341st MSOS leads LIRP initiative in Cascade, MT

MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, MT, UNITED STATES

08.11.2021

Story by Airman 1st Class Elijah Van Zandt 

341st Missile Wing

The 341st Missile Security Operations Squadron convoy response force, tactical response force and 40th Helicopter Squadron participated in a Local Integrated Response Plan exercise in Cascade on Aug. 9, 2021, to better prepare defenders and Malmstrom leadership for real-world emergency situations.

The LIRP is an open display of capability to the public and included a convoy of Bearcat vehicles escorting a payload transporter from Malmstrom to Cascade School and wrapped up with two UH-1N Huey helicopters landing on the football field.

Members of the Cascade community were able to talk with personnel, sit inside the Bearcats and helicopters and ask questions about the security provided by MSOS.

MSOS personnel worked together with agencies like the FBI and local police which ensures Malmstrom’s assets remain safe even during threatening events, ultimately keeping the community safe.

Senior Airman Rudolfo Martinez Jr., 341st MSOS operator and active participant in the training, emphasized how the LIRP helps earn the trust of the local community.

“It’s important for families to see what we do and to know that we’re here for them in case something happens,” said Martinez Jr. “They’re able to see and believe in the work that we do and how it leads to successfully keeping the community safe.”

Federal and local law enforcement as well as representatives from more than a dozen federal agencies participated in the LIRP, which is designed as a collaborative training opportunity to develop checklists and procedures to facilitate a rapid, coordinated response from multiple sources.

Stanley Moody, 341st Security Forces Group planning manager, emphasized during a brief to base leadership that for a successful LIRP to occur, all of Malmstrom’s squadrons must work together and with outside agencies diligently.

“When responding to a real-world situation like this, it’s not a good day for anyone,” said Moody. “That’s what makes this type of training so important. It requires everyone to be at the top of their game.”

The briefing, immediately following the landing of the helicopters, was attended by Col. Anita Feugate Opperman, 341st Missile Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Michael Becker, 341st Missile Wing command chief.

“Our wing is made up of well-trained, capable and ready Airmen, but we still rely on communicating with our local partners when responding to an incident,” said Feugate Opperman. “This event is a critical way of coordinating our efforts, so that we have the ability to work seamlessly as one team.”

• Date Taken: 08.11.2021
• Date Posted: 08.25.2021 11:21
• Story ID: 402858
• Location: MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, MT, US