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# Big training for wildland firefighting yields big results

By The Wyoming National Guard

BOISE, Idaho — Pride, spirit of cooperation, camaraderie, loyalty, and courage; all of these virtues are found in the men and women who support the MAFFS mission, a U.S. Forest Service aerial firefighting program comprised of Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and wildland firefighting agencies from across the country.

These qualities develop and flourish at the annual training and certification for Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems, known as MAFFS, which is taking place this year in Boise, Idaho.

Nearly 400 people to include U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE, Bureau of Land Management, National Guard and Air Force Reserve aircrews and support personnel came together to train at the same location for the second year in a row, as opposed to training separately as individual wings. There are many contributing factors that led the program's leadership to this decision.

"Training together is the key to our continued success with this mission," said Col. Bryan Allen, MAFFS Air Expeditionary Group Commander for the 2017 fire season. "I like the standardization, the camaraderie and the fact that we get to know each other, before we have to know each other."

Over the course of the program's 44-year history, the annual training program had traditionally been held collectively as one, with all four MAFFS-designated wings together; but in recent years MAFFS leadership was forced to look for ways to reduce spending. Guard and Reserve wings often accomplished training at their home stations to save money, and met less frequently, every four to five years, as one big group.

Nevada Air National Guard's 152nd Airlift Wing personnel are heading into their second annual MAFFS training, having inherited the MAFFS mission from the North Carolina Air National Guard last year.

Col. Tony Machabee, commander of the 152nd Operations Group, explained the significance for members of his wing to train alongside all of the other wings as one. "It's so important for us to all be together. With Nevada being new to this, we are really relying on the other units' experience to get us up to speed," he said.

"Having the opportunity to train the Reno crews helps us keep our own skill level," said Maj. Neil Harlow, the Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd Airlift Wing MAFFS program manager and a MAFFS instructor pilot. "Things that are common place with the people who are veteran MAFFS aircrew are not known to the Reno crews. By starting from ground zero to help them, we refresh every procedure for ourselves, as well."

"MAFFS have played a critical role in wildfire suppression for more than 40 years by providing surge capacity when commercial airtankers are fully committed or not readily available as they frequently are during periods of high wildfire activity," said Kim Christensen, Deputy Assistant Director for Operations for the U.S. Forest Service. "Bringing all of the military and civilian personnel that perform this mission together for annual training helps ensure that MAFFS fly safely and effectively, and that they can be seamlessly integrated into wildfire management operations."

Training continues to go smoothly and all MAFFS personnel are receiving the quality preparation they need.

"I think the difference in this joint training can be seen on people's faces, a comfort factor, a willingness to work together, a common endeavor and shared responsibility," said Allen. "You can see the commitment from these patriots, wanting to save lives and property on the homefront."

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MAFFS teams practice aerial firefighting

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National Guard, Reserve gather for annual aerial firefighting training

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