Brig. Gen. Scott Petrik, Director of the Joint Staff for the South Dakota National Guard retired after 39 years of service. He was honored with a retirement ceremony on March 4, at the Joint Force Headquarters on Camp Rapid.
Petrik has held several key leadership and staff positions during his almost four decades of service including the Officer Candidate School Battalion Commander, 196th Regional Training Institute Commander, Army Chief of Staff, and Director of the Joint Staff.
Brig. Gen. Petrik deployed to Afghanistan in 2004-2005 with the 109th Engineer Group. He has received multiple awards to include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
Maj. Gen. Jeff Marlette, South Dakota National Guard Adjutant General, presented Brig. Gen. Petrik the Legion of Merit award for Petrik’s 39 years of outstanding service. Maj. Gen. Jeff Marlette thanked Petrik and his family for their service and commitment to the South Dakota National Guard.
The Petrik family is no stranger to military service. Petrik’s father, Brig. Gen. Stan Petrik, retired from the South Dakota National as the Army Assistant Adjutant General and Scott and Tina’s son Garrett was recently promoted to Capt. and serves as the 881st Headquarters Company Commander in the South Dakota National Guard.
Petrik’s children each presented heart-felt speeches praising their father for his dedication to the military and his family and the continual support they received from their mother.
“The most fortunate thing of being a member of the South Dakota National Guard is this is a family-based organization,” said Petrik. “The Guard is an extended family, and I would not have had the career that I did without the support of both my family and the Guard family.”
Petrik began his military service in 1983 with the 109th Engineer Group as a Combat Wire Installer before receiving his commission as an Engineer officer in July 1990 from the South Dakota Military Academy. Brig. Gen. Petrik has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Black Hills State University and a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the US Army War College.
U.S. Army National Guard file photo.
Brig. Gen. Scott Petrik and his family pose for a photo during Petrik’s retirement ceremony on March, 4, 2023. The ceremony was conducted on Camp Rapid, Rapid City, SD. Brig. Gen. Petrik stated that his family directly contributed to his successful 39-year career in the South Dakota Army National Guard.
(U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Karen Tucker)
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