Category: Uncategorized

Inscribing a Legacy
By Rep. Kristi Noem

It was 1942 – less than a year after Pearl Harbor and months after America officially entered World War II.  Tens of thousands of men had left their families to serve their country.  Millions more were standing at the ready to do the same.  And still, the United States faced a severe shortage of military pilots.  As businesses and factories had already done, the Army turned to women.

Throughout our military’s history, women have filled critical roles – even if they haven’t always been recognized for it.  In the American Revolution, women were nurses and cooks.  In the Civil War, women like Frances Clalin – a mother of 3 who enlisted in the Union Army as Jack Williams – disguised themselves as men just to have the opportunity to serve in this way.

By World War I, tens of thousands of women had joined the military in various roles, serving as nurses, telephone operators, stenographers, and clerks.  Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, every branch of the military created additional roles for women.  More than a quarter-million women stepped up to serve, including more than 1,000 young female aviators who came to be called the “Women Airforce Service Pilots,” or WASP.

The women in WASP, who logged around 60 million miles of flying, transported cargo.  They tested overhauled planes and flew new aircraft from the factory to a military base.  They often towed targets to help gunners in the air and on the ground train – with live ammunition, mind you.  38 of these women lost their lives during such missions.

Still, women from across the country volunteered for service.  Around a half-dozen South Dakotans served in the WASPs, including Ola Mildred Rexroat, a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota who was the only Native American to serve in the group.

What’s more, women offered up everything they had to be part of WASP.  While male pilots would be trained once they joined the military, women had to have their pilot’s license before applying to join WASP, which cost about $500 – a significant amount of money at that time.

Many of the women hoped they would be absorbed into the military after the war, but instead, the program was disbanded.  The women were dismissed from their bases with no ceremony or fanfare, in many cases.  Because WASPs were considered civil service employees, the fallen women received no military honors or benefits.  In fact, it took 32 years after the end of World War II for WASPs to finally receive full military status, meaning they could use VA hospitals and had the right to be buried with a flag, among other things.  Thirty-three years after that, 300 of these women gathered in Washington, D.C., to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.

Earlier this month, the House passed H.R.4336, which I helped sponsor, to grant WASP members a place in Arlington National Cemetery.  Should this legislation be made law, it would not only offer our nation’s appreciation for the women’s service, but inscribe their lasting legacy into this sacred ground.

We owe everyone who has served and sacrificed in service to our country a great deal of gratitude.  While there is certainly more that should be done on all fronts to ensure veterans receive the care, respect, and dignity they have earned, the WASP legislation rightly recognizes the courageous actions of a few good women. I am humbled to have been a part of its passage.

To all those who have served, thank you.

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Michael J. Fitzmaurice and the New State Veterans Home
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

Until he went abroad to serve his country, Michael J. Fitzmaurice had never left the Dakotas. Fitzmaurice was born in Jamestown, North Dakota, and grew up in South Dakota. Coming from a family with a history of serving, Michael carried on the tradition by joining the Army in 1969.

On March 23, 1971, Michael was on the ground at a Marine base in Khe Sanh, South Vietnam. When an enemy soldier threw three grenades into Michael’s bunker, Michael threw two of the explosives out and then used his body to cover the blast of the third. Absorbing the blast to shield the other soldiers left him seriously wounded and partially blinded.

Michael then charged out of the bunker. Figuring he wouldn’t survive the engagement, he wanted to do what he could to protect his fellow soldiers. As he was fighting, his weapon was destroyed by another grenade. Unable to find another weapon, Michael resorted to hand-to-hand combat and successfully took down a number of adversaries.

In sustaining the blast from the grenade and refusing to be evacuated until the battle was finished, Michael saved multiple lives that day. He later received the Medal of Honor for his acts of heroism.

I am reminded of this story as we are preparing to cut the ribbon on the new state veterans home in Hot Springs, which has been named after Michael J. Fitzmaurice.

Overcoming a few setbacks along the way, the home has been completed on time, under budget, and it’s debt-free.

The new 133,000-square-foot facility contains 76 nursing care beds and 24 residential beds, and is home to World War II, Korean War, Vietnam and peace time veterans. The residential areas of the veterans home are divided into eight neighborhoods. Each neighborhood has its own laundry room, living room, dining room, kitchen and whirlpool suite. Elsewhere in the building, residents have an in-house library, mini mart, barber shop and beauty salon, post office, pharmacy, bistro and chapel.

This first-class facility is exactly what our veterans deserve. The layout of the building will give residents more privacy and control over their lives. It will be a normalized environment where residents can do their own cooking and shopping, and where they can socialize or keep to themselves as they please.  It is an outstanding facility named for a remarkable man.

Of his acts of bravery Michael later said, “I don’t know what made me do it. I was just doing the job that I was supposed to be doing and I do not regret it a bit. I guess your friends aren’t only your friends. They’re almost like brothers. I’m glad that they can still be alive and enjoy the rest of their life.”

Now, at the new state veterans home that carries this local patriot’s name, South Dakota’s veterans not only have a nice place to live, but a home where they can “enjoy the rest of their life.”

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Governor Rounds’ Chief of Staff Rob Skjonsberg recently submitted a letter to the editor in the Pierre area, and posted the same to his facebook website, regarding how State Senator Jeff Monroe and State Representative Tim Rounds voted on House Bill 1182.  (Not speaking for his employer, obviously).

And agree or disagree, one thing Rob wanted to point out that it wasn’t an easy decision, and people fell on either side of the issue, because there are some districts where this made sense, and some not.

One sentiment that Skjonsberg is trying to convey is something Ive always believed in – that men of good character can disagree on the issues, and they can remain good people. As opposed to the chair throwing that seems to take place all to much in recent times. As Rob noted in an e-mail to me, “a return to civil discourse and respectful disagreement would have helped this discussion a bit.”

So, have a read, and let us know what you think:

The Mitchell Daily Republic interviewed Stace Nelson about his return to electoral politics in this weekend’s paper. Let’s just say it was…. Interesting.

Nelson seeks to replace Sen. Bill Van Gerpen, R-Tyndall, who is not running for re-election after more than a decade in state politics.

Nelson believes his decision to run played a role in Van Gerpen’s choice to bow out from the 2016 election. He said his fellow District 19 residents have expressed unhappiness with Van Gerpen and the other two district representatives for their support of the recently-passed half-percent sales tax increase for education funding.

And…

“When you see corruption this brazen, this blatant, where people are ending up dead under mysterious circumstances because of state corruption, I don’t know how much more evidence you need that we have a problem here in South Dakota,” Nelson said.

If elected, Nelson will fight to make cabinet positions subject to public vote. Nelson said officials serving in the governor’s cabinet should be elected to two-year terms at the hands of the people rather than selected by the governor. He believes this could help eliminate the “negligence” and apparent lack of oversight over programs like GEAR UP.

Read it all here.

Is there something in the water in that area? Former area Democratic State Senator Frank Kloucek was a proponent of electing cabinet officials as well, such as when he proposed bills to elect the secretary of game fish & parks, and the secretary of agriculture. Those ideas didn’t get very far when Frank brought them up, even among his fellow Democrats.

Somehow, I don’t think resurrecting failed Frank Kloucek ideas, and having people campaign for those jobs makes any more sense now than it did when Frank put bills in for them nearly a decade ago.

But, it’s a whole new campaign season. Stay tuned.

United States Senator John Thune’s petitions for office were filed, and approved today by the South Dakota Secretary of State’s office.

Still no word from any of the Democrats running for federal office.

Dang, they’re quiet.

I had a friend tell me some of the critics hated the new Superman Movie.

Ignore them.  They know not what they say.

Seriously. I took three of my kids to the movie, and I was glued to my seat. Far, far better than the last Avengers movie.

And despite earlier groaning and apprehension, Ben Affleck was a pretty darned good Batman.  And my girls (College and High School) were positively giddy with Wonder Woman, and the anticipation of the WW movie, which was teased.

Sure, there was an abundance of special effects, but what are you looking for – Downton Abbey?  It was big, loud, and an excellent set up for the Justice League movie.  I already want to buy the DVD (which will probably be out in a month, the way things go anymore) with all the extras they’re saying will be there.

I give it a B+. Well worth your entertainment dollar.

Am I the only one left scratching their head at the tenor of the attacks being leveled at D19 State Senate Candidate Caleb Finck by Stace Nelson, who declared his candidacy for the same office over at Liberal Democrat website Dakota Free Press today?

Ever since Caleb threw his hat in the ring, it seems as if we’ve turned back the clock, and we’re re-running the kind of attacks we saw from Nelson when it was down to the wire in the US Senate Race. (I almost expect Gordon Howie to step in and announce he’s running as an independent at this point).

Anonymous things being posted under the comments here on my website, and the same things being mysteriously submitted to the liberal Democrats who are happy to run it.  Very reminiscent of when Nelson was witnessed taking pictures of Jason Ravnsborg’s vehicle, and the photos ‘mysteriously’ appeared on a web site ran by his liberal Democrat friend Cory Heidelberger.

Fast forwarding to today, as Nelson launched into several attacks on Finck, and vowed to go after him in the election. That seems to be quite the virulent reaction to someone he derisively tries to dismiss as “inexperienced college student living a protected life” and a “young live-at-home college student.” As well as things less kind. It seems to be a bit of an extreme reaction to a new candidate for even Stace Nelson.

And that has me wondering out loud if it’s more of a case of Nelson running scared in the D19 State Senate race?

The reality is that another loss could put the boastful and ambitious Nelson out for the count. He wants to run for higher office, and didn’t do so well at his last outing.

As he tries to make a comeback, Stace should not kid himself. He has heavy baggage, and a lot of it.

Just in the past few years, he’s been accused of threatening other legislators, was kicked out of caucus, was at risk of censure, had his seat moved, was noted by the media as hiding in the bathroom during a vote he was trying to avoid, was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the robocall attacks against Republican Leadership, and is still a defendant in a pending federal lawsuit over the illegally placed calls.

(Did I miss anything?)

Not to mention his conduct during the entirety of the 2014 US Senate primary, where if you weren’t with him, you were treated as his mortal enemy.   Not exactly behavior traits that help you win allies and sway your colleagues, something you’re required to do to get legislation supported and passed.

And it showed in 2014, as his legislative record took an absolute beating, as the legislature killed all of the House bills he was prime sponsor of, and they whacked several of his resolutions, which typically are viewed as merely ceremonial.

Now, two years later, Nelson is looking to reignite his fizzled political career by coming back to Pierre.

The only obstacle barring his ability to wage the same kind of war in the Senate as he did the House of Representatives is Caleb Finck. By all accounts, Caleb Finck is considered an intelligent, fresh-faced, sharp young man coming back to the farm to work after college, unlike many of his contemporaries.

That’s not something Nelson necessarily has had to face in recent years. Which might explain his animus and attacks, both overt and those that are popping up “anonymously.“

A fresh faced candidate who hasn’t attacked anyone, and is simply looking to build relationships with the people of District 19, and promote its growth, with no axe to grind?

Maybe there’s good reason for Nelson to be scared.

Long-time SDWC Contributor Mike Clark has set up a Go Fund me page in support of his race for District 9 House:

I believe that common sense, is common. People know what they want and are conscious of the changes that are needed in politics. Together we will bring “Under God, the People Rule” back into South Dakota politics

Please, don’t stay on the sidelines of politics. Tuning out is saying that you are happy with the way things are going presently. I know that you actually DO care! So please, make a donation now.

What We Need

Most people work hard for what they earn, and asking them to give up some of that money is hard when I would rather they keep more of what they earn.

However, political funding is a sad reality to face and I need your help! I’m asking for $10,000.00 which will be used for internet, print, and radio advertising. If I do not reach my entire goal, the funds received will be used on exactly the same purpose.

Give Mike some love from the readers of Dakota War College, and help out with his campaign today!