153rd AW: 2013 MAFFS training

A Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130 from the 153rd Airlift Wing, after following a U.S. Forest Service lead plane, performs a training mission which includes water drops near the Medicine Bow National Forest, May 10, 2013. The Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd AW held its annual MAFFS certification and re-certification training. When it is determined MAFFS is needed, the National Interagency Fire Center through U.S. Northern Command requests the Department of Defense's U.S. Air Force resources. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Capt. Rusty Ridley)

153rd AW: 2013 MAFFS training

A Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130 from the 153rd Airlift Wing, after following a U.S. Forest Service lead plane, performs a training mission which includes water drops near the Medicine Bow National Forest, May 10, 2013. The Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd AW held its annual MAFFS certification and re-certification training. When it is determined MAFFS is needed, the National Interagency Fire Center through U.S. Northern Command requests the Department of Defense's U.S. Air Force resources. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Capt. Rusty Ridley)

153rd AW: 2013 MAFFS training

A Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130 from the 153rd Airlift Wing, after following a U.S. Forest Service lead plane, performs a training mission which includes water drops near the Medicine Bow National Forest, May 10, 2013. The Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd AW held its annual MAFFS certification and re-certification training. When it is determined MAFFS is needed, the National Interagency Fire Center through U.S. Northern Command requests the Department of Defense's U.S. Air Force resources. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Capt. Rusty Ridley)

153rd AW: 2013 MAFFS training

A Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130 from the 153rd Airlift Wing, after following a U.S. Forest Service lead plane, performs a training mission which includes water drops near the Medicine Bow National Forest, May 10, 2013. The Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd AW held its annual MAFFS certification and re-certification training. When it is determined MAFFS is needed, the National Interagency Fire Center through U.S. Northern Command requests the Department of Defense's U.S. Air Force resources. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Capt. Rusty Ridley)

C130-H from 153rd drops retardant near fire west of Cheyenne

A C130-H equipped with Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS) from the 153rd Airlift Wing in Cheyenne, Wyo. drops retardant near the Squirrel Creek fire about 70 miles east of Cheyenne, July 6, 2012. MAFFS is a self-contained aerial firefighting system owned by the U.S. Forest Service that can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than 5 seconds, covering an area one-quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide. Once the load is discharged, it can be refilled in less than 12 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo / Senior Airman Nicholas Carzis)

153rd Airlift Wing MAFFS

Airmen and MAFFS-equipped C-130s assigned to the 153rd Airlift Wing, Cheyenne, Wyo., arrive at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., to provide support to ongoing Colorado firefighting efforts. The 153rd Airlift Wing, along with the 302nd Airlift Wing, have been tasked to provide the requested MAFFS support in the state. (U.S. Air Force photo/Nichole Grady)

Tactical airfield landing

A Wyoming Air National Guard C-130 Hercules, assigned to the 153rd Airlift Wing, becomes the first to test the new Lt. Gen. Wright Tactical Airfield at the Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center's North Training Area, May 15, 2012. The airfield concept for Camp Guernsey was conceived 20 years ago and will provide aircrews real-world tactical training in coordination with ground combat forces. (Photo by Dewey Baars)

Tactical airfield landing

A Wyoming Air National Guard C-130 Hercules, assigned to the 153rd Airlift Wing, becomes the first to test the new Lt. Gen. Wright Tactical Airfield at the Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center's North Training Area, May 15, 2012. The airfield concept for Camp Guernsey was conceived 20 years ago and will provide aircrews real-world tactical training in coordination with ground combat forces. (Photo by Dewey Baars)

Tactical airfield landing

A Wyoming Air National Guard C-130 Hercules, assigned to the 153rd Airlift Wing, becomes the first to test the new Lt. Gen. Wright Tactical Airfield at the Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center's North Training Area, May 15, 2012. The airfield concept for Camp Guernsey was conceived 20 years ago and will provide aircrews real-world tactical training in coordination with ground combat forces. (Photo by Dewey Baars)

Tactical airfield landing

A Wyoming Air National Guard C-130 Hercules, assigned to the 153rd Airlift Wing, becomes the first to test the new Lt. Gen. Wright Tactical Airfield at the Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center's North Training Area, May 15, 2012. The airfield concept for Camp Guernsey was conceived 20 years ago and will provide aircrews real-world tactical training in coordination with ground combat forces. (Photo by Dewey Baars)

MAFFS II training conducted at the Wyoming Air Guard

A C-130 assigned to the 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard, drops water during Modular Airborne Firefighting System (MAFFS) training April 16, 2012, over Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center, Wyo. Annual training is conducted to maintain currency and upgrade qualifications for pilots, aircrew and ground crews in preparation for the fire season. (Photo by Mr. Dewey Baars)

MAFFS II training conducted at the Wyoming Air Guard

A C-130 assigned to the 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard, drops water during Modular Airborne Firefighting System (MAFFS) training April 16, 2012, over Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center, Wyo. Annual training is conducted to maintain currency and upgrade qualifications for pilots, aircrew and ground crews in preparation for the fire season. (Photo by Mr. Dewey Baars)

Texas Wildfires

Airmen from California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing, North Carolina Air National Guard's 145th Airlift Wing and Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd Airlift Wing conduct firefighting operations at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, April 19, 2011. The Airmen maintain and operate the Modular Airborne Firefighting System(MAFFS) housed aboard a C-130 Hercules which is capable of dispensing 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in under 5 seconds. The wildfires have spread across various parts of Texas and have burned more than 1,000 square miles of land. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Eric Harris)

C-130s drop retardant over Texas wildfires

Master Sgt. Jeff Tschacher, 153rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Wyoming Air National Guard, directs a C-130H Hercules equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System(MAFFS) to start engine two in preparation to fight wildfires burning in Texas, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, April 19, 2011. MAFFS is capable of dispensing 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than five seconds. The wildfires have spread across various parts of Texas and have burned more than 1,000 square miles of land. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. Eric Harris)

Maintainers taking care of their iron

The tail of this Wyoming Air National Guard C-130 proudly displays the American Flag, the aircraft's tail number, the Air National Guard crest and the Wyoming Air National Guard "Tail Flash". Over this weekend, Feb. 25-27, 2011, contractors, along with maintenance personnel from the 153rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, will replace all four of the aircraft's 8-blade propellors with 4-blade systems. (USAF Photo by Master Sgt. Paul Mann)(Released)

Maintainers taking care of their iron

Master Sgt. Michael Przymus (right) C-130 crewchief, and Staff Sgt. Adam Brannon, an aerospace maintainer with the 153rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Wyoming Air National Guard, help guide this WyANG C-130 while it is being towed off of the parking ramp of their Cheyenne base on Feb. 24, 2011. The aircraft will undergo a transformation over the weekend, having all four of it's 8-blade propellors replaced with 4-blade systems. (USAF Photo by Master Sgt. Paul Mann)(Released)

Dual exhaust

A 153rd Airlift Wing C-130 prepares to be reloaded with pressurized water April 28 during the 2010 Modular Airborne Firefighting System certification training in Greenville, S.C. The annually-held certification brought together more than 400 Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Airmen and their unit's C-130s to receive certification from the U.S. Forest Service in aerial firefighting. The certification runs April 25-May 1. The 153rd AW is assigned to the Wyoming Air National Guard. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Collier)

C-17 tests updated airfield

A C-17 Globemaster III from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., lands at the Wyoming National Guard's Guernsey Army Airfield in Guernsey, Wyo., Oct. 17, 2009, during the official opening of the updated airstrip now capable of handling the massive cargo aircraft. The airstrip is now able to park up to 23 fixed-wing aircraft, including three C-17s. In addition to the civilian-military airstrip, Camp Guernsey also boasts nearly 70,000 acres of terrain and supports approximately 65 square miles of restricted air space up to 30,000 feet. (U.S. Army photo/Brandon Quester)

Guernsey Landing

A C-17 Globemaster III aircraft from McChord lands at the Wyoming National Guard's Guernsey Army Airfield at Camp Guernsey in Guernsey, Wyo., during the official opening of an updated airstrip capable of handling the massive cargo aircraft. The airstrip is now capable of supporting up to 20 fixed-wing aircraft as well as three C-17's. In addition to the civilian/military air strip, Camp Guernsey also boasts nearly 70,000 acres of terrain and supports approximately 65 square miles of restricted air space up to 30,000 feet. (Photo by Brandon Quester/Public Affairs Specialist/Wyoming National Guard).

Guernsey Landing

A C-17 Globemaster III aircraft from McChord departs from the Wyoming National Guard's Guernsey Army Airfield at Camp Guernsey in Guernsey, Wyo., during the official opening of an updated airstrip capable of handling the massive cargo aircraft. The airstrip is now capable of supporting up to 20 fixed-wing aircraft as well as three C-17's. In addition to the civilian/military air strip, Camp Guernsey also boasts nearly 70,000 acres of terrain and supports approximately 65 square miles of restricted air space up to 30,000 feet. (Photo by Brandon Quester/Public Affairs Specialist/Wyoming National Guard).

1 Million Gallons

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (July 11, 2008) Master Sgt. Mark Withers with the 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard, prepares a modular airborne fire fighting system -equipped C-130 for another fire retardant drop on the California wildfires. The 302nd AEG includes eight U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft operating from McClellan Airfield, Sacramento, Calif., and eight U.S. Marine Corps medium- and heavy-lift helicopters flying from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., providing unique capabilities and is part of a unified military support effort of U.S. Northern Command to provide assistance to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the National Interagency Fire Center, and U.S. Forest Service operations. USNORTHCOM continues to closely monitor the California wildfires to anticipate additional requests for Department of Defense assistance to local, federal, and state civil authorities. (U.S. Air Force Photo/ Capt. Lisa Citino)

MAFFS

Los Padres National Forest, California. A C-130 Hercules cargo plane assigned to the 145th Airlift Wing, North Carolina Air National Guard, drops 3,000 gallons of water over the Los Padres National Forest using Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) during the MAFFS 2008 annual certifying event. The annual training event includes all aircrew, maintenance, support personnel directly supporting the MAFFS mission. There are 4 Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units involved with MAFFS: 145th Airlift Wing, (Charlotte), 146th Airlift Wing (Channel Islands), 153rd Airlift Wing, (Wyoming) and the 302nd Airlift Wing (Colorado). Photo by Tech Sgt Brian E. Christiansen

Over here!

A C-130 Hercules turns onto a taxiway during sunset at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, Dec. 6. The C-130 is deployed to the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron from the Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd Airlift Wing. The crew is deployed to Joint Base Balad from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Erik Gudmundson)

Iraqi doctors study American aeromedical evacuation program

Ambulatory patients depart a C-130 Hercules assigned to the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, shortly after midnight Nov. 8. Two Iraqi doctors from Iraq's Ministry of Defense accompanied an aeromedical evacuation mission to study U.S. Air Force aeromedical evacuation procedures so that they can establish an aeromedical evacuation service for the Iraqi air force. The C-130 is deployed from the Wyoming Air National Guard's 153rd Airlift Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jason Epley)