The Montana Army National Guard performed drills in the Big Sandy area over the last week and into the weekend. Their presence in the fields on the edge of the Big Sandy Airport is part of their annual field exercises, which typically account for 5 or 6 days of their two weeks of total trainings every year. Locals couldn't help but notice the camp set up on Judith Landing Road or hear the helicopter flying in the area throughout the day and into the night.
Captain Kyle Sampson. who I spoke with during the Saturday open house, explained: "We're part of the first of the 189th General Support Aviation Battalion. We're split across three locations during our annual training in June this year. We're part of a group in Big Sandy here. We have 56 people on the ground here with medevac and transport utility aircraft." He went on to explain that the annual trainings rotate throughout the state to expose the soldiers to operations in different environments, terrains, and conditions. "We fly day, obviously, and then with night vision goggles, so we're taking the opportunity in the summertime to expand in a few different training areas and exercise our training potentials." Last year's field training took place in Hardin, and the previous year was done in Deer Lodge.
This year's training was unique in that the battalion was split between multiple locations. "This is the first time we've done a split operation where we have three locations. So this is kind of pushing to that next level of training where we're making sure we can maintain communication and support and making sure we can field all the missions alongside the logistical challenges of being split across the locations. Typically, we do go as a full battalion." Captain Sampson explained that if the full battalion was present, "...we would take the majority of the footprint would probably be taking this entire area with all the fuel support and the maintainers and all the other communications and operations equipment. It does take quite a bit of space."
The rigorous standards for guard pilots requires a great deal of commitment from the individuals. "With aviation for National Guard, the requirements for flight are the same as active army. So we still have to meet the same minimums for proficiency and hours in the air. It's a big ask for our flyers -to work a full career and then still come in and fly. Typically, they have to fly at least once a week to maintain their hour limits. So we're very appreciative of the employees in the area who are flexible and provide that ability for their soldiers to come and train. It's a big ask, but it's a big opportunity as well."
The guard was training this week with different models of Blackhawk helicopters. "The ones with the Red Crosses are HH-60-Mike models. They have hoist capability. They can do the medevac missions. They have life support equipment as well. The other aircraft without the red crosses are the Lima models. They're regular UH-60-Alpha/Lima for troop movement and equipment as well.
Helicopter maneuvers were only part of the work done by the guard in the community last week. They also trained for maintaining the helicopters in the field. "Part of that (the week of field training and drills) has been able to exercise our maintainers away from the the Support Facility. The opportunity to do maintenance without the backup that they have in a normal aviation facility at a larger airport." He went on to explain that for every hour of flight time, the Blackhawks undergo an average of 4 to 5 hours of maintenance. "This one that they're working on currently (indicating a Blackhawk undergoing maintenance during the open house) is undergoing a 40-hour inspection."
The Saturday open house is a standard feature of field drills. "It's an opportunity to let the community know why the military have suddenly arrived in their community, that we're just training and we appreciate the ability to come and train in a new area. That gives us an opportunity to meet people and as always, we're always looking for people who would be interested in serving. It gives us an opportunity to showcase what we do and what capabilities we have and then the opportunities we can provide to people within the area." Captain Sampson also expressed appreciation to the community for being receptive and friendly, as well as patient with their late night flights over the community.
In recent years, the Montana 189th General Support Aviation Battalion has been called up by the state to deal with various disaster situations. "In previous years, we fought (forest fires). We have a bucket over there staged in case we need it for water buckets for forest fires and then a couple of years ago, when the Red Lodge area flooded, they sent out crews to rescue people as well. We are always ready and willing to help the people in Montana and serve in any way we can."
