This summer has been full of wildfires throughout Alaska. Numerous firefighting teams have been called up from the lower United States to help in the fight. One of the teams that have joined in the fight is a local team, the Alaska Army National Guard. Using 2 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and Bambi-Buckets the Alaska Army National Guard teams have been performing firefighting missions in coordination with the Bureau of Land Management, Fire Services based out of Fort Wainwright, Alaska. On Friday June 26 the team flew their aircraft down to Tok, Alaska, to assist in fighting a few large fires in the area. Using internal aircraft communications the crew chief Sgt. Philip Peter talked to the pilots Chief Warrant Officer 4 Nyle Harrison and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Molly Reque to guide them onto ponds, from that point the crew used the Bambi-Bucket to gather around 800 gallons of water and fly to the selected area of the fire to extinguish the flames in that location. The dropping of the water could be controlled by either the pilots or the crew chief. The teams worked with the fire mission flight controller, who circled the area in a plane and guided both the helicopters and skimmer aircraft onto flare up areas. Both the helicopters and skimmers took turns bombarding the fire filled trees with water until they reached their flight time limits. (Photo by Sherman Hogue/Fort Wainwright PAO)A patrol boat from the U.S. Navy's Coastal Riverine Squadron 8 escorts the U.S. Navy Los Angeles class attack submarine USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720) through New London harbor bound for sea seen from Groton, Conn., Tuesday, June 30, 2015. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Future cadets arriving at the United States Military Academy at West Point are given an initial class in drill and ceremony by a Cow, or cadet in their third year at the Academy, on R-day. Almost 1,300 future cadets reported to the Academy on R-day, which is typically held on the last Monday in June. After arriving at the Academy, the future cadets are ushered into Thayer Hall where they are fitted for uniforms and processed into the Academy. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Brian Hamilton)150630-M-DN141-530
ARAWA, Autonomous Region Of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea (June 30, 2015) Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Matthew Hawkins, from West Jordan, Utah, assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21, assists an infant aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19). At the request of the government of Bougainville, Mercy launched one of its helicopters to transport six passengers, including one infant, who swam ashore following their ship sinking off the coast of Carteret Island in Papua New Guinea. The passengers were transported to Mercy and provided medical assistance. According to Navy doctors, all passengers are in good condition. Mercy is in Papua New Guinea as part of Pacific Partnership 2015. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Valerie Eppler/Released)U.S. Army and Bulgarian forces maneuver across the Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, June 25 in Operation Speed and Power. Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, join Bulgarian military allies from the 6th Brigade Battle Group during a live-fire tank shoot firing the first ever rounds fired by a U.S. M1A2 tanks in Bulgaria. Operation Speed and Power is part of Operation Atlantic Resolve and is a joint training exercise which demonstrates U.S. Army Europe's preparedness to deliver strategic effect in Atlantic Resolve-South by showcasing the freedom of movement to maneuver and fire M1A2 Abrams anywhere along the Eastern Flank. This ability enables the NATO allies to defend themselves against all threats, and shows that the alliance remains ready to defend itself anywhere at any time. (U.S. Army photos by Spc. Jacqueline Dowland, 13th Public Affairs Detachment)A Marine competes at the 54th Interservice Rifle Match held at Quantico Va., on Tuesday, June 30, 2015. [The Marine Corps' Weapons Training Battalion hosted the event from June 24 to July 1. (Daniel Woolfolk/Staff)
Soldiers with 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, participate in a tank shoot rehearsal as preparation for a live-fire tank shoot at Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, June 24. Transported as part of a tank section from Germany to Bulgaria, the Abrams tank will be used by soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, alongside Bulgarian soldiers from the 6th Brigade Battle Group, during a live-fire exercise during Operation Speed and Power during Kabile 15 as part of Atlantic Resolve-South. Operation Speed and Power is a joint training exercise which demonstrates U.S. Army Europe's preparedness to deliver strategic effect in Atlantic Resolve-South by showcasing the freedom of movement to maneuver and fire M1A2 Abrams anywhere along the Eastern Flank. This ability enables the NATO allies to defend themselves against all threats, and shows that the alliance remains ready to defend itself anywhere at any time. (Photo taken with video camera)U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Castro executes an over-the-shoulder throw on Lance Cpl. Hector Mota during a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program course aboard the USS Rushmore (LSD 47). Castro is a motor transportation operator and Mota is an optics technician with Combat Logistics Battalion 15, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. MCMAP trains Marines on hand-to-hand combat skills essential to mission readiness, as well as a good source of physical fitness while deployed. The 15th MEU is embarked on the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Emmanuel Ramos/Released)Pilots in Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, use Full Mission Simulators as part of their training with F-35s. The F-35 simulators can also be found at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, where Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 trains. The F-35 Full Mission Simulator accurately replicates all sensors and weapons to provide a realistic mission rehearsal and training environment. (Courtesy photo, Lockheed Martin)Chief of Staff, Lithuanian Land Force, Colonel Dalius Polekauskas, left, welcomes U.S. Army 4th Infantry Division Commander of the Mission Support Element Brigadier General Michael Tarsa as members of the U.S. Army of the Mission Command Element (MCE) of the 4th Infantry Division arrival at a airport in Vilnius , Lithuania, Wednesday, July 1, 2015. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)Pfc. Nick Day, an infantryman assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, vaults over a beam at an obstacle course during the last leg of long range surveillance selection, June 24, at Fort Bragg, N.C. On the final day of selection, candidates completed a 20-kilometer ruck march, a written exam, and an obstacle course. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Paige Behringer, 10th Press Camp Headquarters)
