The STARBASE ND program was recently approved to operate a three-day program (rather than their usual five-day program) in order to ensure every fifth-grade classroom scheduled to attend has an opportunity to do so. The students in these classrooms come from three local school districts: Minot Public Schools, Glenburn Public School, and South Prairie Public School. Mr. Jon Dawson, Director of STARBASE ND, requested this exception to policy regarding the program’s operating tempo, because of STARBASE ND’s temporary closure from October through November 2025 during the federal government shutdown.

In total, the program has 31 classrooms scheduled this school year. From August through September, as well as, December through January—eleven classrooms successfully graduated from the five-day program. With only 65 usable school days left in this school year and 20 remaining classrooms, the three-day program is the only viable option so that no classrooms miss out. Now, all the fifth graders from the above three school districts can experience the STARBASE curriculum and interact with positive, active-duty role models.

I can honestly say it is an honor working with Mr. Dawson, because not only does he have passion for STARBASE ND, but he has compassion for our students. He quickly conceptualized a solution to accommodate all classrooms and we efficiently routed his exception to policy request, which Dr. Faul, Superintendent of Minot Public Schools, and Col Zeigler, 5th Mission Support Group Commander, signed. This was approved on Monday, January 19th, 2026 by Col Jim Hogan, Director of Innovative Readiness Training and Acting Director of Civil-Military Programs from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness/Reserve Integration.

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