Service-member Athletes Exercise Sustainable Infrastructure Story and Photos By: Staff Sgt. Anthony Housey Camp Ripley Public Affiars Office

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1 The Ripley Reporter Vol. 7, Issue 3 Service-member Athletes Exercise Sustainable Infrastructure Story and Photos By: Staff Sgt. Anthony Housey Camp Ripley Public Affiars Office Soldiers and Airmen of the National Guard in the Central Region consisting of N.D., S.D., Minn., Ind., Wis., Iowa and Ohio arrived at Camp Ripley to compete in the National Guard Regional Biathlon Feb 7-8, Everyone is very excited to get out and train before the races, said Master Sgt. Patricia Bienusa, assistant timing official for the Biathlon. The amount of snow and conditions of the trails are really getting everyone enthused about the event, she added. The Viking Trail and F Range of the Biathlon course have been serviced and maintained since the beginning of the season by the staff at Camp Ripley. The trails have been in high demand for use by recreational skiers and competing athletes. Local high school teams have been using the trails for years; often contracting three meets a year on post, said Mr. James Krousey, department of military affairs liaison for post operations. Day one of the meets consisted of a welcoming orientation and billeting assignments as well as a short safety briefing. Competitors from out of state took the opportunity to orientate themselves to Camp Ripley and the many miles of trails throughout the training area. (Continued on Pg. 2) In This Issue Central Region Biathlon PAGE 2 Winter Warrior Sled Dog Race PAGE 3-4 Around Camp Ripley PAGE 5 MNARNG Environmental PAGE 6-7 Food Service Conferance PAGE 8 AHATS Online PAGE 9 Safety & Awareness PAGE 10

2 The Ripley Reporter Page 2 (Continued from Pg. 1) Multiple iterations of the races have given Camp Ripley the ability to operate a well organized and coordinated event. Yearround operations and annual utilization of Camp Ripley s ranges and services are crucial to optimize the capabilities of the Minnesota National Guard and partnering agencies, said Maj. Joe Sanganoo, operations officer for Camp Ripley. We ve done many events like this and we have it down to a science, said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Roger Sorben, chief timing official for the biathlon. Meeting our mission requirements, while enhancing partnerships throughout the communities in which we serve, is a great way to ensure a high return on our training dollars, said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Marie Festler, Camp Ripley logistics officer. Minnesota National Guard Facebook pages:

3 The Ripley Reporter Page 3 Winter Activities Keep the Mission Running Photos and story by: Staff Sgt. Anthony Housey Camp Ripley Public Affairs Office CAMP RIPLEY, Minn. The 53,000 acres of prairie wilderness, dense forest and continuous trails were the setting for the Winter Warrior Sled Dog Race held Feb.15-16, 2014 on Camp Ripley. For many years the Camp Ripley Training Area has been the safest and most accommodating controlled environment for military and civilian agencies to conduct full spectrum operations, said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Dan Bednarek. The usefulness of this environment for sporting events such as the Winter Warrior Sled Dog Race, and many others, has proven how it benefits the community, he added. For the second year in a row, the North Star Sled Dog Club has used the trails throughout Camp Ripley training areas for competition in 3 to 45 mile races. Although generally open to the public, the areas north of post are for training purposes and are closed for external use. (Continued on Pg. 4) Service Members Are Encouraged to Utilize the Battle Buddy System On and Off Post! Minnesota Army National Guard J1 Education Tuition Assistance Staff: Education Services NCOIC - SGM Jody Courts Federal Tuition Assistance Manager - SFC Robyn Major Education Services Specialist - Amber Manke Contact Info: ng.mn.mnarng.mbx.assets-education@mail.mil Website: Facebook: Education General Help Desk Line:

4 The Ripley Reporter Page 4 (Continued on Pg. 4) Most events are held along state trails accessible to snowmobilers and skiers and occasionally, the trails will cross roads which cause a safety hazard for the racers and their teams, said Bob Bzdok, musher from Rice, Minn. The two-day event is just one of a variety of activities conducted during the winter around Central Minnesota. Many of the activities that take place on Camp Ripley are not only available for Service-members and their families, but open to the public as well. It s exciting to be a part of the crowd and cheer on the teams, said Staff Sgt. Tim Krouth of the Camp Ripley Visitors Bureau. We don t get too many opportunities to see a sport like this in action locally, added Krouth. Of course, the dogs are the most popular aspect of the sport, but we could not have made the event happen without the support of the Camp Ripley staff, said Mrs. Sally Bair, North Star Sled Dog Club. With the coordination from Camp Ripley staff and continuous maintenance conducted by the roads and grounds department, the trails and staging areas were ready for the event despite the changing weather conditions. The beautiful, snow-covered trails along the Mississippi on Camp Ripley are groomed and the mushers are geared up for a fantastic weekend of competition, said Mrs. Sally Bair. Although the North Star Sled Dog Club has organized races in Minnesota since the 1960s, the Winter Warrior Race, part of the Spirit of the North competition circuit, is new to Morrison County and offers an exciting activity venue for Service-members and civilians alike.

5 The Ripley Reporter Page 5 Around Camp Ripley CAMP RIPLEY PX - AAFES Hours of Operation Monday - CLOSED Tuesday - Thursday 1000 to 1700 Friday & Saturday to 2000 (Depending on units on post) Sunday 0900 to 1400 Also located on Camp Ripley! Weekly Sales and Promotions Visit History at Minnesota Military Museum Winter Hours October - April Open Thursdays & Fridays 9-4 except national holidays See our Volunteer Handbook to learn more about the museum and about volunteer opportunities. If interested, contact us at: connect@mnmilitarymuseum.org or call Also see our list of dedicated volunteers.

6 The Ripley Reporter Page 6 Do You need a DA Photo? DA photos can be scheduled with SSG. Anthony Housey Camp Ripley Public Affiars Anthony.a.housey.mil@mail.mil or da and command photos taken in bldg inquire with room 1170 DA/Command Photo Studio Across from the ID Card Office in bldg Mondays Closed, Tuesday-Thursday by Appointment Friday Walk-In (CAC Card required) Environmental Team Achievement Celebration! Story by: Marty Skoglund Environmental Program Manager Having just received word that the Minnesota Army National Guard (MNARNG) has won the 2013 Secretary of the Army Environmental Quality Team Award, the office is buzzing with excitement. Meanwhile, this accomplishment has propelled the team into competition for the same award but at the Department of Defense level. While these are exciting times for the entire office, the award process gives me a reason to reflect back on all the hard work and dedication from all members of the environmental team. Individually, each member offers a technical skill for which they eat, sleep, and breathe. These skills provide the foundation for the team which works in collaboration to address a myriad of environmental challenges and opportunities for the MNARNG. (Continued on Pg. 7) Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB)

7 The Ripley Reporter Page 7 (Continued from Pg. 6) In looking back I would like to highlight some of the most noteworthy accomplishments in 2012 and 2013 that led to the team s success: Establishment of three new online training courses for the MNARNG Learning Management System; Developed a proposal for a biomass district heating system for Camp Ripley covering 7 buildings and subsequently displacing approximately 14,000 million cubic feet of natural gas usage; Completed the first Minnesota National Guard Joint Sustainability Master Plan, which provides an integrated approach toward achieving Net Zero in the areas of energy, water, and solid waste in conjunction with the Minnesota National Guard s Campaign Plan; Launched MNARNG s Sustainability Working Group, which is pursuing a variety of renewable energy alternatives for MNARNG facilities; Hosted hunting and fishing events for Disabled American Veterans and recently deployed Soldiers as a token of appreciation for their service; Made 400 presentations to about 10,000 individuals as part of MNARNG s environmental and community outreach programs; Prepared the Department of Military Affairs State Sustainability Plan to meet a state mandate regarding pollution prevention; Supervised phase two of the Operational Range assessment (ORA) for Camp Ripley with no negative findings; Updated the Camp Ripley Well Head Protection Plan representing one of the first updates in Minnesota. The team s new format for a wellhead protection plan is viewed as a model by the Minnesota Department of Health....joining the Army National Guard has been one of the best decisions I have made in my life, and I can t imagine how bland my life would be without it, said Minnesota Biathlon Team member, Spc. Jake Dalberg. Staff Sgt. Joshua T. Derheimer Recruiting & Retention NCO Camp Ripley Office Minnesota Army National Guard or

8 The Ripley Reporter Page 8 Army Food Service Personnel Train to Taste at Camp Ripley Story By: Warrent Officer Paul Erickson CAMP RIPLEY, Minn. - Over 80 food service personnel from across the state attended the 2014 Food Service Workshop on Camp Ripley Feb 22-23, This is the first event like this in a decade and will not be the last by any means, Commented Warrant Officer Paul Erickson food program manager and food service advisor for Joint Force Headquarters. The two day event began with the annual food service management board. The board meets every year to discuss menu changes for the state s weekend drills and annual training events. The board also announced the winner of the first annual state Philip A. Connelly competition. This is a three-stage competition for Active Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard. The competition begins at the state level and then moves on to a regional competition. This year s participants were Staff Sgt. Ben Evenson from D Co 134 Brigade Support Battalion in Duluth and Sgt. 1st Class Kailey Carlson from E Co Aviation Support Battalion at the St Paul Airport. This was also the first time that there were two teams competing to go to Regions. Both received a Sergeant s-major coin from the senior food service manager from the 34th Infantry Division Sgt. Maj. Howard Haider. We are looking forward to the Regional Competition and since the award is a traveling Trophy, we ll ultimately be defending to keep the trophy at the St. Paul Airport next year, said Sgt. 1st Class Carlson. Sgt. Maj. Haider was also one of the judges for the state competition awarding E Co ASB the trophy from the State Food Program Manager Warrant Officer Paul Erickson. The workshop continued with classes on administrative paperwork, field operations, equipment certification and maintenance; along with instruction on the food service automation program. This is just one of many tools we hope to place in a toolbox of success for our food sections across the state, said Master Sgt. Ristau one of the instructors and senior food operations sergeant for the 347 Regional Support Group. family-assistancecenters Camp Ripley Family Assistance Center Hwy 115 Little Falls, MN tami.l.klucas.ctr@mail.

9 The Ripley Reporter Page 9 AHATS Arden Hills Army Training Site is now on Facebook AHATS serves as a local training area (LTA) for all military services stationed in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metropolitan area. In addition, AHATS serves as the training area for local civilian and law enforcement agencies. Visit the Arden Hills Army Training Site. For military units and civilian agencies, the AHATS facility is avalible to help meet your training need. For more information contact Staff Sgt. Janice Hawkins, AHATS Training Area Coordinator at (651)

10 The Ripley Reporter Page 10 Safety is our number one priority! Identifying and managing risk is our focus. Whether you are here at Camp Ripley to conduct training or as an employee in a maintenance shop, this information is for you. The Safety office can help with risk management worksheets, workplace training, regulatory guidance, as well as assist with risk trending found here on Camp Ripley. Our Strategic goals are as follows: 1) Incident and Risk Reduction a. Identify baseline incident numbers by type b. Set realistic incident reduction goals for CRTC and AHATS 2) Conduct Safety and Occupational Health Inspections 3) Range Operations Safety a. Continuous refinement of process and implementation of reasonable, rational safeguards b. Effectively track downrange incidents for lessons learned and future mitigation, where possible 4) Safety Training a. Ensure availability of training packages through all available means 5) Vehicle Safety a. General Military b. Motorcycle Safety 6) Safety Awards 7) Transparent, combined efforts of all safety entities; i.e., State Safety, DMA safety, environmental safety Service Members Are Encouraged to Utilize the Battle Buddy System On and Off Post! The Ripley Reporter is a publication of the Camp Ripley Public Affairs Office. The views and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily express or reflect the views and opinions of The Department of Defense, the State of Minnesota, the Minnesota National Guard, The Adjutant General or the Camp Ripley Post Commander. Don t get complacent this winter. Stay alert, stay alive!