South Dakota Guard's 155th Engineer Company honored before southern border deployment
The Wagner-based unit will deploy under the direction of U.S. Northern Command. During the roughly year-long deployment, the Soldiers will provide logistical and personnel support in partnership with U.S. Border Patrol.
Family members, community members and students filled the gymnasium for the ceremony. It included the reading of the unit's mobilization order and a roll call of each deploying Soldier.
Maj. Gen. Mark Morrell, the adjutant general of the South Dakota National Guard, thanked the Soldiers for answering the call. He also recognized the families and employers who support them.
"A life of service begins when you recognize that your life can make someone else's life better," Morrell said.
He told the Soldiers that the value of their service does not depend on recognition.
"Service isn't measured by how visible or glamorous the mission is. It's measured by how faithfully you carry the responsibility that you have accepted," he said.
Capt. Haley Derr, commander of the 155th, said the unit is ready for the mission ahead.
"As your commander, my priorities are really straightforward. It's taking care of our Soldiers, taking care of your families and then accomplishing the mission," Derr said.
He also reminded the Soldiers that they carry more than the mission with them.
"We have a mission to accomplish, a standard to uphold and a responsibility to represent our state, the community and the country well," he said.
Gov. Larry Rhoden, U.S. Sen. John Thune and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson also spoke at the ceremony.
The unit's Family Readiness Group leaders, Priscilla Harkin and Brittany Stanfield, were recognized during the ceremony. So was Don Kelpin of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. All three will help Soldiers and families throughout the deployment.
The 155th previously deployed to Kuwait in 2003-05 for Operation Iraqi Freedom II and again in 2015-16. The Soldiers deploying now come from about 49 South Dakota communities.
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