Portrait by J. Alan Paul Photography
The Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo Chamber of Commerce is committed to supporting the men and women who serve in our armed forces. We are fortunate to live in a community that is rich in well-trained and professional military outfits, including our Army National Guard units, Naval Reserve squadron and our 119th Wing of the North Dakota Air National Guard, AKA The Happy Hooligans.
A special moment in time is being marked for the airmen of the Happy Hooligans as they are in the process of completing a successful transition to operating the MQ-9 Reaper, a medium-altitude, long-endurance aircraft capable of precision attack and reconnaissance.
This completed transition marks the first time that a Happy Hooligans aircraft has flown over the skies of Fargo since the F-16s left in 2007 and the C-21s left in 2013.
It’s truly a remarkable moment for the past and present airmen of the Happy Hooligans. While the flights you see in the skies above are done for training purposes, it’s important to note that our airmen are also supporting missions where their expertise is needed across the world.
Vital to the safety and security of our nation is the 119th Wing’s mission to provide trained-and-ready airmen to execute world-class, MQ-9 precision, attack-and-reconnaissance, kinetic- and non-kinetic target-intelligence production and expeditionary support capabilities.
With more than 1,100 personnel, the 119th Wing is actively supporting the mission of national security abroad while standing ready to protect North Dakotans in times of natural disasters. The Happy Hooligans have a true history of military excellence, and their smooth transition to the MQ-9 Reaper aircraft shows that that will be continuing long into the future.
I’m proud of the work these airmen have done and will continue to do to protect us at home and abroad. I am even more proud to say these men and women are members of our community, and their excellence in the skies and airfields carries over into our community.
If you know a young adult in our area who would be a great fit for this exemplary organization, I encourage you to learn more at GoNDAir.com
And remember: Keep your eyes to the sky, and feel confident knowing the Happy Hooligans are once again flying the skies above Fargo.
“The Happy Hooligans have a true history of military excellence.”
