North Dakota Guard Members React to Fallen Soldiers - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

North Dakota Guard Members React to Fallen Soldiers

It's been a sad few days for North Dakota.

That's after news broke of two National Guard soldiers killed in action Monday--in Afghanistan.

Forty-one-year-old Sgt. 1st Class Darren Linde, of Devils Lake, and 20-year-old Specialist Tyler Orgaard, of Bismarck, died Monday when a roadside bomb struck their vehicle.

"When I did get the details, it was hard, I've never had to do something like this before, but it's part of my job, so I was ready to go." says Jennifer Joyce/Public Affairs Specialist for the 116th Public Affairs Detachment.

Her job is one you can never really prepare for.

Jennifer Joyce has learned a lot about the Linde family recently.

"It was a little bit unnerving to walk in and see this grieving family, and know where I fit in, but they were very welcoming, they had asked for a public affairs assistance, so they knew I was coming and right away, it was overwhelming. They hugged me right away, I was part of the family right away." says Joyce.

"Once you enlist in the NDNG your family grows by 3,000." says Joyce.

"The overall mood is very sad, we've dealt with this in the past, but this has been the first one since 2006." Billie Jo Lorius, North Dakota National Guard.

Both of the fallen were members of the 818th Engineering Company.

About 100 members of the unit deployed in April for a year of duty overseas.

"Our men and women in uniform are true patriots, in every sense of the word, and whenever one of our soldiers is killed or even wounded for that matter, it pains us all." says Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk.

"Even if you don't know them or have personal contact, it's part of your heart, feels like it's being ripped out, because it is, it's your family." says Lorius.

"Since the incident, since the notifications, we've had family members calling in, looking for someone to talk to, just to hear them work through their issues, or assistance, services." says Richard Marschner/NDNG Military Family Support.

A "casualty assistance officer" is assigned to each family, as well as public affairs assistance.

"If they need help talking to the media, help answering the phones, whatever it is they need, because we're a family, and we take care of our people." says Lorius.

That's where Joyce stepped in, for the first time.

"It feels good to know that something simple that I'm doing, is helping someone tremendously." says Joyce.

Guard members say they expect the dignified transfer home to take around three to five days.

Twenty-three-year-old Spc. Ian Placek, of Bismarck, was wounded in the roadside bomb.

The Guard reports he's in stable condition at a hospital in Germany.