MEDORA (AP) - German soldiers have been given a taste of the West during a visit here that the National Guard said involved both a military and cultural exchange.

About 40 reserve and active duty members of Germany's 380th Transportation Battalion traveled with an interpreter. They were escorted this week by the North Dakota National Guard's 136th Quartermaster Battalion, based in Devils Lake.

The visit included tours of Fort Mandan and North Dakota's Air Force bases, as well as the North Dakota Air National Guard headquarters in Fargo. Gov. John Hoeven gave the unit a small flag.

"That was a big honor for us," said German Maj. Richard Diehl.

"The intent of the exchange is to establish good relations between the two countries that have worked as allies in the past," said Sgt. Maj. Jeff Berg, of the Devils Lake unit.

In Medora, the soldiers visited the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame and Heritage Center, and the south unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Some found the wide-open spaces of North Dakota quite a change from the crowded streets of German cities.

"It was completely different to see this area," Diehl said. "We enjoy it very much. Sometimes, we have no words to explain. It's wonderful."

One new experience for Diehl was a close look at a bison.

"It was a good impression for me that will last a long time," he said, smiling.

North Dakota Guard members went to Germany earlier this year.

"The best and most lasting of all this will be the relationships that develop," Berg said. "It's a rewarding experience for everybody."

German soldiers currently serve in Afghanistan and Kosovo alongside North Dakota soldiers.

"From a German perspective, we say we defend Germany only at its own borders, but times have changed and we need to defend our country worldwide," Diehl said.

In Germany, one year of military service is compulsory for males once they turn 18, said Achim Holper, a company sergeant and squad leader of the German battalion. Soldiers can choose to serve either in the army or assist with social services, such as working in nursing homes and hospitals.

"I want to defend my country. I want to serve my country," Holper said of his service in the army.

Martin Zolondek, the German company commander and rank captain, said he views serving in other countries as "peacekeeping missions to help other people."

The German soldiers, who were scheduled to return home Friday, said they felt welcomed in North Dakota.

"North Dakota people are so friendly," said Lt. Col. Ehrhard Beck. "We think of them as relatives of us and we feel very at home here."