Wishek residents may have noticed a military presence around town the last few days.

Instead of shipping off to Camp Grafton, near Devils Lake, as they typically do each summer, members of the local North Dakota Army National Guard unit — formally known as the 815th Eng Co — are conducting their annual training closer to home this year.

"We are working at the Wishek Airport throughout the month of June," says Staff Sgt. Neil Horner.

Guard troops will assist with a State Civil Military Construction project. They will expand the apron area to provide level ground for hangar buildings. In addition, a gravel road is being installed to accommodate crop-spraying planes, Horner says.

This is the first time in several years that the National Guard unit will be based in Wishek for annual training.

"We're actually doing two rotations," Horner says. "We have about 40 (soldiers) from the Wishek detachment on-site through June 15 and then there will be about 25 from other company detachments during the last two weeks of the month."

The National Guard also is conducting community outreach during the training period. A softball game was played Tuesday night and a golf scramble is set for 6 p.m. Thursday at Lloyd E. Rigler Memorial Golf Course.

"These events are open to the public," Horner says. "We encourage area residents to come out and participate or just to watch. Everyone is welcome."

There will be a pinochle tournament at 6 p.m. June 12 at the Wishek National Guard Armory. The armory also will be the site of a flag retirement ceremony and dinner, beginning at 5:30 p.m. on June 14.