The Cal Guard and CAL FIRE train up for fire season

Sgt. Barbara Kizer, a fueler with 1st Battalion, 168th Task Force Medevac out of Mather, California, fuels a UH-72 Lakota helicopter during training near Sutter Creek, April 16. The annual Wild Land Fire Fighting training prepares the California National Guard and CAL FIRE to work together during the upcoming wildfire season. (U.S. Army National Guard photo/Sgt. Brianne M. Roudebush)

69th Public Affairs Detachment
Story by Sgt. Brianne Roudebush

SUTTER CREEK, Calif. – At the top of a hill overlooking Lake Pardee, two motorcyclists stop to take in the view of the scene below them. Boats float across the water, people fish along the banks, and on the other side of the lake, a CH-47 Chinook helicopter dips a bright orange bucket into the water. The motorcyclists have seen this before – it’s a common site during California’s wildfire season.

“I didn’t know anything was burning,” one of them said.

The helicopter was not responding to a fire this time; rather, it was participating in joint Wild Land Fire Fighting training between CAL FIRE and the California National Guard held April 15-17.

The three-day training kicked off Friday with classroom instruction and concluded with two days of practical exercises at a helibase near Sutter Creek, California.

“The purpose of the training was to ensure that CAL FIRE firefighters and agency personnel that are called upon to fight fire from the air can interact with the National Guard in their aircraft and assimilate into their air crews,” Chief Dan Reese, the deputy chief of tactical operations for CAL FIRE, said. “We want to ensure that they can all effectively work together.”

During California’s exhaustive wildfire season, CAL FIRE often relies on additional support from the National Guard.

“We can go to the National Guard for extra helicopters and air power,” Reese said. “In the summertime when we typically do call in the Guard, [all of our assets] have been deployed already, so they are a surge capability for us to be able to utilize.”

Reese explained that California’s ongoing drought has caused a severe tree mortality issue – meaning that there are millions of dead trees throughout the state – which could potentially have devastating effects during the fire season.

“We always have to prepare for the worst, right?” Reese said.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Shaun Hollins of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 140th Aviation Regiment echoed these sentiments, adding, “I don’t have any forecasts personally, but every fire season is usually expected to be worse that the last and that’s what we plan for.”

This year, the Guard faces the added challenge of managing CAL FIRE support requests without the 1st Battalion, 140th Aviation Regiment (Air Assault), which is currently deployed in Kuwait.

“They won’t be getting back until September so they will be completely out of the mix for this fire season,” Maj. John Allen, the executive officer for the 3-140th, said. “That’s one-third of the aviation assets that we provide.”

Several pilots in command, crewmembers and airframes from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 40th Combat Aviation Brigade and the 640th Aviation Support Battalion are augmenting the air assault battalion in Kuwait as well.

“There’s really no way you can make up for a whole air assault battalion being gone,” Allen said. “It just means a higher operational tempo for the Black Hawks out of Mather Airfield and leaning on the Chinooks out of Stockton for the bucket drops.”

The CH-47F Chinook heavy lift helicopters were recently modified with radio equipment that can communicate with the system CAL FIRE uses, so the entire fleet is available for this year’s fire response.

The Chinooks, which are more powerful than the UH-60 Black Hawk and HH-60 Pave Hawk utility helicopters, are able to carry 2,000-gallon water buckets. The Black Hawks and Pave Hawks carry buckets with about a 600-gallon capacity.

“We got a [new valve system] that is made for low water sources,” Chief Warrant Officer 3 Eric Aguilar, a CH-47 pilot with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, said. “It allows us to pick up water in as little as 28 inches of water, so that’s a big plus for our aircraft now.”

The valve is especially important during times of drought when water sources run very low. The entire training was conducted with the drought in mind – water was used sparingly and drops were conducted along the side of a hill allowing the water to run back into the lake.

“Overall, the training was excellent,” Aguilar said. “This was our first time using the new bucket system, so it’s good familiarization.”

“Hopefully, we won’t be too affected with the CAB deploying, but I believe we can handle it, along with our civilian assets,” he continued. “We have very competent crews to facilitate those missions.”

Champion: Pilot earns California Military Cross

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nathan Champion, second from left, of the California Army National Guard’s Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 140th Aviation Regiment, displays the California Military Cross he received from Col. Robert A. Spano, left, Director, California Military Department Joint Staff, and CAL FIRE representatives Dan Reese and Robert Winder, April 15 at the State of California Office of Emergency Services in Sacramento, California. While single-handedly flying a UH-72 Lakota helicopter during the August 2014 Lodge Fire in Mendocino County, California, Champion responded to an emergency that led to the rescue of eight firefighters after their position was overrun by a wildfire. The California Military Cross is the state’s second-highest award for military valor, behind only the California Medal of Honor. (U.S. Army National Guard photo/Staff Sgt. Eddie Siguenza)

By EDDIE SIGUENZA
California Army National Guard

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A California Army National Guard pilot received the state’s second-highest honor April 15 for his actions during the 2014 Lodge Fire in Mendocino County, California.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nathan Champion, a state aviation maintenance officer with the Cal Guard’s Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 140th Aviation Regiment, earned the California Military Cross for assisting in rescuing eight firefighters who were overrun by a wildfire. Flying a single-pilot UH-72A Lakota helicopter through smoke and low visibility, Champion used his aviator skills and experience to find the firefighters and help coordinate the rescue.

“There was no other option available to extract these personnel. Were it not for his heroic actions, these (people) may not have survived the night,” stated Col. Laura L. Yeager, Chief of Staff, California Military Department Joint Staff.

Champion and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) helicopter manager Capt. Mike Deacon surpassed their daily seven-hour flight time to remain airborne. They stayed in communication with the firefighters — some of whom sustained injuries — and coordinated water drops on the area where they were trapped.

“There were two calm factors in the cockpit that came together that day,” said Capt. Dan Reese, CAL FIRE tactical air operations commander. “That’s a no-joke award. It was rightfully earned, rightfully awarded.”

The California Military Cross is the state equivalent to the federal Distinguished Service Cross, according to Col. Robert A. Spano, Director, California Military Department Joint Staff. The DSC is the nation’s second highest award for military valor, behind only the Medal of Honor.

“We present this on behalf of a grateful command,” Spano said, as Champion accepted the prestigious honor at the State of California Office of Emergency Services in Sacramento, California, in front of a room crowded with CAL FIRE and Cal Guard personnel. “Champion’s confidence as a single pilot aviator — along with his great understanding of his Lakota — allowed him to heroically fly into very challenging conditions and extract injured personnel, potentially reducing the severity of their injuries.”

“There were critical conditions they faced up in the air. There were tremendous smoky conditions, but they remained calm and cool,” Reese added. “Everyone was lucky and glad to have experienced people up in the air.”

As stated in the California National Guard’s Awards and Decorations regulation, recipients of the California Military Cross “must have been such as to merit recognition of service rendered in a clear exceptional manner within the scope of a special requirement or of an extremely difficult duty performed in a clearly outstanding manner.”

American MPs, HR personnel, firefighters return from Romania

Soldiers assigned to 149th Adjutant General Company (Forward), 438th Military Police Company Detachment (Law and Order), and 907th Engineer Detachment (Firefighting Headquarters) bow their heads during a prayer at the welcome brief at the Silas L. Copeland Arrival/Departure Airfield Control Group April 2.

Mobilization and Deployment, DPTMS Fort Bliss
Story by Adam Holguin

Soldiers assigned to the 149th Adjutant General Company (Forward), Texas Army National Guard, and the 438th Military Police Company Detachment (Law and Order), and the 907th Engineer Detachment (Firefighting Headquarters), both Army Reserve units, arrived here April 2 after completing nine-month deployments in Romania.

The military units worked at Mihail Kogalniceanu (MK) Air Base providing custom services, law and order for all U.S. forces in Romani and Bulgaria, weapons and tactical training, base security, accountability of U.S. personnel, and firefighting services.

“MK air base, Romania, is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve,” said 1st Lt. Christopher Stell, commander, 907th Eng. Det. (FF). “The installation is there for the purposes of moving NATO troops in and out for whatever missions come up.”

The 149th AG Co. (Fwd.), based out of Wichita Falls, Texas, was responsible for the accountability of all personnel that moved into and out of MK air base, as well as providing VIP escorts to high profile visitors. The unit processed over 6,400 personnel through the air base during their mission.

“We used a tactical personnel system to scan IDs of passengers coming into the airbase. We would scan them in, in-process them, and conduct welcome briefs of the rules of the base,” said 1st Lt. Brett Lancaster, officer-in-charge, 149th AG Co. (Fwd.). “The unit did really well. We never had any issues as far as accomplishing the mission; everything got done.”

The 907th Eng. Det. (FF) provided firefighting services for MK Air Base, a mission they excelled at performing.

“We provided structural fire protection for the facilities,” Stell said. “The good thing is that fire prevention was taken very seriously, but then there are no fires. So, as firefighters, we kind of defeated our own purpose.”

The 438th MP Co. Det. (LO), headquartered in Salt Lake City, provided a variety of services and training while working closely with host nation forces, an interaction that provided an insight to the Romanians.

“It was a very unique experience. I have worked with a lot of host nations. I’ve been to Iraq and Afghanistan and we never quite jived this much,” said Staff Sgt. Randy Clark, senior desk sergeant, 438th MP Co. Det. (LO), who completed his fifth deployment. “The Romanians worked with us hand in hand. We could have been the same unit. The communication was great, we learned a lot from them and they learned a lot from us.”

Interacting with different cultures was one of the main takeaways for the American Soldiers who completed the missions.

“Romania has been a democracy for over 20 years now, but everywhere you look in that country you can still see the communism and what it does to a country,” Clark said. “They are clawing their way out of it and it is amazing to see the resiliency that they have. I have a lot of respect for the Romanian people.”

As western influence slowly makes its way into Romanian society, it was clear that their culture affected the U.S. Soldiers.

“Romania is such a beautiful place. I have seen more love in nine months in Romania than I have seen in 28 years,” said Sgt. Chearonne Allen, 149th AG Co. (Fwd.). “Every family walks. From baby to grandpa and grandma together in the street holding hands. You can see the love they have for each other—every family. It’s like what it used to be (in America) before cell phones and constant technology. And, I miss that.”

MCLB Barstow Fire Trains Trainers in Unified Response to Violent Incidents

Officers with the Marine Corps Police Department provide protections for fire and medical personnel from the Fire and Emergency Services Department as they extract role-playing victims during an active shooter training exercise aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., Feb. 24, 2015. The training included controllers and evaluators who rated the response capabilities and efficiency of emergency response personnel. It is an example of the teamwork required by fire and law enforcement personnel in order to effectively respond to violent incidents.

Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow
Story by Laurie Pearson

With a rise in active shooter scenarios across the united states, Greg Kunkel, chief of Emergency Medical Services and Ryan Tworek, deputy fire chief aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif. have taken on new roles, training others to train their own first responding staff on Unified Response to Violent Incidents throughout Marine Corps Installations West, as well as civilian locations in the south-western United States.
Unified Response to Violent Incidents is a course in which first responders, to include members of the law enforcement community, fire, medical and military train in a cohesive method of response to events such as active shooters and terrorist attacks, explained Kunkel. Specifically, the training addresses team coordination in areas such as Rescue Task Force, group-ingress, group-egress, and Casualty Collection Points.
A Rescue Task Force embeds fire and medical personnel with Force Protection members surrounding them so that they may enter an area, referred to as the warm zone, to extract wounded victims. Upon entry, (fire and medical personnel) are trained to evaluate and treat bleeding control, basic airway adjuncts and needle thoracotomies,” said Kunkel. “The group then retreats to a Casualty Collection Point where other personnel take victims for treatment, while the RTF goes back in.”
The training mirrors the National Incident Management System with Unified Command training which is a standardized training developed by the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“The training ensures agencies are compatible with radios, language and terminology,” said Kunkel. He further explained that this type of training allows for faster medical treatment for injured victims of tragic events, which offers an opportunity to decrease the number of fatalities and permanent injuries as a result of violent attacks.
So far, Kunkel and Tworek have gone to nearly all of the bases within MCI-West to train their trainers in this method of response to violent incidents. They have also assisted with training in local communities to include a joint training session with Barstow Unified School District, Barstow Police Department, San Bernardino County Sheriffs and Barstow Fire District. Most recently, they traveled to the Mountain Warfare Training Center located near Bridgeport, Calif. where they trained 95 students over three days. Students attending this particular training session included individuals from the California Highway Patrol, Mono County Sheriff’s Department, as well as fire fighters and medical first responders from several volunteer fire departments in Central California.

Secretary of the Air Force visits Soto Cano

Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James poses for a photo with Airmen stationed at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, Apr. 8, 2016. James visited the base to discuss her priorities in the Southern Command area of responsibility and discuss issues relevant to the force, including retirement, force size and structure, the budget and taking care of people. (U.S. Army photo by Martin Chahin/Released)

Joint Task Force Bravo
Story by Capt. Christopher Mesnard

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras -- The men and women of Joint Task Force-Bravo hosted Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James Apr. 8, 2016, at Soto Cano Air Base, as she wrapped up her visit to various units in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility.

James used her time during the visit to meet with Airmen of the 612th Air Base Squadron and other members of JTF-Bravo, to discuss the importance the base plays in the Central and South American regions.

"It's no secret that the bulk of the resources and attention goes to the Middle East because of issues like Daesh, or to Europe because of Russia, or the Pacific because of what's happening in the South China Sea" said James. "Here in the SOUTHCOM AOR we're getting fewer people and fewer dollars on the ground, but, you're really making those resources go a long way, proving that a little bit, does go a long way."

After arriving, James attended a discussion on the SOUTHCOM mission in Central America, covering topics including multi-national firefighter training to build partner nation capacity, support to counter-drug operations, and humanitarian aid and disaster relief capabilities the base either supports or facilitates.

Additionally, James took time during the visit to talk with Airmen assigned to JTF-Bravo to discuss force-wide issues she's looking to address, including force size and structure, the new retirement system, the budget, and taking care of people.

Overall, the primary focus of James' visit centered on the Airmen, expressing her gratitude for their service as they explained how they support the SOUTHCOM mission at various work stations around the base.

"It is an honor and privilege to be able to stand here with you at Soto Cano," said James. "The mission you have at Joint Task Force-Bravo directly effects our safety and security back home as well as that of our partner nations here."