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30th Annive

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Delivering the news from Golden Coyote 2014Coyote Courier

Volume 30, Issue 2

June 13, 2014

Scenario teaches aircrew rescue

Members of the 109th Regional Support Group took part in aircrew rescue

training on Monday as part of Golden Coyote 2014. The National Guard unit based in Rapid City, S.D., was the first unit to go through the aircrew rescue training lane at West Camp Rapid. This year’s Golden Coyote, one of the largest National Guard military exercises in the country, kicked off on June 7. The scenario required the Soldiers to move tactically toward a hilltop crash site and attempt to recover two pilots while encountering hostile “enemy” fighters. The training is designed to enable military personnel to be able to assist in recovery or rescue operations in a real-world environment. Staff Sgt. Brandon Dunphy of Ellsworth Air Force Base, the NCOIC of the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape team, 28th

Operational Support Squadron, oversaw the training and consulted with the National Guard personnel staffing the lane. Dunphy said Golden Coyote is relevant not only due to the real-world scenario, but also because of

the inter-service and international flavor of the training. “In this day and age, knowing how to operate in a joint-service, as well as with allied nations, is critical,” he said. “We’re all working toward one goal so we all have to

Continued on page 2

Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Steve Reeves314th Press Camp Headquarters

Soldiers from the 109th Regional Support Group, South Dakota National Guard, approach a simulated downed helicopter during an aircrew rescue training exerciseas part of Golden Coyote 2014. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Steve Reeves.

Military personnel taking part in Golden Coyote 2014 get intense, hands-on medical training they can rely on when they end up

on a real-world mission. The performing-immediate-lifesaving training lane at West Camp Rapid involves learning various techniques such as needle decompression, applying bandages and tourniquets, carrying an injured per-son on a litter and calling in a medical evacuation over a radio. Members of the Army Reserve’s 418th and 432nd Civil Affairs battalions were among the first

Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Steve Reeves314th Press Camp Headquarters

Hands-on medical training pays dividends

Continued on page 3

Petty Officer 2nd Class Jeremiah Schneider, a Navy Reserve Sailor with Expeditionary Medical Facility (EMF) Dallas One, shows Soldiers from the 418th Civil Affairs Battalion how to transport a patient on a litter.

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know how to work with one another.” “This was really a great experience for me,” said Pfc. Stephanie Stark of Nisland, S.D. The human resources specialist acted as a team leader during the training exercise. “I don’t get the chance very often to take charge. This will definitely help prepare me to be a future leader as I move up the ranks.” Aside from the National Guard, Reserve and active component units taking part, there are personnel from the military forces of five allied nations participating in Golden Coyote. An officer with the German Air Force Reserve augmented the 109th RSG during the aircrew rescue training. Stark said it was her first opportunity to work side-by-side with someone from an allied nation’s military. “It was interesting to see the different perspective that he brought to the training,” Stark said. “It’s important to learn to work with military personnel from our allied nations because we all need to understand one another and make sure we’re all on the same page.” Capt. Alexander Kullak, the German Air Force reservist who augmented the 109th, said he found it interesting to see his American counterparts communicate with each other as they work to complete a mission. “We definitely have differences in how we approach things,” Kullak said. “But that is a positive because we have so much to learn from one another.” Kullak said he was impressed by how open and accepting American military personnel were toward their allied partners.“We’re not just military allies,” he said. “We’re also close friends.”

Continued from page 1Aircrew rescue

A Soldier with the 109th Regioal Support Group, South Dakota National Guard, guards the perimeter around a simulated downed helicopter during an aircrew rescue exercise. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Steve Reeves.

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The chief of the Danish Home Guard Generalmajor Finn Winkler (equivalent to rank of U.S. Army major general) sur-prised two Ameri-can Soldiers during a briefing at Golden Coyote when he awarded South Dakota National Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Tim Reisch, and Golden Coyote Co-ordinator Maj. Travis Eastmann the Dan-ish Home Guard’s Fortjensttegn medal. The medal, authorized by her majesty Queen Margreth II, is awarded for special, unselfish and dedicated contribution to the Danish Home Guard. Winkler bestowed the award in recognition for the three years the Dan-ish Home Guard has participated in the annual training exercise. Photo by Capt. Ulla Sørensen-Mølgaard, Danish Home Guard Public Affairs.

Americans receive Danish medalBlack Hills Veterans’

Job Fair

Bring your resume Dress for success

Manufacturing ~ EngineeringRetail ~ Communications

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Wednesday, June 181-5 p.m.

Western Dakota Tech800 Mickelson Dr., Rapid City

More than 65 Employers!

Over 20 Universities and Service Providers!

Market your skills

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Photo right: Second Lieutenant Abina Mac Intosh, logistics officer, Suriname Defense Force, gets behind the wheel of one of the South Dakota Army National Guard 200th Multi-role Bridge Company boats and drives across the Missouri river during the river cross mission on June 7 2014, near Chamberlain, S.D. Mac Intosh traveled to Golden Coyote as part of the State Partnership Program between South Dakota and Suriname as an exchange. This knowledge exchange provides an opportunity to interact with the mem-bers of the SDARNG, other U.S. military units and inter-national forces. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Jacqueline Fitzgerald)

Photo left: Members of the Suriname Defense Force, South Dakota Army National Guard and U.S. Navy trav-eled to Chamberlain, S.D. to observe the Golden Coyote river cross mission on June 7, 2014. This event provided an opportunity for the State Partnership Program to continue to build the cultural bridge between the U.S. and Suriname by gaining a better understanding of each other’s military capabilities and culture. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Donald E. Williams)

Suriname Defense Force teams with National Guard, Navy for Golden Coyote missions

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to go through the training, which was conducted by 14 Navy Reservists assigned to Expeditionary Medical Facility (EMF) Dallas One. “Our goal is to teach the basics of providing imme-diate care when a person is injured under fire,” said Lt. Cmdr. Darlene McMiddleton, a civilian trauma-care nurse in her hometown of Charlotte, N.C. “That includes stopping bleeding and getting them to a safe zone so they can be evacuated.” McMiddleton said it’s important that military per-sonnel, no matter their job or branch of service, con-tinually hone their lifesaving skills. “You never know when you’re going to end up in another war zone,” she said. “We’ve all gained a lot of knowledge these past years in Iraq and Afghanistan. We don’t want to lose all that knowledge so we keep training.” Petty Officer 2nd Class Jeremiah Schneider, a native

of Sioux Falls, S.D., trained the Soldiers on how to properly transport a patient using a litter. “It’s probably one of the most important skills that we teach,” said Schneider, a flight medic in civilian life. “They have to know how to transport a patient from point to point. If they can’t do that, the patient can’t get the life-saving care they need.” The training culminated with the Soldiers put-ting the skills they had learned through a scenario in which they were required to treat and then transport a “wounded” comrade while being attacked by opposing forces. Pvt. Rachel Ransdell, a supply specialist with the 418th Civil Affairs Battalion, said the training was stressful, yet realistic. “I definitely look forward to more training like this because it prepares you for real-world missions,” said Ransdell, a native of Kansas City, Mo. “And working with the Navy was really awesome.”

Continued from page 1Hands-on medical

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Up in smoke

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The South Dakota Army National Guard 451st Engineer Detach-ment (Firefighting Team)

conducted training on how to react to vehicle fires during the Golden Coy-ote Training Exercise, June 10, near Sturgis, S.D. The training scenario had a real-life aspect as the Guard members were joined by local civilian firefighters.“We’re all going to deal with similar situations,” said Kaleb Zook, a pro-bationary firefighter with the Sturgis Volunteer Fire Department. “As city-based firefighters we get more of these types of calls.” In order for the 451st to conduct this training during Golden Coyote, the unit coordinated with the city of Stur-gis to arrange safety crews and space for the site. A Sturgis Emergency Medical Technician, the Fort Meade Fire Department and the Sturgis VFD joined the 451st to partner in this unique training event. “Golden Coyote is where we get most of our big training opportuni-ties,” said Spc. Ryan Krogstad, a firefighter with the 451st. “In the two-week exercise we have the opportuni-ty to train on car fires, structure burns and go on other missions that help us refresh our skills.” For the mock situation, the two fire

trucks were staged in a nearby loca-tion, then called by the fire chief to the scene of the fire. After arriving, the firefighters raced to prepare hoses and combat the fire as fast as possible. This event gave Soldiers a chance to put their training into action. “Every type of fire has its complica-tions; you don’t know what’s in that vehicle, could be gas, could be pro-pane tanks, could be whatever,” said Staff Sgt. Max Stoltenburg station chief and the non-commissioned officer in charge of the 451st. “There are also complications where there is magnesium in the steering column, and that can pose a problem.” The firefighters worked as a team to put out the fire. There were two groups of soldiers: one group on the primary and secondary hose, and anoth-er for safety and control. According to Spc. Seth Mulvehill, a firefighter in the 451st, the firefighters are a tight-knit group because of their small size, which allows them to function better as a team. After the initial fire was out, the firefighters continued to spray the

burn site until all the flames were out and all the hot spots were gone. This process, known as overhaul, is used to ensure the fire won’t start back up. The 451st and civilian teams suc-cessfully exhausted six car fires during the day’s training event. These Sol-diers will continue to conduct train-ing on various missions throughout Golden Coyote to prepare them for both wartime and peacetime missions.

Top photo: Pvt. Matt Komes, left, and Spc. Seth Mulvehill firefighters with the South Dakota Army National Guard 451st Engineer Detach-ment (Firefighting Team) combat flames from a car fire north of Sturgis, during the Golden Coyote Training Exercise June 10, 2014. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Donald E. Williams

Above: Kaleb Zook, left, and Dan Grubel, firefighters with the Sturgis Volunteer Fire Department, douse the flames of a staged car fire, June 10, 2014, north of Sturgis. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Mark VanGerpen.

Story by Spc. Donald E. Williams129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

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Coyote courierCommander of Troops: BG Kevin Griese

South Dakota National Guard MAJ Anthony Deiss, Public Affairs OfficerSFC Don Matthews, PA NCOIC

The editorial content of this newspaper is prepared, edited and provided by the 314th Press Camp Headquarters. LTC Stephen Harlan, CommanderMAJ Jesse Stalder, Executive OfficerCPT Christopher Parker, Operations OfficerCSM Christopher LuchsingerSSG Bryan Tull, Assignments EditorSSG Lisa Simunaci, Layout & DesignSSG Paul Roberts, Photographer

SSG Kevin McSwain, ContributorSSG Steve Reeves, Writer/PhotographerSGT Kade Miller, Proofreader2LT Carolyn Nielsen, ContributorSGT Samantha Hamilton, Contributor

Additional contributions from: 129th Mobile Public Affairs DetachmentMAJ Wayne Asscherick, CommanderCPT Amber SymondsCPT Sam OttoSSG Jackie Fitzgerald, NCOICSpc. Donald WilliamsSgt. Mark VanGerpen

124th Mobile Publid Affairs DetachmentSgt. Michael Urive

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faces of golden coyoteSpc. Paulina WentworthMissouri National Guard

Role at Golden Coyote: Ensures meals are prepared on time and cooked to safety and health standards. She also makes sure there is enough food to serve in garrison and in the field.

News Briefs:

Gym hours setCamp Rapid Gym is now open in Building 500. Bring ID and room key for access and sign a one-time waiver. Hours are 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Chapel servicesCatholic and Protestant weekend services will be in the chapel, Building 450, this weekend. Saturday services are 4 p.m. for Catholic Mass and 6 p.m. for a Protestant service. Sunday Mass is at 7 :15 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Protestant service is at 8 a.m.

Army birthday Celebrate the Army’s 239th birthday with a cake-cutting ceremony at the Camp Rapid Dining Facility at 6 p.m.

Blood driveDonate blood in the an-nual blood drive near the Camp Rapid Troop Medical Clinic from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday or 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday. To schedule an appointment call (605) 737-6981.

Pvt. Christina Køster of the Danish Home Guard dons a Viking Helmet one of the Guard’s sections brought with them to South Dakota. Soldiers meet each night to nominate who should hold the title for the next day. Køster earned the helmet for doing something special to stand out from the group. Soldiers who make a big difference, or sometimes those who make a silly mistake, may find themselves with the title of Viking, if only for a day. Photo By Hélène Mogensen, Danish Home Guard Public Affairs.

Viking of the day

Spc. Toni Maxwell, a food special-ist with HHC 110th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade from Kansas City, Mo., pours carrots into a large pan in prepara-tion for the evening meal. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Paul Roberts

Dishing it up

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It looks like a video game, but the skills it teaches could mean the

difference between life and death in the real world. Military personnel going through the virtual-convoy-operations train-ing during Golden Coyote 2014 take advantage of the high-tech simulator to hone their convoy skills in a challenging but safe environment. “We try to make it as real world as possible,” said Staff Sgt. Mi-

chael Kroells, a range safety officer with the South Dakota National Guard Training Center. “You never know when you’re going to end up on a convoy while you’re deployed. No matter what service branch you’re in, you need to know convoy operations.” Members of the 28th Communi-cations Squadron from Ellsworth Air Force Base took part in the training and for many of them, it was their first experience in a convoy. “Air Force personnel deploy

overseas and a lot of the times they find themselves on a convoy,” Kroells said. “The virtual trainer provides the skills necessary to be successful on convoy ops. It’s defi-nitely worth its weight in gold.” The virtual trainer is housed inside a trailer that looks ordinary from the outside. But the inside is packed with high-tech computer equipment. There are four simu-lated Humvee stations, each with a place for a driver and gunner. Trainees wear visors with a digi-tal display that simulates a driving

mission with condi-tions similar to those found in Iraq or Af-ghanistan. The NCO in charge of the simulator controls the condi-tions of the missions, such as the number of enemy combatants. The trainees commu-nicate with one another over radios and coor-dinate movement and reacting under fire. “It’s as real as it gets in training,” Kroells said. “Here they can train in a safe environ-ment before taking those skills to the next level.” Senior Airman Luis Peralta, a communica-tions specialist with the 28th Communications Squadron, was the

convoy leader during his rotation in the simulator. He said he felt the training was invaluable. “It really shows how teamwork and communication are important to completing a successful convoy op,” Peralta said. “You have to talk to one another and trust one another if you want to get the job done and this simulator allows you to build teamwork skills.”

Convoy operations go virtualStory and photo by Staff Sgt. Steve Reeves314th Press Camp Headquarters

The virtual convoy trainer allows military members to get realistic convoy ops training in a high-tech simulator.

Cake cutting at Camp RapidJune 14 at 6 p.m. in the DFAC