Dignified Transfer for Sgt. 1st Class Linde - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Dignified Transfer for Sgt. 1st Class Linde

Specialist Tyler Orgaard and Sgt. 1st Class Darren Linde were killed in action nearly one week ago.
The dignified transfer of one of the fallen North Dakota National Guard soldiers was flanked by loved ones and military members this morning in Sidney, Montana.

The sun was shining brightly on this icy day in Sidney, Montana.
Loved ones, friends and colleagues gathered at the Sidney-Richland Airport to welcome home Sgt. First Class Darren M. Linde.
(Sgt. DeAnn Fylling, Military Funeral Honors Team) "When somebody does pay the ultimate sacrifice, what we do is, with as much dignity and respect as we have, we transport their remains. There is an escort that is with them all the way until they come home to their family."
The American flag was at half mast, and local police escorts stood by as a solemn dignified transfer of remains was conducted by the Military Funeral Honors Team for America's fallen soldier.
(Sgt. DeAnn Fylling, Military Funeral Honors Team) "When we have one of our own killed in action it's a very difficult situation and there are a number of people on our funeral honors team that knew Sgt. Linde so we hear the stories and this morning we met his wife and family so it's very difficult but it's a great honor also to be a part of this."
Sgt. First Class Darren M. Linde was killed in Afghanistan on December 3rd when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive devise.
Born and raised in Sidney, Montana, 41-year-old Darren Linde is survived by his wife Adrienne and four children.
Linde first joined the North Dakota Army National Guard in 1990.
His military service record also includes the U.S. Army and the Montana Army National Guard.
From August 2007 to April 2008, Linde was deployed to Iraq with the North Dakota National Guard's 164th Engineer Battalion.
Since 2009, Linde served as a full-time instructor at the Camp Grafton Training Center in Devils Lake.
Linde's second deployment began in April 2012, arriving in Afghanistan in June with the 818th Engineer Company.
About 100 Soldiers with the unit entered federal active-duty status on April 27, 2012.
(Sgt. DeAnn Fylling, Military Funeral Honors Team) "This isn't a job that anyone wants to do. We always want to welcome our veterans home with a big party. This isn't the way that we want it to be."
Including Sgt. First Class Darren Linde and Specialist Tyler Orgaard, 14 North Dakota Guardsmen have died in action in Iraq and Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.
In Sidney, Jennifer Thorgramson, KX News.

Funeral services for Sgt. First Class Darren Linde will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday at the Richland County Event Center.
North Dakota Army National Guard Lieutenant Colonel David Johnson will be officiating.
The dignified transfer of Spc. Tyler Orgaard will arrive at 4:30 p.m. central time tomorrow in Bismarck.
Both 818th Engineer Company Soldiers were killed in action in Afghanistan on Monday.