Tag Archives: blackhawk

Ultimate Caduceus: “Surge the System”, FEMA Region 10 Mass-Med-evacuation!

26 March 2023 (16:05-UTC-07 Tango 06) 06 Farvardin 1402/04 Ramadan 1444/05 Yi-Mao(2nd month) 4721/26 марта 2023 года

McChord Field, Washington, 15MAR2023. Photo by John Wayne Liston.

From March 13th through 17th, 2023, FEMA Region 10 underwent a mass aero-medical evacuation, affecting the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington!

The U.S. Transportation Command (TransCom) coordinated the medevac.  More than 4-hundred military (Regular [Active Duty], Reserve and National Guard) and civilian personnel from across the U.S. were involved, including personnel from the the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Defense Health Agency.

McChord Field, Washington, 15MAR2023. Photo by John Wayne Liston.

Most of the medevac took place on McChord Field in Washington, but also included Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Gowen Field (Boise Airport), Idaho; and Portland Air National Guard Base (Portland Airport), Oregon.

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, 13MAR2023. USAF photo by Airman First Class J. Michael Peña.

Fortunately it was all a massive training event: “It allows in a controlled environment to surge the system, identify what needs to be improved, then to act on those areas to train to the highest standards.”-Major Donna Olson, 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron

“You want to make the training as realistic as possible with some stressors you would find out in the real world. Making sure the players aren’t completely stressed out, but proper learning is done.”– Master Sergeant Robert McNeal, North Carolina Air National Guard

“It’s important to do exercises like this to give people a sense of what happens in real world situations. The more you do it the less you have to think about it when it actually happens.”-Technical Sergeant Shannon Glover, 446th Operations Support Squadron

U.S. Air Force video report by Airman First Class Quatasia Carter, 13MAR2023:

A Boeing C-17 Globmaster-3, on McChord Field in Washington, was used to move the victims, video by Staff Sergeant Chris Sommers, 14-15MAR2023:

Some of the victims were delivered via UH-60 Black Hawk rotary wings, with the help of Portland Fire, video by Staff Sergeant Chris Sommers, 17MAR2023:

Some victims were transferred from the C-17 to awaiting Black Hawks, video by Staff Sergeant Chris Sommers, 15MAR2023:

CH-47 Chinooks also brought in victims, video by Staff Sergeant Chris Sommers, 17MAR2023:

Some CH-47s delivered directly to the waiting C-17, video by Staff Sergeant Chris Sommers, 14MAR2023:

Washington Army National Guard video, by Peter Chang, 17MAR2023:

Exercise Ultimate Caduceus has been conducted since at least 2011, but it is not always in FEMA’s Region 10.  Ultimate Caduceus 2011 took place in FEMA Region 4, and the scenario was disaster response to a massive New Madrid earthquake.

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) Region 10:  Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington.

U.S. Disaster, 2022: UTAH’S NEW FEMA REGION 8 URBAN DISASTER TRAINING SITE

CASCADIA RISING, FEMA PREPARATIONS, CANADA ONBOARD!

Pandemic Perfidy, 2021: MILITARY MEDICAL TEAMS DEPLOY TO FEMA REGIONS 4, 6, 8 & 10!

U.S. Disaster/Food Crisis 2022: Oklahoma Militia fights 702-Fire, no more Beef Cattle?

“It’s burning up in these canyons deep, burning out over the bowls and spreading out…. …. We’re unable to get our trucks and units down into the fire so. Basically, the only way is only with dozers and air support is the only way we’ll be able to get this knocked down.”-Jim Shelton, Blaine County Emergency Management 

This year’s fire season doesn’t seem as profuse as previous years.  Don’t tell that to people in Oklahoma, already more than 8-thousand acres (3237 hectares) have burned since 14JUL2022.

KOCO report from 15JUL2022, points out that the fire is negatively affecting a major food source:

Oklahoma Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Anthony Jones, 16JUL2022.

On 16JUL2022, Oklahoma Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawks, and LUH-72 Lakotas, attacked what is called the 702-Fire, in Blaine County.

Oklahoma Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Anthony Jones, 16JUL2022.

The UH-60 can dump more than 6-hundred gallons of water, using its ‘Bambi bucket‘.

Oklahoma Army National Guard photo by Specialist Caleb Stone, 16JUL2022.

Don’t forget about the natural gas refinery in Medford, Oklahoma, that caught fire a week ago:

U.S. Disaster 2022: MORE FIRES, MORE MILITARY DEPLOYMENTS, BLAME HOUSING DEVELOPMENT SPECULATION GAME!

U.S. Food Crisis 2022: KENTUCKY MILITIA DEPLOYED FOR WATER SHORTAGE, “BAD WENT TO WORSE!”

U.S. Disaster 2022: Montana Militia deploys after major flooding!

Lowered to a flooded home as SaR ops continue, 16JUN2022. Montana Army National Guard photo.

Since 13JUN2022, Montana Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk  helicopters have rescued more than 87 people trapped by record flooding, following a weekend downpour that dumped more rain than expected.

16JUN2022, Montana Army National Guard photo.

Interestingly, and you could call it perfect timing, back in February 2022, the Montana Army National Guard revealed plans to lease helicopter hanger space in the Eastern part of the state, due to the fact there was no National Guard search and rescue (SaR) presence in that part of the state: “If you look at a map of the U.S., that area Montana, southern Montana, northern Wyoming, that area is the largest area in the U.S. that does not have military aviation coverage.”-Colonel Rob Oleson, Director of Aviation and Safety, Montana Army National Guard

16JUN2022, Montana Army National Guard photo.

On 15Jun2022, additional militia personnel were sent to Caribou County, to assist local law enforcers by operating seven checkpoints in the Red Lodge area.

Red Lodge, Montana Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Edward Warner, 16JUN2022.

The flooding in the Red Lodge area is considered historic, ripping homes away and even flooding towns with large river rocks.

Montana Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Edward Warner, 16JUN2022.

The road checkpoints are expected to be operating at least until 22JUN2022.  Montana National Guard video by First Lieutenant Bayard Lewis, 15JUN2022, personnel deploy for checkpoint duty:

Montana Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Edward Warner, 16JUN2022.

Fort Harrison command center. Montana National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Michael Touchette, 15JUN2022.

Beartooth Slingshot Rentals drone video of flooding, 13JUN2022:

16JUN2022, Montana Army National Guard photo.

KTVQ report, 13JUN2022:

Red Lodge, Montana Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Edward Warner, 16JUN2022.

U.S. Disaster 2022: IDAHO AIR GUARD DEPLOYS TO CHEROKEE NATION!

HURRICANE HUNTERS ISSUE WARNING

National Guard teaching a baby three horned dinosaur to fly?

13 September 2020 / 04:18 (UTC-07 Tango 06)/ 23 Shahrivar 1399/25 Muharram 1442/26 Yi-You 4718

National Guard photos by Second Lieutenant Anna Doo and Sergeant John Montoya.  Videos by Second Lieutenant Anna Doo and Sergeant Zechariah Freeman.  Dig photos via New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science.

New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Image

In October 2015, the New Mexico Army National Guard was called-up for a mission unlike any other; sling-load a 65-million years old baby Pentaceratops out of the desert: “This ranks very high in the importance of Pentaceratops discoveries because it is the first baby skeleton, including the skull, ever recovered, and one of less than 10 adult Pentaceratops skulls unearthed.”-Spencer Lucas, Chief Curator of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science

The baby three horned dinosaur was actually discovered back in 2011, in the Bisti/De-na-zin Wilderness Area south of Farmington. In 2013, an adult was found in the Ah-shi-sle-pah Wilderness Study Area, 10 miles (16 kilometers) away.  The paleontologists had a problem; no wheeled vehicles are allowed in those federally controlled areas, and once encased in protective plaster, the two dinosaur skeletons could weight as much as one U.S. ton.

In 2014, administrators with the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, New Mexico National Guard, New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, agreed to airlift the bones using UH-60 Blackhawks from New Mexico National Guard’s Company C, 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation.

It took four hours to position just the encased baby skeleton for sling-load by the Blackhawk: “The process, since it was an unconventional load, took some different planning. We had the right personnel here and were able to brainstorm together. There was never really a set way that we had. We knew once we got in there we’d take a look at everything and figure out the best option. My favorite part was getting the jackets onto the sling loads. That was something we hadn’t had experience with and we knew it was going to be a difficult process. That was our biggest hurdle. Once we got past that we knew we had the capability to do everything else that we needed to.”-Staff Sergeant Jonathon Velarde, 1st Battalion-200th Infantry, National Guard site leader at the Bisti location

But when the day came for the airlift, it was discovered that the plaster surrounding the baby and adult Pentaceratops skeletons were water damaged from recent rain storms and could not be airlifted, only the skulls could be sling-loaded. However, it was soon discovered that the plaster jacketed skulls were much heavier than estimated.  The Blackhawk crew trying to lift the adult skull reported it weighed 5-thousand-5-hundred pounds (2494.8 kilograms) and the UH-60 was not able to safely lift it.  The jacketed baby skull weighed 4-thousand-5-hundred pounds (2041 kilograms), more than twice the estimate.

To make the lift the Blackhawk helicopters flew around burning off expensive fuel to lighten themselves.  Keep in mind that the National Guard personnel on the ground, heaving the heavy skulls into positions, even pushing one uphill, were unaware that they were dealing with weights that were more than twice what they were expecting.

Video, baby skull flip:

Apparently it took two days (28-29OCT2015) of struggling to position the two skulls for sling-load.

Video, adult skull flip:

Video interview, Staff Sergeant Jonathon Velarde explains the proper positioning of the sling-load net:

Video, skull lift:

Video, incoming skull:

The skulls were flown out of the ground vehicle restricted areas to a location where a M984 HEMTT (Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck) was waiting to take them to the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science: “The mission went really well and it was good training for the traditional Soldiers. The mission was accomplished and everyone was safe. We were able to really show the capabilities of the National Guard as far as our air assets, the Infantry piece as far as them having to go out there and rig it, and our transportation assets as far as being able to move it, as well as working with the civilians and the general public.”-First Lieutenant Jerome Bustamante, 116th Transportation Company, New Mexico National Guard

HEMTT dino-load video:

The skulls are part of dinosaur displays at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, unfortunately the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs used the CoViD-19 fear-mongering to shutdown all taxpayer funded museums in New Mexico, until further notice.   

Just before the CoViD-19 BS started: BLACK HELICOPTERS SWARM SUPER BOWL-54

IDAHO BLACKHAWKS HEAD SOUTH, DOWN CENTRAL AMERICA WAY, YOU PAID FOR IT!

U.S. government shenanigans, January 2019: MULTI-AGENCY SUPER SURGE

Black helicopters swarm Super Bowl-54

U.S. Customs and Border Protection photo by Ozzy Trevino, 23JAN2020.

Since at least 23JAN2020, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Air and Marine Operations, Miami-Dade Police, and other government agencies have been training-up for Super Bowl-54.  Every year so much taxpayer funded security is heaped upon the Super Bowl you might as well put the military in charge of the NFL.

U.S. CBP photo by Ozzy Trevino, 23JAN2020.

Among the assets being used are the CBP’s black and gold UH-60 Black Hawks, oh, and their little AS350 A-Star ‘copters. CBP video by Dusan Ilic, 27JAN2020:

U.S. CBP photo by Jerry Glaser, 27JAN2020.

CBP video by Dusan Ilic, 27JAN2020:

U.S. CBP photo by Ozzy Trevino, 29JAN2020.

CBP video by Dusan Ilic, 27JAN2020:

CBP video by Dusan Ilic, 27JAN2020:

CBP video by Jerry Glaser, 27JAN2020:

VEHICLE I-D: CBP’S BLACK HELICOPTERS DEPLOY TO PUERTO RICO, QUICK MINICRAFT KIT REVIEW

BLADE FOLDING ARMY BLACK HAWKS

Idaho Black Hawks head south, down Central America way, you paid for it!

“We are going to have to stop being the policemen of the world.”-Donald Trump, August 2015 interview with Hugh Hewitt

Idaho Army National Guard photo by Thomas Alvarez, 27APR2019.

At the end of April 2019, Idaho Army National Guard’s 1-183rd Assault Helicopter Battalion deployed to Guatemala in support of operation Beyond the Horizon.

Idaho Army National Guard photo by Thomas Alvarez, 27APR2019.

Keep in mind this is the Central American country allegedly sending the most illegals into the U.S., forcing the U.S. President to make a deal with the leaders of Guatemala to make an effort to keep their people home (never mind that the U.S. Department of Defense spends untold tax dollars conducting massive military and natural disaster training ops in Guatemala).

Idaho Army National Guard photo by Thomas Alvarez, 27APR2019.

1-183rd Assault Helicopter Battalion will provide casualty evacuation support and equipment transportation for National Guard engineers and medics as they spend U.S. taxes building schools and medical clinics in Guatemala.

Idaho Army National Guard photo by Thomas Alvarez, 27APR2019.

 

The 1-183rd’s mission to Guatemala ended on 27JUL2019.

Official video explainer of Idaho UH-60 Black Hawk refueling ops in Guatemala:

Interview with Idaho Black Hawk crew concerning mass casualty training in Guatemala:

Operation Beyond the Horizon was started in 2008, under the George Bush Jr regime, as a U.S. taxpayer funded “humanitarian civic assistance” program.

U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Anshu Pandeya, 20JUN2019.

National Guard personnel from Virginia and Washington build a new school in Guatemala. U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Anshu Pandeya, 11JUN2019.

 

The Guatemalan City Fueling the Migrant Exodus to America

IDAHO WINTER WARFARE TRAINING

GREAT RENEGER: DEPLOYMENTS SO COMMON EVEN BEERS ARE NAMED AFTER THEM

Idaho militia preps firefighters for climate change disasters!

07APR2018 (02:12 UTC-07 Tango 06)  18 Farvardin 1397/21 Rajab 1439/22 Bing-Chen 4716

“It’s easier to train a fire fighter that has swift water training to ride on the hoist than it is to train an Army hoist operator to become swift water qualified.”-Mike Barbero, Boise firefighter and Army National Guard pilot

Idaho Army National Guard photo by Captain Robert Taylor, 03APR2018.

The Idaho Army National Guard spent the first week of April conducting joint rescue training with the city of Boise’s fire department.  The helicopter hoist training event was the result of a February 2017 rescue of a man stranded by flooding in the town of Weiser, in which the National Guard and Boise Fire Department cooperated.

That 2017 rescue revealed the Boise Fire Department dive/swift water rescue team did not have helicopter hoist training and as a result National Guard personnel conducted the hoist rescue.

Idaho Army National Guard photo by Captain Robert Taylor, 03APR2018.

“This joint training that the Guard provides Boise Fire with is highly specialized and it provides the unique opportunity to learn techniques that could save a life. This training solidifies what we need to know to be successful in helicopter rescue scenarios.”-Paul Roberts, Boise Fire Department

IDAHO AIR MILITIA PREPS CIVILIANS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE DISASTER!

IDAHO MILITIA PROVIDES ITS OWN CELL SERVICE, TO SURVIVE COMING CLIMATE CHANGE DISASTER?

Arizona Militia deployed for Hurricane Harvey!

“This is the kind of stuff I joined the Guard to do!”-Staff Sergeant Larson, medic Arizona National Guard

Video of Arizona National Guard deploying three UH-60 Blackhawks to Texas, plus interviews, 26 AUG 2017:

HARVEY SINKS SHIP, COAST GUARD TO THE RESCUE!

TEXAS MILITIA, & OTHERS, PREP FOR HARVEY!

Illinois, Iowa, Pennsylvania & South Carolina Militias deploy to Afghanistan!

26 AUG 2017 (15:02 UTC-07 Tango 06)  04 Sharivar 1396/03 Dhu l-Hijja 1438/05 Wu-Shen 7th month 4715

1-151st ARB Forward Arming and Refueling Point training at Fort Stewart, Georgia, 09 JUL 2017

“We’re there to support the Afghanistan Army in their transportation to and from the battle.”-Lieutenant Colonel Brian Pipkin

National Guard units from four U.S. states deploying to Afghanistan; Illinois 2-238th General Support Aviation Battalion, Iowa 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, Pennsylvania Charlie Company 1-151st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion and South Carolina 1-151st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion.

South Carolina National Guard’s 1-151st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion conducts deployment ceremony, 26 AUG 2017

Pennsylvania Charlie Company, 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 151st Aviation Regiment deployment ceremony

Video of AH-64 training, held in July, in preps for deployment to Afghanistan:

Video of AH-64 FARP training at Fort Stewart, Georgia:

Video, AH-64 in reverse gear:

Video, Apache Swarm:

National Guard’s 1-151 ARB pre-deployment training, 11 AUG 2017, McCrady Training Center, South Carolina

April 2017: SOUTH CAROLINA MILITIA’S NEW SWITCH-BLADE APACHE

OLD OIL WAR: U.S. FORCES KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN, DAY AFTER U.S. FORCES KILLED AFGHAN POLICE!

Militia UH-60L looses windshield at NTC!

On 20MAY2017, a Missouri Army National Guard UH-60L Black Hawk suffered a damaged windshield while flying over Fort Irwin (National Training Center, NTC), California. The new windshield arrived for replacement on 30MAY2017:

Staff Sergeant Tim Morgan took this pic of a UH-60 Blackhawk under the Milky Way Galaxy 30MAY2017, at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California.

Mississippi National Guard video, by Staff Sergeant Tim Morgan, of Missouri UH-60 operations on NTC, 30MAY2017:

MISSISSIPPI MILITIA ‘CLEANS UP’ ITS ACT AT NTC!

VEHICLE I-D: NEW HH-60M BLACK HAWK FOR HAWAIIAN MILITIA MEDEVAC