Today is the 167th birthday of the Nebraska National Guard, but the celebration was held yesterday with ceremonies in the Capitol Rotunda that included Governor Pete Ricketts, U-S Senator Deb Fischer, and 2nd-District Congressman Don Bacon.
Ricketts commended the Guard for its service to Nebraska, especially during the 2019 floods and the coronavirus pandemic last year and this year.
. He specifically recognized the Guard for rescuing Nebraskans stranded by the floods and for helping support coronavirus testing and vaccination in the state.
Senator Fischer praised the Guard for continuing its rich tradition of service to Nebraska and its cooperation when the Air Force relocated the 55th Wing to Lincoln while extensive repairs were made to the runway at Offutt Air Force Base.
Bacon, a retired Air Force officer, commanded the 55th in 2011-12 and during deployments to the Middle East. He noted the great relationship between active duty military and the Guard as setting a national example of strong and effective partnership.
Major General Daryl Bohac, the Nebraska National Guard Adjutant General, thanked all the men and women who currently serve or have served in the Guard in both traditional and non-traditional assignments.
Among the non-traditional assignments cited by the general was 137 members supporting the Secretary of State’s office during last year’s primary election by helping local election supervisors who were short-handed because of the pandemic.
The Nebraska National Guard was established on Dec 23, 1854, when Nebraska was still a territory. It currently has about 4,500 members – 3,500 in the Army National Guard and 1,000 in the Air National Guard.