Photo By Maj. Megan Breen | U.S. Army National Guard firefighters of the 1049th Engineer Detachment, Montana Army...... read more read more
Subscribe
CAMP GRAYLING, Mich. — Sirens echoed across the Grayling Army Airfield as firefighters sprinted toward a simulated UH-60 Black Hawk crash site. Smoke drifted through the pine trees as U.S. Army reservists, Guardsmen and local responders worked side by side, cutting through metal and hauling equipment to rescue those trapped inside.
The drill was one of many during Northern Strike 25-2, the National Guard Bureau’s largest readiness exercise. For the ninth consecutive year, military firefighters converged in northern Michigan to test their skills against challenging, no-notice scenarios that mirror real-world emergencies.
“When the sirens go off, that is not the time for introductions,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Lee Fuller, Safety Director for Northern Strike. “We establish these relationships now, train together, and work together, so when the call comes, we are ready.”
Northern Strike brings together more than 7,000 participants from 35 states and nine partner nations. While its primary focus is on building combat readiness across domains, the exercise also sharpens disaster response capabilities.
Earlier this year, an ice storm devastated 10 Michigan counties, leaving thousands without power and stranded in their homes. More than 800 Michigan National Guard members were activated, including firefighting detachments, to deliver lifesaving supplies and support recovery. For leaders like Fuller, the connection between training and reality is clear.
“Every year, we design tough, realistic training to prepare soldiers and airmen for the worst-case scenario,” he said. “The situations we replicate here are the same ones they could face at home or abroad.”
For many firefighters in the Guard and Reserve, military service is a part-time commitment layered onto civilian careers.
“Some of our soldiers are part-time firefighters or EMTs. In the civilian world, I work as a consultant to neurosurgery,” said 1st Lt. Luke Copley, commander of the 1440th Engineer Firefighting Detachment. “There are may aspects which translate—attention to detail and operating under pressure—but this isn’t something I do every day. That’s why making the most of our limited training time is so important.”
Copley designed one of this year’s most demanding scenarios: his soldiers were inserted into a wooded area by CH-47 Chinook, forced to carry gear a mile uphill, and confronted with a simulated crash site where a vehicle lay overturned with a manikin pinned beneath. On the hottest day of the exercise, the soldiers rotated in teams, hauling sleds of equipment and working to stabilize and extract the victim.
“They understand that lives could be at stake,” Copley said. “That’s why they push themselves—to be ready when it counts.”
Across the training area, military fire stations displayed rows of trucks and pristine gear. For Soldiers, maintaining equipment is both a matter of pride and survival.
“Our gear is what keeps us alive and able to save others,” said Staff Sgt. Scott Clark, operations sergeant for the 1440th. “It all has to be inspected and certified annually, just like we do with our own training. Each member of this team completes hundreds of certification hours to be ready for whatever mission comes.”
Units traveled from across the country to participate, including the 907th Engineer Firefighter Detachment from Yakima, Washington.
“Not only do we practice deploying our personnel, but we also get exposure to different terrain and training venues,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Mark Starll, commander of the 907th. “When states call on us for help during emergencies, these relationships and experiences are what make us effective.”
Whether battling wildland fires, conducting technical rescues, or responding to natural disasters, Northern Strike challenges military firefighters to operate at their best. The exercise builds not only individual skills, but also the interoperability required when multiple agencies respond together.
The proof lies in Michigan’s own recent history. From ice storms to wildfires, soldiers and airmen who train at Northern Strike are the same ones who show up when communities are in need.
When the smoke clears, what remains is readiness, trust, and a force prepared to answer the next call—whether in Michigan, across the nation, or overseas.
| Date Taken: | 08.19.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.20.2025 09:01 |
| Story ID: | 545963 |
| Location: | GRAYLING, MICHIGAN, US |
| Hometown: | CAMP GRAYLING, MICHIGAN, US |
| Web Views: | 34 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Military Firefighters Hone Skills at Northern Strike, by MAJ Megan Breen, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
