“Today marked yet another milestone in the proud history of the Idaho National Guard as wildland firefighter ground crews mobilized and deployed to support the growing wildland fire threats across our state.”-Brigadier General Russ Johnson, Idaho National Guard Joint Staff
Idaho Army National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur.
On 04AUG2021, sixteen Idaho Air and Army National Guard personnel, who are federal Type 2 Red Card (Incident Qualification Card) certified, were deployed to assist the Idaho Department of Lands battle at least 15 wildfires across the Gem State.
To be Red Card certified means you’re literally are given a red card saying you are qualified to fight wildfires. IANG photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur.
72 Idaho state militia personnel are Red Card certified: “We are currently training more Soldiers and Airmen as they volunteer for this mission in the hopes of building a large capacity consisting of several hand crews.”-Lieutenant Colonel Tony Vincelli, Task Force Timber Shield
IANG photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur.
Two Idaho National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters have also been fighting fires, dropping more than 205-thousand gallons since July 13th.
An Idaho 1-183rd Aviation Battalion Black Hawk deployed to fight fires in California, in 2020. California Air National Guard photo by Captain Jason Sanchez.
Eight militia members have also been providing logistical support since July 21st, at the Idaho Fire Cache warehouse in Coeur d’Alene.
The U.S. Coast Guard says it captured 14 illegals from Cuba in this little boat, near the Bahamas, on 27JUL2021. The Cubans were sent home on 29JUL2021.
ARIZONA: U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel use a Black Hawk (spending lots of your money) to rescue an illegal from Guatemala, stranded on the Baboquivari Mountains, 26JUL2021:
“Receiving the PGK NET was a great opportunity that will enhance the battalion and the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team’s lethality on the battlefield. We purposely sought to field the PGK prior to the brigade’s upcoming mobilizations. If the PGK capability exists in the theater of operations we end up in, then our soldiers will be trained to employ it and bring a precision capability to the fight.”-Lieutenant Colonel Eric Orcutt, 1st Battalion 148th Field Artillery Regiment
Idaho Army National Guard photo by Crystal Farris.
The Idaho Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion of the 148th Field Artillery Regiment (FAR), headquartered in Pocatello, learned how to use ‘smart’ artillery projectiles known as the M1156 Precision Guidance Kit (PKG).
During the last two weeks of July 2021, the 1-148 FAR was in next door Wyoming, on Camp Guernsey, for annual ‘summer camp’ training. The ‘smart’ projectiles they were launching through their M1096A6 Paladin 155mm gun tubes uses aerodynamic fins on the fuze to steer the projectile on target. If the smart projectile happens to be not so smart and impacts outside 150 meters of the target area, it won’t explode.
Not only does PKG make artillery projectiles more accurate, it’s hoped that accuracy will save taxpayers some money by not needing as many ‘dumb’ projectiles.
Round=projectile+case
Projectile=bullet, shot, slug
Cartridge Case=case or shell containing propellant
The 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team, of which the 148th FAR is a part of, is scheduled for deployment in 2022 (apparently the location is still hush-hush, and this is despite President Biden’s pull-out from Afghanistan and his order to cease combat ops in Iraq).
Vehicle I-D:
1-116th Cav, 1-148th FA, Pocatello, Idaho. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.
Gowen Field, Idaho, 23JUL2021. Idaho Army National Guard photo by Thomas Alvarez.
Between June 30th and July 29th, the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s Peace Vanguard unit conducted AH-64 Longbow Apache gunnery on the Orchard Combat Training Center for the tenth year now, but this time they got to use Idaho’s new DAGIR system: “The scoring is instantaneous. The second a target is hit, we know about it. It’s a great feature because sometimes you’re not sure if the round went through the target or not.”-Lieutenant Colonel Jack Denton, U.S. Army Flight Training Detachment
Idaho ArNG photo by Thomas Alvarez, 23JUL2021.
The RSAF Peace Vanguard is based on the Arizona National Guard’s Silverbell Army Heliport, where they’ve been flying eight AH-64Ds since 2001.
Idaho ArNG photo by Thomas Alvarez, 23JUL2021.
Idaho’s Orchard Combat Training Center has at least 23 gunnery/bombing ranges. Currently it is one of only two DAGIR ranges in the entire U.S.
I stopped writing my Dumbing Down U.S.A. series in 2020 because schools shutdown, not just in the United States but globally. In 2021, it is clear to me that the obviously leftist-liberal controlled global education system is just using the pandemic-panic-attack to hasten their control-through-dumbing-down agenda.
Incomplete(Tip-o-the-Iceberg) list of publicly announced education related layoffs, shutdowns and crimes, as of 30July2021:
German taxpayer funded TV report about education problems in central Africa countries due to violence and pandemic-panic-attack. As you watch the report, be aware that the United Nations is pushing for more and higher education in African countries that have no industries in which to provide employment to highly educated people, in other words they are putting the cart before the horse:
MONGOLIA: Since 2019, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has been paying Mongolian contractors to build kindergartens, more school construction projects are planned for 2022: “The U.S. government wants to provide buildings that are sustainable for Mongolia and it is helping to improve the Mongolia building standards by providing more energy efficient structures.”-Rebecca Rosenquist, USACE project manager
Disappearing Students Syndrome (DSS): A phrase created by me to describe a phenomenon has been taking place across the United States for more than a decade, affecting both privately and publicly funded schools, from Kindergarten all the way through University levels.
“The request for additional support shows just how challenging this fire season is and how critical our MAFFS aircraft, aircrews and maintenance personnel are to supporting NIFC [National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho].”-Colonel Jeremy Ford, 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard
Wyoming ANG photo by Technical Sergeant Jon Alderman.
On 19JUL2021, a Wyoming Air National Guard (ANG) C-130H MAFFS (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System) was activated, and on 20JUL2021 was sent to battle wildfires in California.
Wyoming ANG photo by Technical Sergeant Jon Alderman.
The C-130H has been upgraded with a new propeller system.
Wyoming ANG photo by Technical Sergeant Jon Alderman.
Wyoming ANG video by Jacqueline Marshall, 19JUL2021:
Wyoming ANG photo by Technical Sergeant Jon Alderman.
Also on 19JUL2021, Colorado ANG activated a MAFFS to fight the fires in California. Music video announcement by Staff Sergeant Laura Fitsmorris:
CAL FIRE Air Tanker Base, McClellan Park. Nevada ANG photo by Senior Master Sergeant Paula Macomber.
Nevada’s ‘High Rollers’ just had their mission in California extended until August 26th!
MAFFS aircraft are only activated when it becomes clear that the private sector water bombers are overwhelmed, or will soon be, by the volume of wildfires.
On Tuesday last week, I went for a stroll along the Boise River here in Boise, Idaho. To my delight, all the plants have tripled in size since I saw them last, about two months ago. They’ve grown considerably; the bare gravel river banks are now nearly covered in growth. It was a fun trek through all the leaves, sand, gravel, water, and several spider webs. One could follow the sound of the river through the thick green walls of natural labyrinth.
There are plenty of useful plants here, which were most likely intentionally planted. This part of the Boise River is technically the Boise River Park, and is maintained by the Parks and Recreation department. I really appreciate their methods of leaving it pretty much alone save for repairing water erosion and cleaning up human disturbances. I’m grateful we have the Greenbelt here where we can visit a bit of wildlife in the middle of the city. In Japan, research has proven that taking time to just be in nature is beneficial to all areas of our health. Doctors now prescribe Shirin Roku, or Forest Bathing, to reduce stress, which is the cause of a myriad of health problems. In addition, many of these plants that grow wild and may be considered weeds are actually medicinal and are a good source of minerals and vitamins.
This Mullein is the cutest one I’ve seen. It’s only one foot tall! I was collecting mullein flowers to create a cough syrup. I’ve put them in sugar to ferment in a jar for a few weeks in the sun. I’m really curious to see if this works come fall!
If you had enough money you could get a ride in the B-17G bomber. Notice the K-Max firefighting helicopter in the background, lots of smoke in the air.
In March 2018, Sentimental Journey took part in CAF’s Tora, Tora, Tora display, over Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Tyler J. Bolken.
02OCT2012, at the War Eagles Air Museum, Doña Ana County Airport, New Mexico. Photo by Sergeant Jonathan Thomas.
U.S. Air Force video by Sergeant Adam Ross, getting ‘sentimental’ over the B-17, October 2012:
My immediate family’s connection to Sentimental Journey began in Summer 1986, when the restored flying fortress visited Edwards Air Force Base, California. Photos by my father William Lewis Hutchins.
My baby brother Ernst F. Hutchins.
U.S. Air force photo by a Staff Sergeant Simons.
From 27APR1986, over Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, during the Gathering of Eagles ’86 tour.
According to CAF, the B-17G that became Sentimental Journey spent the last few months of World War Two over the Pacific. After the war it was converted to serve as a boat carrying Search And Rescue plane out of Florida. In the 1950s it was used as a drone controller during nuclear weapons tests. In 1959, it went to the Bone Yard in Arizona, but shortly after that it was purchased by a firefighting company in California. Sentimental Journey still uses the registration number assigned while it was a fire fighter. In 1978 the B-17 water bomber was donated to the Arizona chapter of the CAF. The name Sentimental Journey was the result of a local newspaper holding a contest for the name. The Arizona CAF members restored Sentimental Journey to its World War Two bomber configuration. Amazingly, Sentimental Journey was fully restored as a bomber and flying air shows by the end of 1985/beginning of 1986.
1982, half hour long documentary explaining the reason for the Confederate Air Force-Ghost Squadron:
1981, British made hour long documentary explaining that the Confederate Air Force-Ghost Squadron was led by a totally made-up Confederate officer named Colonel Culpepper, and why the CAF was originally created. Notice that at the beginning of the film one of the members says “…we shouldn’t apologize to anybody in the world for what we are or what we’ve been.”:
13 July 2021 / 23:44-UTC-07 Tango 06 (23 Tir 1400/04 Dhu l-Hijja 1442/05 Yi-Wei [5th month] 4719)
Chubbuck, Idaho, 13JUL2021. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.
The fattest grasshopper I’ve seen in the 25 years I’ve lived in Southeastern Idaho was trying to get in my back door.
Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.
Despite the extreme dry heat, these grasshoppers are looking well fed. This guy had left behind a little something near my apple tree.
Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.
A ghost of his former self, his molt. Apparently he (or she or it?) had just shed its skin.
Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.
I’ve already written about the Grasshoppers and Mormon Crickets seemingly joining together to wreak havoc upon Pacific Northwest farmers. Here’s some links to the most recent news about the worsening situation: Grasshoppers Are Descending on the West in Swarms
Towards the end of May 2021, the Idaho Air National Guard unveiled their heritage ‘8N’ A-10C Thunderbolt-2. 8N is the squadron code for the U.S. Army 9th Air Force-371st Fighter Group’s 405th Fighter Squadron.
Idaho Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Joshua C. Allmaras.
It was part of 75th anniversary celebrations for the 190th Fighter Squadron’s(FS) birthday, 24MAY1946. The old 405th FS logo was added to the nacelles after returning from its heritage paint job in Iowa.
Idaho Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Joshua C. Allmaras.
Idaho Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Joshua C. Allmaras.
The 190th FS evolved out of the 405th FS, which flew P-47 Thunderbolts during World War Two (hence the false tail number 405190). In 1944, P-47s of the 405th carried the code 8N on their fuselages: “Every aspect of that paint job, down to the smallest detail, is deliberate and faithful to how our P-47’s looked in the summer of 1944. We weren’t going for glitz and a superficial ‘wow factor.’ This isn’t a toy airplane; it’s one of our beautiful A-10 Thunderbolt-2s dressed in the same scheme worn by our P-47 Thunderbolts in World War Two. It’s like a little boy wearing his dad’s military uniform. I think that’s what makes it so special.”-Major Tom Silkowski, Idaho’s 190th FS
An ‘8N’ P-47D somewhere in France, 1944.
Idaho Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Joshua C. Allmaras.
On 07JUL2021, 8N took part in refuel training over Mountain Home Air Force Base (AFB), Idaho.
Idaho Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Mercedee Wilds.
The refueling was done by a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 507th Air Refueling Wing (ARW), Tinker AFB, out of Oklahoma.
Idaho Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Mercedee Wilds.
Idaho Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Mercedee Wilds.
But it is not the first time 8N got refueled mid-flight. On its way home from the heritage paint job (done at the Air National Guard Paint Facility in Sioux City), the Iowa Air National Guard’s 185th ARW provided fuel for the flight back to Idaho.
Idaho Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Mercedee Wilds.
Idaho Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Mercedee Wilds.
Idaho Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Mercedee Wilds.
Idaho Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Mercedee Wilds.
Iowa Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot.
Iowa Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot.
Iowa Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot.
Iowa Air National Guard video, by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, of 8N (sans 405th FS logo) being pull from the paint shop, 05MAY2021:
Iowa Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot.
1944(?) France, P-47 ‘Mumbling Joe’ 8N-H, 371st FG-405th FS.
