South Dakota Patriot Guard Riders

The South Dakota Army National Guard will host a ceremony to rename its Watertown Readiness Center after a local man and retired brigadier general Sunday, Oct. 2 at 10 a.m. (CDT) located at 1951 N. Hwy. 20.

The facility will be renamed in honor of Brig. Gen. Ernie Edwards, 81, for his years of dedicated service to the SDARNG, as an educator and his civic work within the Watertown community.

The public is encouraged to attend.

Planned speakers for the ceremony will include Lt. Gov. Matt Michels, Maj. Gen. Tim Reisch, adjutant general of the SDNG and retired Maj. Gen. Donald Goldhorn, former adjutant general of the Guam National Guard and former assistant adjutant of the SDARNG.

Edwards served as the 17th assistant adjutant general of the SDARNG and retired with over 37 years of service. He spent more than 39 years as an educator in South Dakota and served the majority of his career as a teacher, coach, principal and superintendent in Watertown.

Edwards first enlisted in 1957 and served as an artillery officer for most of his career until his retirement in July 1994. He held nearly every key command and staff leadership position including service as a battery, battalion and brigade commander within the 147th Field Artillery.

Even after his retirement, Edwards was a prominent figure within the Watertown community and served on many state and local civic organization boards that support military and veterans affairs and invest in the future of today’s youth.

Edwards was also instrumental in the planning, development and implementation of the Watertown Readiness Center, which opened in the summer of 2013.
——————————-
Stage at the Readiness Center at 8:30am, Sunday, October 2, 2016, to place flags and for a briefing on the Patriot Guard Riders’ participation for this event.  Flags will be provided.