Photo By Senior Airman Breanna Christopher Volkmar | Airmen from the 741st Missile Security Forces Squadron exit a U.S. Army UH-60...... read more read more
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FORT WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, Mont. -- Under the backdrop of rugged Montana landscape, the 741st Missile Security Forces Squadron honed their ground defense skills during a five-day exercise held from September 16-20. Airmen were greeted by the dry, rocky terrain of Fort Harrison , where they faced a range of challenges designed to simulate real-world combat scenarios.
During the exercise, the 741 MSFS Airmen focused on four core areas of base defense: forward operating base operations, close-quarters combat, dismounted operations and mounted operations. These skillsets are critical to ensuring security forces remain ready to defend Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. and its surrounding missile fields.
"The whole purpose was to focus on those four major areas and become more proficient," said Tech. Sgt. Brantley Alexander, 741 MSFS battle captain. "Our goal was to practice war tasks, so we can be fully prepared for any future events."
The exercise was structured to build upon previous years' training while incorporating new strategies and scenarios. For the first three days, Airmen practiced battle drills and coordinated with their teams to build continuity and sharpen their skills. The last two days, dubbed “execution days,” tasked the Airmen with carrying out graded scenarios that tested everything they had learned.
“We’ve progressively made this exercise more challenging each year,” said Alexander. “This year, we spread out the exercise more, adding complexity to the tasks and encouraging greater interaction between the teams.”
The importance of teamwork and communication was a key focus throughout the exercise. “Teamwork is paramount,” emphasized Alexander. “If they don’t communicate well, they risk losing people in the scenario and a lot of what we do here can be applied to daily operations.”
Airman 1st Class Arisdelcy Quintero Rodriguez, 741 MSFS missile security operator, reflected on the importance of cohesion in a challenging environment.
“Fort Harrison is definitely different than Malmstrom. I’ve never been deployed, but if I ever do, I now have a concept of what it will be like,” Quintero said. “The most challenging part was definitely the terrain—it’s very rocky, and footwork was tough while carrying our vests and equipment, but I feel like we communicated pretty well and did great as a team.”
Quintero’s role involved securing the forward operating base and responding to simulated adversaries.
“We had to clear a village, secure a weapons cache and set up a 360-degree perimeter for injured personnel,” she explained. “It was tough, but working with our team made all the difference. Everyone brings different ideas, and I feel like I’m in good hands.”
One standout moment came during a dismounted operation when the Airmen were surprised by the enemy’s location.
“They weren’t entirely sure where the adversaries were, and when they finally located them, it caught them off guard,” said Alexander. “They relied on their training, reacted quickly and handled the situation effectively.”
By the end of the exercise, the Airmen were sunburned and exhausted, but their hard work paid off in the form of increased proficiency in critical defense skills. The training left an indelible impact, giving the 741 MSFS a fresh perspective on how to approach base defense operations moving forward.
“Teamwork, communication, and adaptability were key to our success,” said Alexander. “The more we train like this, the better we’ll be prepared to defend our missile fields and the mission as a whole.”
| Date Taken: | 09.19.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.03.2024 15:46 |
| Story ID: | 482476 |
| Location: | MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, MONTANA, US |
| Web Views: | 15 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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