The South Dakota Army National Guard has appointed new commanders to lead a pair of regional organizations.
Col. Jason Kettwig of Brookings assumed command of the 109th Regional Support Group, an organization that oversees more than 1,100 soldiers in nine communities across South Dakota.
“We are an integral part of the South Dakota community,” said Kettwig. "We must help our communities in these up and down times. We should strive to represent the South Dakota National Guard positively and be a leader in actions and words.”
Col. Scott Lingquist of Rapid City assumes command of the 196th Regiment Regional Training Institute, an organization made up of two battalions — one that teaches professional development at Fort Meade and one in Sioux Falls that teaches rocket systems crew member courses.
“This is an awesome responsibility and I’ve seen what you all can do, and I know we are on the right track,” said Linquist. “Culture, mission, and community are paramount. We are a community of citizen-warriors who support one another and strive for excellence in all we do. I know the 196th is up to the task of developing our future leaders.”
The change of command ceremonies took place May 4 and 5.