NEW TOWN — The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, led by the Office of Chairman Mark N. Fox, will be hosting a military appreciation event featuring the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon.

The event will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 30, at noon at the 4 Bears Casino Event Center in New Town. All former and current military members are encouraged to attend, and the event will also be open to the public. Concessions will be provided during the event.

The U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon is a highly disciplined platoon that exemplifies the pride and professionalism associated with all Marines. The Silent Drill Platoon is a 24-man rifle unit that performs military drill movements without any verbal cadence or commands. The drill exhibition concludes with a series of rifle inspections demonstrating elaborate rifle spins and tosses. The platoon performs during parades and ceremonies in the National Capital Region across the United States and around the world.

“Statistically, Native Americans serve at a higher rate in the United States military than any other ethnicity, so to be able to host the USMC Silent Drill Team on our reservation is something we are greatly looking forward to,” said Fox, a Marine Corps veteran.

Although Native Americans make up only 1.1% of the entire United States population as of 2020, they enlist in the armed forces at five times the national average and have served with distinction in every major conflict for more than 200 years. Since 9/11, nearly 19% of Native Americans have served in the armed forces, compared to an average of 14% of all other ethnicities.