It takes a lot of dedication and determination to get promoted to the top ranks in the South Dakota Army National Guard. But recently, two Wagner soldiers achieved that goal and were promoted in a dual ceremony held at the 211th Engineer Company in Madison, SD.

First Sergeant (1SG) Scott Seiner was promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major (SGM) while Master Sergeant (MSG) Brandon Eggers replaced Seiner as the unit 1SG.

SGM Seiner has held the 1SG position at the 211th for the past 4 years. He began his military career when he joined Co A, 153rd En Bn in Wagner as a combat engineer in January 2001, during his junior year of high school. He attended basic training between his junior and senior years then his Advanced Individual Training after high school graduation. On December 7, 2003, he deployed with Company A, 153rd En Bn to Iraq, returning in March of 2005. He was promoted to SGT at Co A and SSG at the detachment in Winner, SD. When the Wagner/Winner unit reorganized to a Vertical Construction Company a few months later, Seiner transferred to the 211th Engineer Co in Madison so he could remain a Combat Engineer. He held squad leader and platoon sergeant positions in the unit. He was promoted to Master Sergeant in 2020 with the Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) in Sioux Falls and deployed with them to Djibouti, Africa in 2020-2021. Upon his return he accepted the 1SG position with the 211th En Co, which he has held since that time. During his career, Seiner received the German Armed Forces Badge for Weapons Proficiency on a deployment to Germany and was selected as the First Sergeant of the Year for the SD National Guard for FY 2023. He attended the Sergeant Major Academy through 18 months of distance learning and finished with a two week school at the academy in Fort Bliss, Tx, graduating in April 2025. He will now be assigned to the 109th Engineer Battalion in Rapid City.

1SG Eggers began his military career in September, 2007 when he enlisted in the South Dakota National Guard’s 211th Engineer Company in Madison, SD as a Combat Engineer. He deployed to Afghanistan with the 211th on September 18, 2009 and returned on October 7, 2010. He has held all of the NCO leadership positions in the 211th to include Team Leader, Squad Leader, Platoon Sergeant and now First Sergeant. To enhance his career, 1SG Eggers has completed several training schools. He attended Sapper School in 2014 at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, Air Assault School in 2017 in Oregon at the Warrior Training Center and the Basic Military Mountaineer Course in Jericho, Vermont in May of 2019. He also served 2 periods of Active Duty Operational Support (ADOS), a year and a half at Ft. Meade, SD performing logistical support duties in 2016-2017 and at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO where he served on the operational support team in 2018.

Eggers was promoted to MSG in November, 2022 and served at the 153rd En Bn Headquarters in Huron in the Operations and Intelligence fields until his return to the 211th En Co. in June of 2025.

Tradition has it that the soldier leaving the 211th is given a cold shower on his last day. Of course, he doesn’t go willingly, but he does go. Unit members jumped on Seiner and used zip ties to restrain him, then carried him to the showers and turned on the cold water. It’s all in good fun, so 1SG Eggers, you are next!

In civilian life, SGM Seiner works for the Sioux Falls Police Department as a Violent Crimes Detective. He and his wife, Tracy, and their two children live in Brandon.

1SG Eggers farms and ranches with his father and uncle south of Wagner. He and his wife Dacey have 2 children. Dacey is currently a Major in the South Dakota National Guard and is assigned to the Medical Command at Rapid City.

We would be remiss if we didn’t also recognize the families of both of these soldiers. Both soldiers set their goals high but, without family support would probably not have reached those goals. Their wives, children, parents and siblings were there to give both emotional support and to help with the everyday happenings when the soldiers were deployed, attending schools or at weekend drills and summer camps. A career in the military is a family undertaking and everyone involved should be honored for their dedication to their soldier.