FORT WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, Mont. – More than 100 security forces Airmen from Arizona and Pennsylvania conducted five days of joint annual training in Helena, Montana, June 2-6.
The defenders from the 161st Air Refueling Wing, Phoenix, 162nd Wing, Tucson, Arizona, and 171st Air Refueling Wing, Pittsburgh, used this time to focus on the core competencies of Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT), land navigation, troop leading procedures and many other aspects of area security operations. Airmen planned and carried out patrols, enacted key leadership engagements and embedded chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives (CBRNE) training into the mix.
“As the fight evolves, we need to be ready for anything,” said Tech. Sgt. Benjamin McLaughlin, unit training manager for the 161st Security Forces Squadron. “These skills help us lead, move and survive in any environment, making us more capable and mission-ready.”
The defenders benefitted from the use of Fort William Henry Harrison, Montana’s Army National Guard training facility, with its training areas spread out across 4,500 acres. Whether they were trekking over woodland hills, taking cover in a creek bed or making their way across open plains, the guardsmen had a lot to consider when pursuing their objectives.
“The mountains, the plains and varying weather help prepare troops for all kinds of conditions they might face in the field,” McLaughlin said. “Its remote location adds a layer of security and minimizes disruptions. Plus, Montana has a strong tradition of supporting the military, making it an ideal place to train and build readiness.”
Fort Harrison traces its history back more than a century, having been established in 1892. One of its earliest uses was as a muster site for volunteers during the Spanish-American War. It would later do the same for deploying Montanans during World War I. During World War II, it was the headquarters for the joint U.S.-Canadian First Special Service Force known as the “Devil’s Brigade.”
Today, it remains an ideal location for exposing servicemembers to the kind of training that prepares them for the warfight - both physically and mentally. For security forces, it heavily involves ambush training and air base defense.
Master Sgt. Maciel Moreno, flight chief for the 162nd Security Forces Squadron, says this is especially important for new Airmen whose experience hasn’t yet gone further than technical training.
“We’re seeing how far they can push themselves, carrying a ruck and moving through rocky terrain,” Moreno said. “We’ve walked through areas for long durations, seeing how far we can go. It’s preparing them for their future.”
When the 161st, 162nd, and 171st squadrons arrived at Fort Harrison, they organized into mixed squads. This not only challenged Airmen to work with unfamiliar wingmen, but it also allowed them to benefit from different experiences and exchange new approaches to problems.
Senior Airman Aidan Johnson, a defender with the 171st Security Forces Squadron, explained that his squads took incoming (simulated) fire, indirect and otherwise, and needed to react quickly and cohesively as if it were a real-world scenario.
“I’ve been deployed once before, and you get tossed into a mumbo jumbo of a bunch of other teams,” Johnson said. “You start making those connections and getting used to each other. You never know, down the road, you might run into these same guys again and you already have that relationship with them - makes things a little bit easier down range.”
The teamwork between the different units even extended to the development of the week’s training. Routes, gear, safety, time schedules - everything had to be planned to allow flexibility while keeping things mission-focused.
“The exposure that we’re getting right now is phenomenal compared to just having one drill weekend a month or occasional volunteer training,” Johnson said. “I think we should do this more often.”