An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | April 13, 2011

North Dakota Guard state partner visits during flood

By North Dakota National Guard

FARGO, N.D. - An eight-year-old partnership took a new step this week as the head of a Ghana disaster organization and a Ghana military leader visited North Dakota.

The North Dakota National Guard forged a relationship with the African country through the Department of Defense-sponsored State Partnership Program, which began for the two partners in 2003.

One of the major geographical similarities between North Dakota and Ghana is a common occurrence of flooding.

Leaders from both sides have learned from one another during visits and workshops. However, this is the first time a trip by Ghana leadership has been planned to North Dakota to coincide with a flood response.

Kofi Portuphy serves as the national coordinator for the National Disaster Management Agency, or NADMO. The agency is similar to FEMA, with which he has trained during 15 years in his current role.

Ghana army Col. Isaac Mensah Tetteh, director of land operations at the Ghana Army General Headquarters, is also visiting.

The men started the week visiting senior Guard leaders and touring the Joint Operations Center in Bismarck.

They also learned about the North Dakota National Guard’s use of the geographic information system, toured the State and Local Intelligence Center and visited with members of the 81st Civil Support Team, which is responsible for immediate response to threats in the state.

The visit included an overview and tour at State Radio, the Department of Emergency Services and the Burleigh County and Bismarck Emergency Operations Center, North Dakota Department of Health Incident Command Center and Bismarck State College to discuss their GIS Certification Program with officials there.

Additionally, they were scheduled to tour Joint Task Force-East, the operations center established to manage the response for both the North Dakota Army National Guard and Air National Guard in the eastern portion of the state.

They were expected to travel to areas where Guard members are conducting dike patrols and on 24/7 standby as quick reaction force teams ready to respond to flood emergencies.

The visit was scheduled to conclude with a little North Dakota history and culture Friday at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and Garrison Dam.

 

 

Related Articles
Alaska Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Berg, a UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter pilot, assigned to A Company, 1-168th General Support Aviation Battalion, conducts flight operations over Southeast Alaska near Juneau, Jan. 24, 2025. The Juneau-based Black Hawk aircrew conducts their federal mission training requirements and, when available, can respond to emergency requests by the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center or the State Emergency Operations Center.
Alaska Army National Guard Conducts Medevac Mission
By Dana Rosso, | June 5, 2025
JUNEAUA, Alaska – A UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter assigned to A Company, 1-168th General Support Aviation Battalion, transported a patient from Skagway to Juneau June 3, following a medical evacuation request from the Alaska...

U.S. Air National Guard civilian firefighters, assigned to the Vermont Air National Guard Fire Department, pose in front of the fire truck that was the first on scene, South Burlington, VT, June 4, 2025. These firefighters provided the first fire truck on scene to a local fire.
Vermont Air Guard First on Scene of South Burlington Fire
By Airman Raymond LaChance, | June 4, 2025
SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – Doireann Chesbrough, a civilian firefighter for the Vermont Air National Guard Fire Department, was sitting next to the radio in the dayroom of the station as the sun began to set over the Green...

Paratroopers from the Colorado National Guard and the Jordanian Armed Forces stand together before the first joint Colorado-Jordan airborne Friendship Jump, Watkins, Colorado, April 23, 2025. Members parachuted from a CH-47 Chinook as part of an event to strengthen interoperability and deepen the partnership between the two forces.
Airborne Operation Strengthens Colorado Guard, Jordan Partnership
By Senior Airman Melissa Escobar-Pereira, | June 4, 2025
CENTENNIAL, Colo. – In a display of cooperation and capability, Soldiers from the Colorado Army National Guard and the Jordanian Armed Forces recently conducted a joint airborne operation in Watkins, Colorado.The April 23...