4 minute read
Noteworthy
By Andrea Staley
Some may know Dave Hammond the District Land Surveyor for WYDOT District 1, having held that position since 1993. But he also has quite a reputation as being one of the most respected sporting officials in the state. On July 22, Hammond was inducted into the Wyoming Officials Hall of Fame, in a ceremony celebrating his many years and dedication to the sports he officiates.
Having started his officiating tenure in 1982 with football, Hammond decided that one sport was not enough and began officiating basketball in 1984. Years tallied, he has faithfully officiated football for 40 years, including many playoff and championship games, and basketball for 26. Hammond also traveled and officiated many college football games.
When asked what began his interest in officiating, he replied, “Andy Long, a long time friend and WYDOT coworker, asked me to start officiating football with a crew in Laramie and it took off from there.”
Hammond made sure to convey that while the importance of calling a fair game was what he always striven to do, the friendship and camaraderie he shares with the other officials has been the true pleasure of his work.
“One thing always got me, we would be criss-crossing all over the state in the middle of winter. Leaving Friday afternoon, returning late Friday night from high school games. College
Football games we would leave at noon on Friday and get back Sunday afternoon. Those were long weekends, lots of windshield time. We always traveled together and those were some of my Hammond favorite memories. You really get to know your team.” And that is what they are, a team. “As officials, we walk on the field or court as a team, and officiate the team of players with the hope that someday, some of those players will become officials to complete the circle.” Dave has had the pleasure of being mentored by many officials over the years that have helped him grow and be a better official. “I owe them a HUGE thank you for their help.” The honor of being inducted into the Wyoming Officials Hall of Fame was never on Dave’s radar. “I was quite surprised, you have to be recommended for the honor and I didn’t realize I had been. Trevor Wilson, Logan Wilson’s father, had called me to congratulate me for the induction into the Hall of Fame, I was totally blown away.” Many officials and coaches Dave had worked with throughout his illustrious officiating career had attended the ceremony. “One coach came up to me at the ceremony, and doing games for him wasn’t the easiest, but he said ‘I always knew when your crew showed up to do the game it would be called the same for each team and I really respect that.’ I also tried not to do games in Laramie to avoid favoritism, but a lot of the local coaches are happy to have our crew there.” Mr. Hammond wears many hats, but clearly one of his favorite is being a Wyoming Official, a job he does so well. If you see Dave out on the jobsite, or officiating a game, be sure to say hello and congratulate him on the honor. n
Photo courtesy Dave Hammond Dave Hammond, District 1 land surveyor, received the Wyoming Officials Hall of Fame plaque.
A Wyoming welcome
Wyoming hosts Tunisian visitors through National Guard State Partnership Program
By Jordan Achs
For the last 18 years, Tunisia, the northernmost county in Africa, and the Wyoming National Guard have partnered through the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program. The program matches Guards to nations with compatible interests and economies. For example, Wyoming and Tunisia share similarities like rural populations, agricultural lifestyles, and harsh weather.
Tunisian officials recently spent a few days in the Equality State and got a tour of key areas around southeast and central Wyoming, including: • A tour of the Capitol complex; • A tour of the Wyoming State Museum and the Frontier Days Old West Museum in Cheyenne; • A tour of the University of Wyoming in Laramie, where they met with officials from various departments, including President Edward Seidel, about agriculture, international students and the
Laramie Research and Extension
Center, among other topics; • A meeting with
Wyoming National
Guard’s 84th Civil
Support Team and the Air National Guard Fire
Department along with a round-table discussion with the Wyoming Office of Homeland
Security and WNG; • A tour of Laramie County Community College, including a special look at their nursing and diesel technology programs; • A tour of Eastern Wyoming Community College in Torrington; • Meetings with Wyoming Stock Growers, Wyoming Game and Fish, and the
Wyoming Department of Agriculture; and • Tours of the Casper Airport, Casper
Interagency Dispatch and tours around Guernsey.
FRANCE National Guard State Partnership members with Col.-Maj. Triaa Moez (fifth from right). As part of the tour, Triaa Moez, a colonel-major with Civil Protection in Tunisia, spent some time with Wyoming Highway Patrol Major Karl Germain and other Troopers and K9s to share ideas and innovations about law enforcement in rural areas. Major Germain was also a member of a round-table discussion on Civil Protection during the Tunisian visit. The State Partnership Program has been building partnerships for over 25 years, including 85 partnerships with 93 nations around the world. For more information about the program, visit: https:// www.nationalguard.mil/leadership/jointstaff/j-5/international-affairs-division/ Maj. Karl Germain with Col.-Maj. Triaa Moez state-partnership-program/ n with Civil Protection in Tunisia.
Photo: WHP
