Salem/Sioux Falls National Guard Unit Named Best Field Artillery Unit


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South Dakota National Guard
For Immediate Release:  Wednesday, October 2, 2002
For More Information: Maj. Mark Johnston, 737-6721

Salem/Sioux Falls National Guard Unit Named Best Field Artillery Unit

SALEM - “Pret Et Voluntiers.” It is a Latin term meaning “ready and willing,” and has been the long-standing the motto of Battery B, 1/147th Field Artillery of Salem and Sioux Falls.  The phrase is a perfect fit for the South Dakota National Guard unit that recently won the Alexander Hamilton Award and was named the best field artillery unit in the National Guard. Several members of the unit will receive the award in a ceremony at Fort Sill, Okla., Thursday, October 3rd 

To be recognized for this highly distinguished award, the unit competed against more than 350 field artillery batteries, in the Army National Guard.  The unit was evaluated in nine areas: physical readiness, command inspections, drug and alcohol prevention and control, safety, soldier care, re-enlistment, promotions, weapons qualification and common task testing.  

Capt. Kory Knight, former battery commander who was in charge during the past year, believes that success of the unit is directly attributed to the soldiers’ attitude and work ethic. 

“I’m really proud of the boys.  They did a great job.  It is a real tribute to the success of the soldiers and the amount of work they accomplished (he said.)  “It is a great thing for the state and the communities of Salem and Sioux Falls.” 

Battery B’s most noteworthy achievement is it’s outstanding readiness posture: 

  • The unit is recognized as a distinguished member of the South Dakota National Guard 100% Club, which is awarded to units maintaining assigned strength at or above 100 percent.  
  • Battery B just completed one of its most rigorous training years in unit history.  The training culminated in a live-fire exercise at Camp Ripley, Minn. during Annual Training 2002.
  • “B” Battery was recently selected as the winner of the “Pershing Plaque.”  The award is given to the battery or company that achieves the highest overall marksmanship average within the entire 5th U.S. Army Region which includes the 14 western states. 

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