Saturday, November 21, 2009
Guard dreams realized
Redfield unit welcomes women into its ranks for first time
BY Elissa Dickey, edickey@aberdeennews.com
Published on Tuesday, November 03, 2009
From left, Spc. Anna Simons, Pvt. Cassie Nichols, Pvt. Tabitha Carr and Capt. Rebecca Trygstad are the four women in Redfield's National Guard unit. (Courtesy photo)
REDFIELD - Ever since she was a little girl, Cassie Nichols has dreamed of being in the South Dakota Army National Guard.
Nichols, 18, a Redfield High School senior, grew up around the Guard - her dad, Dave Nichols, is a sergeant with Redfield's unit. But his unit was an artillery unit, which is a combat unit and cannot have female members.
"It just kind of had been my dream to be one of the first females in the Redfield unit," Cassie Nichols said.
Sometimes, dreams come true.
Nichols is one of the first four women in the unit, which recently became a supply-oriented logistics unit and can now have female members.
Formerly Battery C of the 2nd Battalion, 147th Field Artillery, Redfield's unit officially became Company A of the 139th Brigade Support Battalion in September, said Sgt. Dave Nichols, the unit's readiness noncommissioned officer.
The 139th Brigade Support Battalion, which is headquartered in Brookings, also has detachments in Watertown and Miller. There are 123 soldiers in Redfield, Miller and Watertown, Nichols said. That number includes about 14 women.
Redfield's unit has 43 soldiers, Nichols said. Besides Nichols, Redfield's female soldiers include Pvt. Tabitha Carr of Tulare, Spc. Anna Simons of Miller and Capt. Rebecca Trygstad of Volga.
Exciting challenge
Trygstad, a Clear Lake native, is also the company commander - a challenge she says she's excited for.
Trygstad also has a family link to the Guard, and it's why she joined more than 12 years ago. Her dad, Sgt. First Class Paul Gruener, who serves with the 740th transportation company in Milbank, has been in the Guard for more than 30 years.
"The Guard has been part of my life since I was a little girl," Trygstad said in an e-mail to the American News.
Trygstad said she grew up watching her dad serve his country and seeing the opportunities the Guard has given him.
"The Guard has offered me many opportunities (that) I would not have had without the military, (including) the opportunity to travel, assistance with college and development as an individual, which has made me who I am today," she said in the e-mail.
Trygstad said being one of the first women in the Redfield Guard unit is a huge honor. The only adjustment has been to ensure the unit has the proper facilities for females, she said. Many of the soldiers have served with women in other units and training, she said.
Same treatment
Cassie Nichols said the female soldiers have been treated the same as their male counterparts.
"They don't expect anything different out of you," she said.
She said her experience in the Guard has been great. For other women thinking about joining the Guard, she has this advice:
"Don't give up. ...Keep going until you (fulfill) your goals."
Trygstad is married to Capt. Jayme Trygstad, commander of the 115th signal company. They have a son, Skylar, 4, and daughter, Liberty, 1. Trygstad said as a soldier, you hold a key to your own career.
"You will get what you put into it. If you give it 100 percent, you will succeed," she said in the e-mail. "Make sure you get your training done as soon as you are eligible, so that life's changes and circumstances don't prohibit you (from) completing your requirements. You will need to find the right balance between your family and the military. There will be many times when you have to be a mother and leader at the same time."
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Nichols, 18, a Redfield High School senior, grew up around the Guard - her dad, Dave Nichols, is a sergeant with Redfield's unit. But his unit was an artillery unit, which is a combat unit and cannot have female members.
"It just kind of had been my dream to be one of the first females in the Redfield unit," Cassie Nichols said.
Sometimes, dreams come true.
Nichols is one of the first four women in the unit, which recently became a supply-oriented logistics unit and can now have female members.
Formerly Battery C of the 2nd Battalion, 147th Field Artillery, Redfield's unit officially became Company A of the 139th Brigade Support Battalion in September, said Sgt. Dave Nichols, the unit's readiness noncommissioned officer.
The 139th Brigade Support Battalion, which is headquartered in Brookings, also has detachments in Watertown and Miller. There are 123 soldiers in Redfield, Miller and Watertown, Nichols said. That number includes about 14 women.
Redfield's unit has 43 soldiers, Nichols said. Besides Nichols, Redfield's female soldiers include Pvt. Tabitha Carr of Tulare, Spc. Anna Simons of Miller and Capt. Rebecca Trygstad of Volga.
Exciting challenge
Trygstad, a Clear Lake native, is also the company commander - a challenge she says she's excited for.
Trygstad also has a family link to the Guard, and it's why she joined more than 12 years ago. Her dad, Sgt. First Class Paul Gruener, who serves with the 740th transportation company in Milbank, has been in the Guard for more than 30 years.
"The Guard has been part of my life since I was a little girl," Trygstad said in an e-mail to the American News.
Trygstad said she grew up watching her dad serve his country and seeing the opportunities the Guard has given him.
"The Guard has offered me many opportunities (that) I would not have had without the military, (including) the opportunity to travel, assistance with college and development as an individual, which has made me who I am today," she said in the e-mail.
Trygstad said being one of the first women in the Redfield Guard unit is a huge honor. The only adjustment has been to ensure the unit has the proper facilities for females, she said. Many of the soldiers have served with women in other units and training, she said.
Same treatment
Cassie Nichols said the female soldiers have been treated the same as their male counterparts.
"They don't expect anything different out of you," she said.
She said her experience in the Guard has been great. For other women thinking about joining the Guard, she has this advice:
"Don't give up. ...Keep going until you (fulfill) your goals."
Trygstad is married to Capt. Jayme Trygstad, commander of the 115th signal company. They have a son, Skylar, 4, and daughter, Liberty, 1. Trygstad said as a soldier, you hold a key to your own career.
"You will get what you put into it. If you give it 100 percent, you will succeed," she said in the e-mail. "Make sure you get your training done as soon as you are eligible, so that life's changes and circumstances don't prohibit you (from) completing your requirements. You will need to find the right balance between your family and the military. There will be many times when you have to be a mother and leader at the same time."
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