Story by 1st Lt. Nicole Szews August 2, 2026 at 11:40AM SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany — Firefighters assigned to the 169th Fighter Wing, South Carolina Air National Guard, weren't just training this time — they were breaking new ground. Over two weeks in-country, the unit led its first-ever Deployment for Training (DFT) on German soil, gaining hands-on experience in unfamiliar territory alongside firefighters assigned to the 52nd Fighter Wing — the kind of training that helps build combat-ready firefighters prepared to answer the call wherever the mission takes them.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/571339/169th-firefighters-forge-combat-ready-skills-first-dft-germany"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2608/9844778/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="169th firefighters forge combat-ready skills in first DFT to Germany" /></a>
