New York Airmen Deploy to Train with Portuguese Counterparts

LAJES FIELD AIR BASE, Portugal - Sixty-four New York Air National Guardsmen from the 105th Airlift Wing traveled to the Azores, a cluster of Atlantic islands that belong to Portugal, to train with their Portuguese counterparts for two weeks. 

The deployment for training from July 28 to Aug. 10 included Airmen from the 105th Civil Engineer Squadron and Fire Department, the 105th Force Support Squadron and the 213th Engineering Installation Squadron. Each section participated in hands-on training with each other and Portuguese airmen.

In addition to the collaboration between 105th units and Portuguese forces, two Airmen from the Minnesota National Guard 133rd Airlift Wing's civil engineer squadron helped train newer Airmen in the squadron. 

Lt. Col. Benjamin Thomas, the engineer squadron commander, said the civil engineers honed their skills in structure maintenance, base support and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense.

"The mission of the 105th Civil Engineer Squadron is to provide ready engineers to deploy in domestic and international contingency operations in support of the United States Air Force," Thomas said. "Trips like these allow us to bring all of our capabilities and skills to an unfamiliar location and prepare us for future operations, no matter where they take us."

One training opportunity Lajes offered was operating and rewinding a BAK-12 aircraft arresting system. The device helps prevent fighter aircraft from crashing if they land with faulty landing gear.

"The 105th does not have fighter aircraft, but every Air Force firefighter and power production technician is expected to be able to operate these devices," Thomas said. "We had the opportunity, in conjunction with local forces and the Portuguese air force, to do that exercise here, and it was a very great experience for our team."

Airmen with the 105th Fire Department also participated in the BAK-12 exercise. They also conducted search and rescue and vehicle extrication training and live-burn simulations.

They trained with the Azorean fire department at Lajes and participated in 24/7, real-world operations, said Master Sgt. Antonio Latona, the superintendent for fire and emergency services for the 105th Airlift Wing. 

"One of the many benefits of doing a joint training is the experience we gain by integrating with teams from different countries who have different needs and expectations than us," Latona said. "We were able to learn a lot from each other, and our firefighters learned what it's like to be deployed in another country and how to quickly integrate into that new environment."

Meanwhile, the 213th surveyed communication towers at Lajes Air Field and prepared a project for follow-on teams to install air-to-ground radio antennas to enhance the base's communication capabilities.

"By training in different locations, we learn to develop solutions in the moment for things that we didn't prepare for, providing us with knowledge we can bring back to our unit," said Senior Master Sgt. James Heimbuecher, the cyberspace systems integrator for the 105th.

The 105th Force Support Squadron team also supported base operations at Lajes, assisting in the post office, maintaining the base gym and helping in the dining facility.

During the deployment, 11 civil engineers visited Moron, Spain, to complete fencing and airfield erosion remediation. They worked alongside two structures Airmen from the 158th Civil Engineer Squadron and six heavy equipment operators from the 202nd RED HORSE Squadron.

"They asked us if we happened to have the appropriate skill sets and if there was any chance we could divert those individuals from Lajes, Portugal, to Moron, Spain," said Lt. Col. Robert Forrester, the officer in charge of the group. "Less than two weeks later, our structures and heavy equipment operators teams were on the ground in Spain working these two projects."

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