By Scout Nelson
Four faculty members from Dickinson State University recently took part in a unique educational experience with the North Dakota Army National Guard. As part of the annual Educators Tour, Stefanie Aulner, Tracie O'Donnell, Danielle Harper, and Tim Daniel joined over 70 educators statewide at Camp Grafton, near Devils Lake.
The purpose of this tour was to give educators a closer look at the opportunities available for students through military service. The group began their day early with a scenic helicopter flight aboard a Black Hawk from Dickinson to the training site.
At Camp Grafton, participants received a mission briefing and safety instructions from National Guard personnel. They were then guided by Staff Sgt. Kane, a recruiting officer, to their first physical challenge—rappelling from a 35-foot tower. All four DSU participants completed the rappel, with O’Donnell and Harper even choosing to do it a second time. Harper demonstrated a sideways rappel on her second descent.
After the physical training, the group sampled a traditional military Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE), which included a meal heater, orange drink, and some interesting chewing gum. The experience gave participants a taste of what soldiers eat in the field.
The afternoon focused on digital combat training. Educators participated in a virtual weapons simulator, where they handled different simulated weapons like a grenade launcher, .50-caliber machine gun, AR-15, and 9 mm handgun. A target test wrapped up the session.
The day concluded with a high-speed ride on the Guard’s bridge erection boats, capable of spinning and reaching speeds of up to 36 mph.
Before flying back to Dickinson, participants gathered for a photo and a final debriefing session.
“The experience was not only exciting but incredibly eye-opening,” said Aulner. “It gave us a much deeper appreciation for the training, discipline and resources our National Guard offers and how those can translate into meaningful career and educational paths for our students.”
The DSU team expressed gratitude to the National Guard and encouraged other educators to participate in future events.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-zoran-zeremski
Categories: North Dakota, Business