense was not good, but played better in the second half and that as why the Pack won.

“We’re a lot better defensively than what we’ve been showing the past two games,” Price said. “We know if were going to beat Utah State on the road, we’re going to have to get some stops, so that’s what we’re focused on.”

More Key Stats

Nevada outrebounded Wyoming, 38-32. Both teams had nine offensive boards.

Nevada had eight turnovers and Wyoming had six.

The Pack outscored the Cowboys, 38-32, in the paint.

Wyoming’s bench outscored the Pack’s, 31-29.

Out

Nevada’s Joel Armotrading and Tyler Rolison did not play. Armotrading was injured against Washington on Nov. 27 and has not played since. Rolison has a back injury.

Half

Wyoming led, 39-38, at the half. Camper Jr. had 19 points in the first half.

Nevada shot 14-of-27 from the field and 5-of-10 from the ac.

The Cowboys outscored the Wolf Pack in the paint, 22-14.

Up Next

Nevada travels to play at State at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The Aggies dominated Boise State on Saturday, taking a 93-68 win to improve to 14-1 overall, 5-0 in conference.

Nevada will travel to Logan, Utah on Tuesday, and stay on the road for the following game, at Air Force on Saturday.

“(Utah State) has one of the best crowds in the Mountain West , so we know it’s going to be a very difficult game for us,” Alford said. “We needed to get this one, to get that momentum before we go on the road.”

Alford said if Indiana wins that game, and finished 16-0, it means Indiana will have the only two undefeated season in college major sports as the Hoosiers 1976 basketball team was undefeated.

Alford’s Alma Mater

Alford played college basketball at Indoana.

The Hoosiers are playing Miami for the national football championship on Jan 19.

Steve Alford discusses Nevada’s 92-83 win over Wyoming on Saturday

Nevada men’s basketball coach Steve Alford discusses the Wolf Pack’s 92-83 win over Wyoming on Saturday

Nevada’s Remaining Schedule

Wednesday, Jan. 14, 7 p.m. at Utah State (TV: CBS Sports Network/Radio: 95.5 FM)
Saturday, Jan. 17, 1 p.m. at Air Force (TV: MW Network, Ch. 21/Radio: 95.5 FM)
Tuesday, Jan. 20, 7 p.m. vs. San Jose State (TV: KNSN, MW Network, Ch. 21/Radio: 95.5 FM)
Saturday, Jan. 24, 5 p.m. at New Mexico (TV: CBS Sports Network/Radio: 95.5 FM)
Tuesday, Jan. 27, 7:30 p.m. vs. Grand Canyon (TV: FS1/Radio: 95.5 FM)
Friday, Jan. 30, 7 p.m. vs. UNLV (TV: CBS Sports Network/Radio: 95.5 FM)
Tuesday, Feb. 3, 5 p.m. at Boise State (TV: MW Network, Ch. 21/Radio: 95.5 FM)
Saturday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m. vs. Fresno State (TV: KNSN, MW Network, Ch. 21/Radio: 95.5 FM)
Saturday, Feb. 14, 7 p.m. at San Diego State (TV: CBS Sports Network/Radio: 95.5 FM)
Tuesday, Feb. 17, 7 p.m. at San Jose State (TV: MW Network, Ch. 21/Radio: 95.5 FM)
Saturday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m. vs. Utah State (TV: FS1/Radio: 95.5 FM)
Tuesday, Feb. 24, 8 p.m. vs. New Mexico (TV: CBS Sports Network/Radio: 95.5 FM)
Saturday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m. at UNLV (TV: CBS Sports Network/Radio: 95.5 FM)
Tuesday, March 3, TBD at Wyoming (TV: MW Network, Ch. 21/Radio: 95.5 FM)
Saturday, March 7, 7 p.m. vs. Air Force (TV: KNSN, MW Network, Ch. 21/Radio: 95.5 FM)

Source link

Nevada

State police union official on Nevada Wild

Published

23 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

State police union official on Nevada Wild

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Nevada Police Union’s Vice President James Mortimore is on Nevada Wild.

“This is awesome!” the union’s Saturday, Jan. 10, Facebook post said.

All ten episodes of Nevada Wild season one are streaming on HBO Max.

Source link

Nevada

Motorcyclist dies on I-15 near Tropicana, police say

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Motorcyclist dies on I-15 near Tropicana, police say

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Nevada State Police said a motorcyclist is dead after a crash on I-15 near the Las Vegas Strip Friday.

Police said the crash happened just before 7 p.m. at I-15 northbound at Tropicana Avenue. The crash involves the motorcyclist, a sports utility vehicle, and a commercial motor vehicle.

The motorcyclist died at the scene, police say.

A social media post from Nevada State Police just before 8 p.m. says the closure could last for four to six hours. Drivers in the area are being diverted to exit at Tropicana Avenue.

Traffic Alert – Las Vegas, NV
1/9/2026 – 6:54 p.m.: The Nevada Highway Patrol is currently investigating a fatal crash on the I15 Northbound at Tropicana Avenue.
The I15 is closed to all northbound traffic at Tropicana Avenue.
This closure is expected for the next four to… pic.twitter.com/JFfsahlLMU
— Nevada State Police (@NVStatePolice) January 10, 2026