The North Dakota National Guard will not be providing medical care at the Spirit Lake reservation next year, a guard spokesman says. ‘We just do not have the manpower nor do we have medical units to support that,” Sgt. 1st Class Rob Keller said. However, a medical training unit possibly could come to the reservation in 2003, he said. Under the medical readiness training, the guard would have provided physical exams, immunizations, dental care and emergency care on the reservation. The guard and the tribe recently finished an effort to put 54 new housing units on the reservation, which has a housing shortage. Tribal Chairman Phillip ‘Skip’ Longie said he would like to see more units built next year. Twenty-eight of the units came from the Grand Forks Air Force Base where they were no longer needed because of military downsizing. Others came from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Gov. John Hoeven said the five-month project is a good example of various groups and agencies working together. ‘When we pool our resources ? this is what happens.’
