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Office of the Governor
500 E. Capitol Ave.
Pierre, SD 57501
(605) 773-3212
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, July 7, 2006
CONTACT: Mark Johnston at (605) 773-3212 or Lt. Col. Reid A. Christopherson, South Dakota Air National Guard at (605)-988-5644
South Dakota Guard Soldiers to Support Border Operation
PIERRE, S.D. – Gov. Mike Rounds has announced that members of the South Dakota Air National Guard are being deployed to the U.S. - Mexican border as part of a national effort to bolster participation in a border protection program proposed by President Bush.
The initial deployment of 11 Airmen, all volunteers, will be deployed to Arizona and New Mexico for one month. One Air National Guard officer has deployed to Arizona and will be supporting the public relations mission of the Arizona National Guard and the Border Patrol. Ten enlisted members deploying to New Mexico will be providing civil engineering support in the construction of Border Patrol facilities.
“I am proud that these Airmen have volunteered their time to support Operation Jump Start,” said Gov. Rounds. “Much like when the call went out to support operations after Hurricane Katrina, our South Dakota National Guard men and women are trained, ready and willing to answer the call to duty.”
The Chief of the National Guard, Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum, recently announced that the National Guard has 2,500 Army and Air Guard members in the four southwest Border States supporting Operation Jump Start. Gen Blum expressed confidence that "The National Guard is on track to provide up to 6,000 Guard personnel in support of Operation Jump Start."
Currently, approximately 185 Soldiers and Airmen from the South Dakota National Guard remain on duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 3,500 National Guard men and women still serve in a non-active duty status in South Dakota and continue to provide support for state and national emergencies and homeland defense.
While deployed to Arizona and New Mexico, the Airmen will remain under Gov. Rounds' authority as the state's commander in chief. They can be recalled for statewide emergencies or overseas deployments.
The South Dakota Air National is one of the first of the supporting states’ Air National Guard units to come forward and offer troops to the effort.
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