Reporter The Ripley

Camp Ripley, Minnesota October 2021

The Ripley

Reporter Vol. 14, Issue 10

MNDOT Plows Forward

HRC 'Defends' at Ft. McCoyPlanting for the Future

Minnesota Medic Serves, Volunteers

Camp Ripley Open House

September 20, 2021(Camp Ripley) — Camp Ripley daily hosts those who serve and protect our great nation. This often includes the men and women of law enforcement.

Training on here prepares them to combat harm. In some cases, their training for something completely different.

The Law Enforcement Memorial Association (LEMA) began their funeral honors training, preparing for bereavement and the formal respecting of the lost.

LEMA is an organization devoted to honoring the fallen men and women of law enforcement. They were established in 1974 and have continued their time-honored tradition of paying respect to those who devoted their life to the thin blue line.

LEMA provides bereavement support and planning for those lost in the line of duty and assists agencies in bereavement planning for retiree funeral services. The organization also serves a mission of improving public relations with the law enforcement field by performing honor guard events at ball games and major events. “The goal of LEMA is to be a solid ambassador for law enforcement,” said MN LEMA President, Brian V. Hubbard.

For five days in September LEMA trained law enforcement agencies from multiple states during their annual Honor Camp training. 30 LEMA volunteers trained roughly 63 individuals from 18 state and local law enforcement agencies.

The training included marching, formations, colors, memorial and funeral planning, flag folding, burials and 21-gun salutes.

This training prepares departments to perform funeral services for their own department whether for Line of Duty deaths or retired officer deaths.

Though, a somber reality, the death of our protectors is made more honorable and respectful in thanks to the devotion of LEMA in training law enforcement organizations in the formal memorialization of the departed. To find out more about LEMA and their mission go to https://mnlema.org.


Ripley Reporter Page 2

Respecting the FallenBy: OC Andrew WensmannCamp Ripley JVB

In This IssueRespecting the FallenPg. 2

Third Annual Planting for the Future eventPg. 3,4

MNDOT Plows ForwardPg. 5

Camp Ripley Hosts Open House Honoring Native AmericansPg. 6,7

Education BenefitsPg.8

Minnesota Medic Serves, Volunteers for his CommunityPg. 8,9

Minnesota Unit 'Defends' During Training at Fort McCoyPg. 9, 10

Ripley’s Community CalendarPg. 11

Camp Ripley SafetyPg. 12

September 23, 2021 (CAMP RIPLEY, Minnesota) – Members of the Minnesota National Guard, Camp Ripley employees and Norwegian Home Guard Soldiers welcomed high school students and tribal members to Camp Ripley, Sept. 21, 2021, for a day of cultural exchange during the third annual Planting for the Future event. “This event is an evolution of ideas from our annual Native American consultation and student sage harvest,” said Patrick Neumann, Cultural Resources Manager for Camp Ripley. “It has become a great opportunity to share experiences with our neighbors.”

Juniors and Seniors from Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe arrived at the Amphitheater near the Mississippi River at Camp Ripley to participate in the day’s events.

After a short ceremony led by Terry Kemper, the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, the students, employees and Soldiers split into two groups. Each group had the opportunity to harvest sage and learn basic archery skills.

The Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post provided the equipment for archery and set up a range for the students and soldiers. Additional staff from the Minnesota Historical Society Forest History Center provided a hands-on demonstration and lessons for the participants.

“It’s always a rewarding experience to host students and introduce them to natural resources and stewardship projects at Camp Ripley,” said Katie Retka, a Natural Resource Specialist at Camp Ripley. “Bringing in additional partners that support cultural resources and outdoor recreation has a meaningful impact for all.”

Less than one percent of the tall grass prairie that once stretched across central and southern Minnesota remains today. Camp Ripley has several thousand acres of grassland communities that serve as a representative sample of a tall grass


Ripley Reporter Page 3Third Annual Planting for the Future on Camp RipleyBy: Spc. Michaela DahlenCamp Ripley Public Affairs



Conitnued from Pg. 3)

For years, Camp Ripley has been conducting prairie restoration near the Amphitheater. The site offers the perfect location to increase understanding of the sacred roles plants have in Native American culture.

“To those who live in the traditional way, there are four plants which are especially revered and used in daily living. The creator taught us to use the natural herbs of sage, sweetgrass, tobacco and cedar smoke as a physical reminder to them of this omnipotent presence. It is the sacred way,” according to the Anishinaabemowin website.

The sage harvested during the event will go back to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and used for ceremonies throughout the year.

Once the sage harvest was complete, everyone came together to enjoy lunch. The meal for the day was a traditional Native American dish of bison, wild rice and fruit prepared by Native Food Perspective.

Camp Ripley Garrison Commander Col. Josh Simer and Norwegian Home Guard Soldiers were invited to join Kemper around the drum to learn about Ojibwe culture and its importance.

Kemper also invited students to join in singing to accompany the drum during the closing ceremony and traveling song.

Personnel are encouraged to use the BATTLE BUDDY system on and off post.

@campripley

@mncampripley


Ripley Reporter Page 5MNDOT Plows ForwardBy: OC Andrew WensmannCamp Ripley JVB

September 22nd, 2021 (Camp Ripley, Minnesota) — Minnesota boasts some of the most extreme weather in the United States. From 100 plus degree days to 50 below nights and from extreme drought to snow-packed winters, Minnesota has them all.

We weather all these extremes and keep the state moving forward. To do this, various support tasks must be completed. One example is clearing the wind froze and snow-covered roads of the hard northern winters. This is no easy task, but the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) stands ready.

In September and October each year Camp Ripley has a rodeo of heavily equipped trucks and hundreds of cones, barriers, and road signs. These are not military vehicles nor military training that we’re describing.

These heavily equipped trucks host a different kind of equipment than the usual armor plating and weaponry that Camp Riley sees the other ten months of the year. These trucks are orange and they host their own unique weapons designed to combat Minnesota winters. They are, of course, the trucks of Minnesota’s elite winter road clearing team; MNDOT snowplows.

For two weeks the men and women of MNDOT’s winter road clearing team attend classroom, simulator and practical driving courses to prepare them to be safe and effective on Minnesota’s roads.

“The training is designed to teach new snowplow operators on the safe, proper, and efficient operation of MNDOT’s snowplows,” said Maintenance Training Coordinator, Rick Shomion.

This allows MNDOT’s team to be well prepared in ensuring both civilian safety and their safety while making roads clear and avoiding property damage.

The course at Camp Ripley has been completed annually since 2004, except for last year’s COVID-19 cancelation.

According to Shomion “The training takes place at Camp Ripley because the location is centrally located for all of the state. Plus, Camp Ripley has all the amenities necessary for training.”

Camp Ripley is happy to host them each year and hopes that they can continue to assist in ensuring that MNDOT’s over 800 plows and 1200 snowplow operators are safe and effective in completing their mission of making Minnesota’s harsh winter roads ready for travel.



September 19, 2021 (CAMP RIPLEY, Minnesota) – Camp Ripley hosted its Open House over the weekend. The event, which occurs every two years, gives the public an opportunity to experience military life for a day.

The Open house is a great tradition that has been running for 30 years.

“This is one of our most significant events welcoming the communities inside the gates for a look at what Camp Ripley and the Minnesota National Guard are all about,” said Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Shane Haugen, Camp Ripley visitors’ bureau director.

The Open House and Community Appreciation event showcases the equipment used by the National Guard and the inter-agency partners that utilize the 53,000-acre state facility. This year’s theme was honoring Native American Veterans.

The theme allowed the base to continue to build on existing relationships with Native people.

“The goal for today is to open our doors to our friends and neighbors,” said Maj. Rachel Tarrats, the Training Support Unit’s Administration Officer. “To show you a little bit of what happens here.”

During a ceremony, the installation recognized the contributions made by men and women, both past and present and the lineage of the “Warrior Spirit” in Minnesota.

The ceremony opened with an F16 Fighting Falcon fly over and the singing of the National Anthem.Tarrats took to the podium to introduce the Honor Guard teams, Cedar Lake Drum team, a Spiritual Advisor and key Minnesota National Guard Leaders. Charlie Smith, Fond Du Lac Spiritual Advisor, performed an invocation.

“When I was 19 years-old, my father and other veterans asked me to learn our language and culture so that I am able to do ceremonies for our community,” said Smith.

Smith then began to translate his prayer for the audience.

“I offered my tobacco each of the Anishinaabe, Ojibwe tradition to each of the spirits. East, south, west, north, each layer of the sky and the ground. After they accepted the tobacco, I asked the spirits to help our veterans,” said Smith. Following the invocation, the Cedar Creek Drum Team began performing various songs including a song for veterans as the Honor Guard teams from Fond Du Lac Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa, Leech Lake band of the Ojibwe and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe marched in ceremonial flags.

Col. Joshua Simer, Camp Ripley Garrison Commander and Lt. Col. Eduardo Suarez, Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the Minnesota National Guard, each had an opportunity to speak before Smith began the benediction.

The event included approximately 50 vendors with displays from groups such as Military One Source, American Hero’s Outdoors and Disabled American Veterans. There were also activities for children and adults such as static displays of vehicles and equipment, providing an inside look at what service men and women use daily.

In addition, there was games and HMMWV rides available for young kids.

Across the open house grounds, tracked, wheeled, fixed wing and rotary wing vehicles were displayed along with civilian emergency response vehicles such as fire trucks. At each military vehicle, a group of Soldiers and Airmen patiently answered questions from both children and adults.

“We love being able to see the equipment and watching Jack explore,” said Becca, from Sartell, Minnesota.

Along with the ceremony and the static displays, there was also live music played by the 34th Red Bull Infantry Division’s Country Band and a vintage car show.

At the end of the 4-hour event, an estimated 6,000 guests visited Camp Ripley to participate in the Open House and Community Appreciation Day.

Camp Ripley Hosts Open House Honoring Native AmericansBy: Sgt. Mahsima AlkamoonehCamp Ripley Public Affairs





Minnesota medic serves, volunteers for his community By: Sgt. Sebastian NemecCamp Ripley Public Affairs

Education BenefitsMinnesota National Guard

September 17, 2021 (COTTAGE GROVE, Minnesota) — A love of military medicine started from an early age and became a military career for 26 years and for the Minnesota National Guard’s Office of the State Surgeon’s noncommissioned officer in charge, U.S. Army Master Sgt. Samuel Williams.

Williams developed and trained Soldiers as well as future civilian medical students through the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) program.

“I love engaging the students,” he said. “It is so fun to see that light come on as they think about ‘Wow, maybe I want to do this.’”

For two years, Williams has instructed at the HOSA’s Scrubs camp, an immersive healthcare career exploration camp where students across Minnesota can learn about different opportunities in medicine, including with the Minnesota National Guard.

“My slice of the pie is the military medicine,” he said.

(Continued on Pg. 9)

(Continued from Pg. 8)

He teaches students how to conduct a combat casualty assessment with mannequins that replicate what could happen on the battlefield. Some students find it exciting, but it isn’t for everyone. For those interested in a Minnesota National Guard medical career, recruiters are available to explain the benefits of serving.

Williams began his career as a combat medic. After serving ten years on active duty, he returned to the Minnesota National Guard and deployed to Iraq. In 2011, he started his career as an Active Guard Reserve Soldier medical instructor at the 175th Regional Training Institute.

He became interested in medicine through caring for others, particularly his brother, growing up. And he had a fascination with the workings of organisms.

Williams will soon be retiring from the Minnesota National Guard but will continue to contribute to his community through mentoring youth, being a foster parent, and a member of the board for Bread to the Nations.



September 10, 2021 (FORT MCCOY, Wisconsin) — In a garrison environment, human-resource specialists in the Army Reserve and National Guard are known for their office work and administrative tasks. On the battlefield, those same service members are Soldiers first.

And as Soldiers first, they may be required to perform base defense operations and more along with their other military occupational specialties.

“Typically, that’s not what people think a human-resources unit does. But it is very important for Soldiers to have basic Soldier skills. So this summer, we’re training a lot on those skills,” said 2nd Lt. Gabriela Marick, a human-resources officer with the 147th Human Resources Company (HRC) of the Minnesota National Guard.

Soldiers with the 147th HRC practiced responding to realistic training scenarios planned by observer-coach/trainers (OC/Ts) during the 78th Training Division’s Combat Support Training Exercise (CSTX) 78-21-04 on an improved tactical training base at Fort McCoy in August.

Capt. Takeisha Hunt, commander of the 147th HRC, said CSTX provided the opportunity for her Soldiers to practice skills they would need in case of deployment. They trained on skills including a postal mission, casualty liaison team mission, and various base defense missions that incorporated securing an entry control point.

Soldiers reacted to several indirect fire situations and learned how to respond to civilians on the battlefield, navigate convoy lanes, conduct military operations in urban terrain and breach buildings, said Sgt. 1st. Class Patrick Kruse, an OC/T with the 3rd Battalion, 309th Regiment.

Minnesota Unit 'defends' During Training at Fort McCoy By: Staff Sgt. Brigitte Morgan354th Mobile Public Affairs Office


Ripley Reporter Page 10(Continued from Pg. 9)

Kruse said he was impressed with how much improvement the 147th has made during the exercise.

“There’s no substitute for realism and training. … You practice like you play, and this kind of training is paramount to properly training Soldiers to go into country,” Kruse said. “What I’ve been most proud of with 147th is their communication plan. It’s amazing to see how creative … the units are and what they are capable of coming up with.”

Kruse said when Soldiers arrived and began setting up an entry control point, their communication plan was very rudimentary.

“They would essentially scream back and forth at each other, and now they have a very sophisticated communication plan that employs radios,” said Kruse.

After every training scenario, OC/Ts would facilitate conversations, known as after-action reviews, for Soldiers to discuss what went right and what improvements they could make in the future.

“(The OC/Ts) have been great. They’ve been providing constant feedback, and they’ve really challenged us with different scenarios and challenged us to think about things in a different way, outside the box,” said Marick.

One of the goals of CSTX is to empower junior leaders with the authorities and permissions they need to successfully lead and train their Soldiers.

“I was the Officer in charge of shift (at the entry control point) this morning, and there was a lot going on,” Marick said.

Marick’s team reacted to Soldiers playing the role of enemy forces, known as the opposition force, engaging in small-arms fire. Within minutes, she radioed the situation to the tactical operations center, gave directions to her team to return fire, gave medical support to injured civilians and requested additional support from the quick reaction force.

“This is one of the more realistic trainings that I’ve ever experienced,” said Spc. Cheyenne Kumar, a human resource specialist with the Training Support Unit of Camp Ripley, Minn., who trained with the 147th HRC. “We even did a video simulation (…) where we actually got in the Humvees and drove around. If we saw enemies, then we would call it up to our chain of command, get out, and return fire.”

The 78th Training Division, in charge of this iteration of CSTX, focused on providing Soldiers with realistic training scenarios for the 147th HRC and thousands of other Soldiers from across the Army Reserve to prepare them to mobilize quickly and win the future fight.

“My Soldiers have taken on (base defense operations), and they just went right into that mission,” said Hunt. “I will say this is the highest moral that I’ve ever seen in a company, and I can’t attribute that to me. Just the fact that I have amazing Soldiers in my unit who are willing to follow me and first sergeant into any battle, whether it’s human resources or combat.”


Ripley Reporter Page 11Monthly Themes:

Key Events:

Camp RipleyDEERS/Rapids ID Card

Office

Contract Dining Facility Hours & Costs Breakfast - 0600 to 0745 - $8.25 Lunch - 1130 to 1300 - $8.25 Dinner - 1630 to 1830 - $8.25

CDF Contact info: Contracting Officer Representative 320-616-3173

Pequot Lakes Fish Fry

Pequot Lakes Fish Fry

Suchi Night at Prairie Bay

Happy Hour for a Cause

Trivia Night

07 08 09

10 11 12 13 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 23

24 25 26 27 2928 30

31

14

0605

22

Kids Painting Class at Kicks Crosslake

Kids Painting Class at Kicks Crosslake

Trivia Night 6 pm - 8 pm

Burger NightFamily Skate Night

Nisswa Legion Bingo Night




8 x 8 Art Auction 8 x 8 Art Auction

Late night entertainment

Fall Concert

Trekking the Trails

Trekking the Trails

@Manhattans 1-4

Mexican @Pequot Legion

Nisswa Christmas Home Tour

Meat Raffle Crosslake

01 02

03 04

Andy's Seafood Raffle Saturday

Andy's Seafood Raffle Saturday

Meat Raffle @50 Lakes


Ripley Reporter Page 12Camp Ripley Safety

Do you, your family or your co-workers know what to do during a fire in your home or workplace? October is National Fire Safety Month with October 3rd – 9th designated as fire prevention week by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The U.S. Fire Administration estimates there were 1,900 fire fatalities and 7,000 injuries resulting from home fires in 2019. In Minnesota, the majority or 86.9% of Fire Departments, are volunteer which reduces the reaction time to a fire. During the month of October, take time to ensure your family and co-workers are prepared in the event of a fire. Below are some simple steps you can take to ensure you are ready during a fire incident.

1. Smoke Alarms - These are inexpensive devices that should be installed on every level of your home at a minimum. NFPA recommends that a combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarm be placed on every level of your home to include the basement and garage. NFPA also recommends that a smoke detector be placed inside and outside each bedroom to keep your family safe. Remember to check your batteries and test smoke alarms once a month.

2. Fire Extinguishers – You should have a fire extinguisher in the bedroom, living room, kitchen, basement, and garage. Inspect your fire extinguishers monthly, as you want this to work when needed. The best fire extinguisher for your home is one with a rating of 2A 10BC; often labeled as A-B-C.

3. Electrical Outlets – Don’t overload a circuit or extension cord with multi-strip outlets. Never place a cord in high-traffic area or under anything. Ensure you have a secure connection to the wall outlet, as a poor connection will cause overheating and start a fire.

4. Appliances – Review power consumption ratings to ensure you have it plugged into a proper amperage outlet. Never use a power tool or appliance with a spliced or repaired cord. If the plug or cord is hot to the touch, you are drawing too much power and need to unplug or shut off the appliance immediately. Every time you use an appliance or tool, inspect for burned markings on the plug, tool, or cord and make repairs prior to using. You may be best off replacing the appliance.

5. Space Heaters – According to NFPA, space heaters are responsible for a third of all home fires and four of five deaths. Keep flammable materials such as bedding, furniture, and curtains at least 3 feet away from the space heater. Turn off space heaters when going to bed. DO NOT use gas or oil-burring space heaters indoors due to risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and greater risk of fire. Do not use an extension cord when operating a space heater.

6. Evacuation Routes – Rehearse evacuation routes with your family. This should include window operation as an alternative escape route. At work, ensure you review your posted emergency evacuation procedures and rehearse annually with your team. Always stay low to the ground to avoid smoke inhalation and check for hot doors before opening.

7. Dryer vents – If your dryer vent tubing is made of anything other than metal, it requires immediate replacement. Clean your lint filter every time you use the dryer and the exhaust tubing twice a year.

8. Holiday Decorating – Inspect the complete wire set and other electrical equipment to ensure there are no frayed or exposed wires.

9. Chemical Storage – Ensure chemicals are stored in areas that provide adequate ventilation. Do not store incompatible chemicals together. If the labels are too small to read, the Safety Data Sheets for most chemicals are available at https://chemicalsafety.com/sds-search/

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