The National Guard’s birthday has been nationally recognized as December 13th. Even though this day is not a federal holiday, it is an opportunity to recognize the National Guard’s role in the defense of the nation as well as its history. The significance of this day is that it marks the beginning of organized militia and the beginning of the country’s oldest military units. On December 13, 1636, the Massachusetts Bay Colony organized its militia members into three different divisions in order to defend their colony. This was the first time that a village militia was divided into divisions in America. For the state of South Dakota, the National Guard origins date back to 1862 as part of the Dakota Territory.

This year marks the 388th birthday of the National Guard. One of the unique aspects of the National Guard is that it is the only military entity that holds a dual-mission on both the federal and state levels. The federal mission for the National Guard consists of maintaining trained and equipped units that are readily available should the need arise for war or national emergency. The state mission allows the Governor the right to call upon its own state National Guard units in times of natural disasters or domestic emergencies.

South Dakota’s National Guard consists of 4,200 available Soldiers and Airmen and resides in 22 communities across the state. Wagner is home to the 155th Engineer Company. Wagner’s National Guard unit is made up of both vertical and horizontal engineers. Vertical engineers typically work on projects that involve building tall structures such as skyscrapers and high rises; whereas horizontal engineers focus on projects that tend to be spread out across the ground such as roads, bridges, and other large scale infrastructure development.

The Wagner 155th ENCO unit is comprised of 140 soldiers. Thank you all for your service.