The Armed Forces Reserve Center in Minot was the scene of a deactivation ceremony on Aug. 1 when the North Dakota Army National Guard’s 818th Engineer Company (Sapper) deactivated.

The ceremony, called a casing ceremony, symbolized the deactivation of the unit.

According to N.D. Army National Guard information, the 818th was reorganized with the 817th Engineer Company (Sapper) in Jamestown. Most of the soldiers had transferred to other Guard units, with the majority transferring to the 817th.

The 818th’s history goes back to Company C of the 164th Infantry, organized on Dec. 8, 1906, at Williston. The unit was redesignated at times over the years as well as being called into service at time.

On Dec. 18, 2003, the unit was ordered to active federal service for the first time in 40 years in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and again in April 2012, to serve in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

The unit received high-level awards for service in World War II and in Afghanistan, according to Guard information.