Basin Electric employees deployed with North Dakota National Guard

When First Lieutenant Kim Miller learned shed need to spend a year on military deployment, shed only been working at Basin Electric six months.

(Kim Miller): Probably about 18 months ago, about six months before I found out I was going on the KFOR rotation. And actually have had very good cooperation and support from Basin Electric with my deployment.

Miller is one of three Basin Electric employees deployed with the National Guard.
Jill Thomas is also stationed in Kosovo, and Kelby Hovey is in Djibouti, Africa.
On this day in January, we got a chance to talk to all three of them.
Kelby Hoveys deployment is about 10 months. She is an assistant pilot at Basin Electric and a Chief Warrant Officer in the Guard.

(Kelby Hovey): Our chief pilot, Fred Adams, has always been very understanding and supportive of the Guard, and knows how important the commitment is to me.

Jill Thomas is serving as a military assistant to the political advisor in Kosovo. She says her boss makes it possible for her to focus on her job there. She doesnt worry about her civilian job as warehouse supervisor for Dakota Gasification Company.

(Jill Thomas): When he writes, he just wants to make sure that I dont worry about whats going on at home, and not to worry about those kinds of things. And just focused on what Im doing here, so I can come home safe.

Since Kim Miller knew she was getting deployed a year in advance, her supervisor was able to make plans. Dave Bangen is the manager of financial planning and forecast at Basin Electric.

(Dave Bangen): My staff was ready, prepared, we had divided duties up, knew how we could get through the less busy time, and then we had to determine how we could get through the really extremely busy time of our season.

Bangen says he told Miller right away her job as a business analyst in financial services would still be hers when she came back.

(Dave Bangen): I would think, if I was in Kims position, it would be wonderful to know that when this is over, when this is done, I can come back to my position, I can get my old position back, and life can go back to where it used to be.

Dan Job says thats important. Hes the senior enlisted leader in the North Dakota National Guard. Hes also an employee for Basin Electric. He was deployed right after the September 11th terror attacks.

(Dan Job): I was called in, and my supervisors told me, Do not worry. Your job will be here when you get back. Theres a lot of other employees in other organizations, service-members, who dont always have that send-off.

Job says he salutes Basin Electric for supporting their employees when they choose to serve as soldiers.

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