North Dakota Native American Veterans Stand Down Event Will Be Held June 10-11

May 22, 2026

The 4th annual statewide North Dakota Native American Veterans Stand Down event will be held June 10-11 at the Prairie Knights Casino and Resort in Fort Yates.

This free, two-day event is dedicated to bringing programs and resources together in one location and will connect Native Veterans with the support they may need and have earned through their service. Native Veterans, spouses and surviving spouses, families, tribal leaders, Tribal Veterans Service Officers (TVSOs), and entities that serve Native Veterans are encouraged to register and attend.

The event is a partnership with the National Resource Center on Native American Aging (NRCNAA), Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). NRCNAA is housed within the Center for Rural Health (CRH), part of the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences.

How to Attend

Registration is required to attend one or both days and is now open. Deadline for registration is June 5.

Stand Down

Stand Down is a military term used to describe a relaxed status or withdrawal from a state of alert or readiness. Stand Down is designed as an intervention to bring a wide range of essential services to Veterans, while raising their morale and awakening their motivation.

The event focuses on bringing speakers to share information and education, along with a resource fair, which brings in people from the VA and other nonprofits that offer services to Native Veterans. After the first day, a sit-down dinner is held, and the Veterans will bring their families to hear from keynote and motivational speakers.

The Stand Down has become an annual event and has moved across the state. In 2024, it was held with the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, and in 2025, it was held with the Three Affiliated Tribes, also known as MHA Nation.

"This has been a great opportunity to bring VA representatives to tribal communities and meet them where they are at," said Collette Adamsen, director of NRCNAA and associate director of CRH. "We have had some really successful stories about people who gave up, couldn't navigate the complicated system, especially the Elder Veterans, and ended up getting signed up for benefits and getting the services they earned many years ago. It is a good feeling to hear those stories."

Education and Benefits

During the event, Veterans will learn about VA healthcare/benefits, VA home loans, disability claims, employment assistance, social services, education assistance, and more.

NRCNAA works closely with Tribal Veterans Service Office and the five tribes in North Dakota to ensure all Native Veterans and their families are aware of the resources and opportunities around the event.

"The Native Veterans have earned these benefits through their selfless service and sacrifice," said Jacob Warren, director of CRH and associate dean for rural health. "We are honored to be a part of this event and the connections that are made because of it."