Pierre Indian Learning Center Welcomes South Dakota National Guard

PIERRE, S.D. -- Soldiers and Airmen from the South Dakota National Guard visit during breakfast at the Pierre Indian Resource Center here Thursday, June 2, 2011. Pictured from left to right are Airmen First Class Todd Suurmeyer, Staff Sgt. James Reinhardt, Airman First Class Casey Schoellerman, and Cadet Peter Bendorf. Suurmeyer and Schoellerman are both crew chiefs with the South Dakota Air National Guard, while Reinhardt and Bendorf are both from the 1st/147th HHB. The Center opened the campus for 650 Soldiers and Airmen who have been activated as part of flood relief efforts along the Missouri River. (SDNG photo by Capt. Michael Frye) (RELEASED)

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Pierre Indian Learning Center Welcomes South Dakota National Guard

PIERRE, S.D. -- Airmen from the South Dakota Air National Guard gather outside the Pierre Indian Learning Center as they prepare for their next shift filling sandbags and providing traffic control operations throughout the Pierre and Fort Pierre communities Tuesday, May 31, 2011. To date more than 300 Airmen from the South Dakota Air National Guard have been activated to assist with flood relief efforts along the Missouri River. (SDNG photo by Capt. Michael Frye) (RELEASED)

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Pierre Indian Learning Center Welcomes South Dakota National Guard

PIERRE, S.D. -- Master Sgt. Eric Wollan, right, from the 114th Fighter Wing Safety office, and Staff Sgt. Joe Wiskur, from the 114th Fighter Wing Aviation Resource Management office, browse the internet while off duty at the Pierre Indian Learning Center Internet Cafe Wednesday, June 1, 2011.The Center opened the campus for 650 Soldiers and Airmen who have been activated as part of flood relief efforts along the Missouri River. (SDNG photo by Capt. Michael Frye) (RELEASED)

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Pierre Indian Learning Center Welcomes South Dakota National Guard

Published June 3, 2011
By Capt. Michael Frye
114th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

PIERRE, S.D. -- When the call went out to the South Dakota National Guard Soldiers and Airmen to report to the Pierre and Fort Pierre communities to assist with flood relief efforts, the Pierre Indian Learning Center jumped into action.

"We have the facilities and they weren't being used at the time," says PILC Superintendent Darrell Jeanotte. "We wanted to make the Soldiers and Airmen as comfortable as we could."

Shirley Gross said she agrees and adds that since the school doesn't have the staff and students to help with sandbags, making the campus available for the Guard is a great way to give back to the community.

"We can't appreciate enough what they do for us and we can't do enough for these Soldiers and Airmen to show them how much we appreciate what they are doing for our community," said Shirley Gross, the program manager for the PILC.

When the campus is used during the year, they can comfortably accommodate up to 300 students. Thanks to the additional use of the gymnasium, and the availability of cots, the National Guard worked with the school to house approximately 650 Soldiers and Airmen.
"We doubled what our normal capacity is," said Gross. "We've turned the campus over to the guard and they're making good use of our kitchen facilities, our gymnasium, and all the dorm spaces."

The servicemembers are in better living conditions than expected for a flood relief environment.

"It's a lot better than we are used to," says Sgt. Matthew Hansen a Soldier with Bravo Battery of the 147th Field Artillery from Salem. "We thought we would be staying in tents, so having something like this is really great. "

When Lynn's Dakotamart, in Pierre, donated food for the Soldiers and Airmen, the PILC made the cafeteria available so hot meals could be provided on-site, and sack lunches could be distributed to the guardsmen while on duty throughout Pierre and Fort Pierre.
Cheryl Reed, who normally runs the kitchen at the LIRC, has split her time between sandbagging in Pierre and volunteering in the kitchen.

"I just felt it was a good way to still help out," said Reed. "Dakotamart and the guardsmen are doing a great job with keeping everyone fed, so I'm just here to help where I can."
Staff Sgt. James Reinhardt from the 147th appreciates what the school has done for the National Guard.

"The living conditions are way better than what we are used to and the food has been great," said Reinhardt. "We can't thank the Pierre Indian Learning Center enough."
More than 1000 Soldiers and Airmen from the South Dakota National Guard are now supporting flooding efforts along the Missouri River throughout South Dakota.