North Dakota

Burgum, Dohrmann thank Jamestown-based Guard company soldiers for work at border

Published

2 years ago

February 18, 2024

Burgum, Dohrmann thank Jamestown-based Guard company soldiers for work at border

AT THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER — Gov. Doug Burgum and Maj. Gen. Alan Dohrmann, adjutant general of the North Dakota National Guard, visited soldiers from the Jamestown-based 817th Engineer Company at the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 15-16, thanking them for supporting U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) efforts to secure the border.

Due to security concerns, the military requested that the location of the 817th not be publicized.

The 817th deployed to the southwest border on federal status in early November for what’s expected to be a yearlong mission. Burgum, who serves as commander-in-chief of the North Dakota National Guard, received briefings from Guard officials and visited with members of the Jamestown-based unit about their mission in support of CBP border security operations.

The 817th’s mission, under the direction of U.S. Northern Command and Joint Task Force North, is to assist CBP by providing detection and monitoring support. Approximately 125 service members are providing mission-enhancing support to CBP’s border security operations to enable CBP agents to conduct their law enforcement mission more efficiently.

“The well-trained soldiers from the 817th Engineer Company are making a real difference in efforts to enhance national security at the southwest border,” Burgum said in a news release on the visit. “And what we learned today is that they have not only taken on this mission, they’ve excelled at it, setting the bar high for future missions. These soldiers are detecting tens of thousands of attempted illegal crossings, and in the process, they’re helping to protect our country, state and communities and save lives from illegal activity including drug and human trafficking. On behalf of the citizens of North Dakota and a grateful nation, we thank them for their incredible service and wish them a safe and successful mission.”

“The professionalism of our North Dakota National Guard soldiers serving at the southwest border is second to none,” Dohrmann said. “Today we heard from task force leadership that the 817th Engineer Company is a model for how to support Customs and Border Protection, and I’m incredibly proud of their efforts to strengthen our national security.”

Last June, the secretary of defense approved a request for assistance from the Department of Homeland Security extending Department of Defense assistance in support of CBP’s southern border security mission through fiscal year 2024. The action memo authorizes the mobilization of up to 2,500 service members, including National Guardsmen in a Title 10 duty status, to provide command and control and enablers, for mobile surveillance support; remote video detection and camera monitoring support; information analysis support; and 13,200 flight hours for light rotary-wing aircraft and small uncrewed aerial system (UAS) support.

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North Dakota

Armstrong directs flags to be flown at half-staff Friday in honor and remembrance of Rep. Liz Conmy

Published

1 hour ago

April 30, 2026

Press Room

Armstrong directs flags to be flown at half-staff Friday in honor and remembrance of Rep. Liz Conmy

BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Kelly Armstrong has directed all U.S. and North Dakota flags to be flown at half-staff from dawn to dusk Friday, May 1, and encourages North Dakotans to do the same at their homes and businesses, in honor and remembrance of state Rep. Liz Conmy of Fargo.

Conmy died Saturday, April 25, at age 67, along with her partner, Joe Cass, in a plane crash in Minnesota. Conmy had represented District 11 in the North Dakota House of Representatives since 2022.

A celebration of life service for Conmy will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at RiverHaven Events Center, 700 1^st Ave. N., Moorhead, Minnesota.

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North Dakota

North Dakota State Receives Sobering News After NFL Draft

Published

13 hours ago

April 30, 2026

Press Room

North Dakota State Receives Sobering News After NFL Draft

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NDSU gets a reality check on draft and transfer portal.

North Dakota State’s draft success continued this year, and there could be more to come in 2027.

While NDSU boasts 16 draft picks since 2004 as a Division I program, the Bison faced sobering news regarding the final draft numbers this year amid a move up to the FBS. Only 13 Group of Six players had their names called compared to 239 players from the Power Four conferences, which college football analyst Chris Hummer broke down.

NDSU had two picks this year, the most of any Mountain West Conference team. The FCS, where the Bison just left, only had four overall — counting quarterback Cole Payton and wide receiver Bryce Lance from NDSU.

“It’s yet another example of the talent drain for the G6 and FCS due to the transfer portal,” Hummer wrote via X.

NDSU moving to the FBS may not slow down losing players in the transfer portal. Just ask around the Mountain West, where 138 players have departed since late 2025.

That most notably included former UNLV quarterback Anthony Colandrea, who transferred to Nebraska. NDSU lost six starters, and the majority went to Power Four schools.

Former Bison players lost include Colorado defensive end Toby Anene, Vanderbilt left tackle Beau Johnson, Florida State long snapper Caleb Bowers, Michigan State center Trent Farley and Iowa kicker Eli Ozick. Bigger competition and NIL money continue to be the draw for Power Four teams, and NDSU may not become an exception among G6 teams losing players.

How the Top G6 Teams Fared With The Transfer Portal

Former Bison FCS rival and College Football Playoff participant James Madison, one of the top G6 teams around, lost more than 11 starters this year.

Many of the JMU Players, except for Colorado edge Immanuel Ezeogu, transferred to UCLA, following former Dukes head coach Bob Chesney to Los Angeles. That’s not the first time JMU has experienced an exodus of players with a head coach. It happened with Curt Cignetti when he left JMU for Indiana, and he built a national championship team that had numerous former Dukes standouts.

Tulane, also a G6 CFP participant, lost 26 players. That included major key players such as Indiana wide receiver Shazz Preston, Tennessee running back Javin Gordon and Louisville tight end Justyn Reid.

Boise State, last year’s Mountain West champion and a 2024 CFP entrant, lost numerous key players from the 2025 team. That includes LSU safety Ty Benefield and Arkansas wide receiver Chris Marshall.

NDSU Has Gained in Transfer Portal

While the exodus of G6 players doesn’t look favorable, the Bison have gained three Power Four players since the FBS move.

Former Arizona wide receiver Jeremiah Patterson and former West Virginia wideout Jordan McCants both joined the team in the past month. Most recently, the Bison landed former Notre Dame cornerback Chance Tucker.

That’s not entirely new for the Bison, which even landed Power Four quarterbacks with starting experience during the FCS dynasty. Former Iowa State quarterback Zeb Noland and former Virginia Tech quarterback Quincy Patterson II both started games for the Bison after transferring. However, neither reached the level of success as the five former home-grown starters who landed in the NFL draft over the past decade.

Matthew Davis covers the NFL, WNBA and college sports for Heavy.com. As a contributing writer to the StarTribune, he has also covered Minnesota prep sports since 2016. More about Matthew Davis

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Guard Soldiers respond to shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner

Published

1 day ago

April 29, 2026

Press Room

Guard Soldiers respond to shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner

U.S. Soldiers with the Nebraska and North Dakota National Guards, assigned to Joint Task Force-District of Columbia in support of the DC Safe and Beautiful mission, pose for a group photo at a hotel in Alexandria, Virginia, April 28, 2026. About 2,500 National Guard members are supporting the mission, providing critical assistance to the Metropolitan Police Department to help ensure the safety of residents, commuters and visitors throughout the District.
(Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Thomas Norris)

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Soldiers with the North Dakota, Arkansas and Nebraska Army National Guard, assigned to Joint Task Force-District of Columbia in support of the DC Safe and Beautiful mission, responded to a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner (WHCAD) at the Washington Hilton in Northwest Washington April 25.

The Guardsmen were at the WHCAD at the request of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) as an additional patrol unit created specifically for the event, which celebrates the contributions of news organizations and independent journalists alike who provide notable coverage of the presidential administration.

“Our mission was to assist the U.S. Secret Service with crowd control,” said Capt. Kevin Peatrowsky, an operations officer with the Nebraska National Guard (NENG) assigned to JTF-DC.

As the Guardsmen were monitoring their area of operations, they saw USSS agents sprint toward the hotel entrance. “They were running full speed with their weapons drawn,” said Sgt. 1st. Class Allen Haney, a team member with the Arkansas National Guard. “We immediately followed suit.”

Staff Sgt. Kristen Confer, a NENG combat medic and battle captain, recalled her response to the incident: “We fell back on our basic training. You run toward danger and move in a way that makes sense for the situation.”

According to Confer, the Guardsmen entered the hotel and immediately began securing the scene and ensuring that the guests evacuated safely. At the direction of a federal agent, Confer began a rapid trauma assessment on the suspect, which resulted in finding knives and ammunition on the shooter. Simultaneously, the Arkansas Soldiers moved outside to provide crowd control at a pedestrian barricade outside the hotel.

“From there, we assisted wherever we could,” said 2nd Lt. Caleb Hill, a National Guardsman from North Dakota who served as the officer in charge of the mission. “We were initially helping with crowd control. After that, we realized that the USSS had begun rerouting everyone in the hotel, so we moved to the doors. We were controlling entry into the venue, so we had moved a couple more people outside, so we had 5 inside, 8 outside.” Both Arkansas and Nebraska worked well alongside one another and alongside the federal agencies. Hill also noted that relying on his Soldiers allowed him to move among teams, which helped him plan and coordinate with various agencies.

According to 1st Lt. Jonathan Goins, a platoon leader with the Arkansas National Guard, Arkansas Soldiers also helped establish a security perimeter for the presidential motorcade’s staging. Later, the team assisted federal agencies and MPD with crowd control, which helped clear the way for the President and Administration officials, he said.

“Guardsmen on this mission represent the very best of the nation,” said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Leland Blanchard II, the interim commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard. “The world got a brief glimpse, but I see them each day serving and doing amazing things across the District.”