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A C-130 equipped with a U.S.D.A. Forest Service Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System departs here April 17 to fight a wildfire in a neighborhood in Austin April 17. U.S. Northern Command has deployed six C-130 aircraft fitted with MAFFS to support the battle against ongoing wildfires in the area.

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A wildfire burns land near Austin, Texas April 17, 2011. U.S. Northern Command has deployed six C-130 aircraft fitted with the U.S. Forest Service Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System to Texas to support the fight against ongoing wildfires.

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A lead plane from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service guides a C-130, from the 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., toward a wildfire west of Austin, Texas, April 17. U.S. Northern Command has deployed six C-130 aircraft equipped with the U.S.D.A. Forest Service’s Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System to support the fight against ongoing wildfires in the area.

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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 gather at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas to prepare for wildfire fighting operations, April 18, 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.

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A crew chief with the 302nd Airlift Wing marshals a Modular Airborne Firefighting System-equipped C-130 in preparation for take-off at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., April 16. Aircraft and crews from the 302nd AW have been assigned to assist the Mexican government in fighting wildland fires in Northern Mexico. The MAFFS, which is owned and maintained by the U.S. Forest Service, is a pressurized self-contained firefighting system designed for installation in C-130 aircraft without structural modifications to the aircraft. The system is designed to air-drop fire-retardant chemicals onto wildfires.

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A Modular Airborne Firefighting System-equipped C-130 assigned to the 302nd Airlift Wing prepares for take-off at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., April 16. The aircraft is one of two MAFFS-equipped aircraft assigned to assist the Mexican government in fighting wildland fires in Northern Mexico. The MAFFS, which is owned and maintained by the U.S. Forest Service, is a pressurized self-contained firefighting system designed for installation in C-130 aircraft without structural modifications to the aircraft. The system is designed to air-drop fire-retardant chemicals onto wildfires.

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Spc. Arturo Saucedo, cavalry scout, Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 13th Cavalry, surveys the Arizona – Mexico border for suspected illegal activities using a Long Range Scout Surveillance System (LRAS). The ‘Warhorse’ Cavalry Scouts reported their observations to the U.S. Border Patrol agents in the field.

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Pfc. Tamika Terry, cook, left, serves lunch at containerized kitchen facility to the 1st Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment Soldiers. The squadron deployed to Arizona with all its support elements and conducted concurrent weapons training, tested logistical capabilities, performed maintenance functions, and practiced their unit emergency-response plans.

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Lt. Col. Carrie Acree, Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer, holds five-week old Adrian Morant while his mother gets situated at the Denver International Airport aerial port of debarkation March 24. More than 140 military dependents from Japan flew into DIA as part of Operation Pacific Passage, a voluntary departure operation that began after the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan March 11.

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The 1st Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment established a tactical operations center to manage all its support operations. Historically known as the “Warhorse Squadron,” the Fort Bliss-based unit volunteered to execute the Defense Support to Civilian Law Enforcement Agencies mission coordinated by Joint Task Force North, the U.S. Northern Command unit tasked to provide military support to the nation’s federal law enforcement agencies.

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A crew chief with the 302nd Airlift Wing marshals a C-130 for take-off at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., April 16. Aircraft and crews from the 302nd AW have been assigned to assist the Mexican government in fighting wildland fires in Northern Mexico.

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Senior Master Sgt. John Eichenberg, 302nd Airlift Wing loadmaster, secures a Modular Airborne Firefighting System aboard a C-130 in preparation for take-off at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., April 16. Aircraft and crews from the 302nd AW have been assigned to assist the Mexican government in fighting wildland fires in Northern Mexico using MAFFS loaded onto two C-130 aircraft. The MAFFS, which is owned and maintained by the U.S. Forest Service, is a pressurized self-contained firefighting system designed for installation in C-130 aircraft without structural modifications to the aircraft. The system is designed to air-drop fire-retardant chemicals onto wildfires.

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Maj. Darrell Watkins, 1st Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment Operations Officer, left, and Capt. Gilbert Redford, Chosin Company commander, coordinate a JTF North mission executed in support of the U.S. Border Patrol – Tucson Sector. During the U.S. Border Patrol – Tucson Sector support mission, the 1st Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment Soldiers served as the ‘eyes and ears’ of the agents that patrol the Arizona – Sonora, Mexico border area.

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Petty Officer 1st Class Laurie Roods, Navy Operational Support Center Denver, helps Gloria Loveday find her cat, Maggie, after landing at Denver International Airport March 24. Members of all four military branches are working in support of the aerial port of debarkation at DIA as part of Operation Pacific Passage. DIA began receiving military dependents March 24, joining Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Wash., and Travis Air Force Base, Calif. as points of debarkation for military dependents leaving Japan following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

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A crew chief with the 302nd Airlift Wing locks up a C-130 in preparation for take-off at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., April 16. Aircraft and crews from the 302nd AW have been assigned to assist the Mexican government in fighting wildland fires in Northern Mexico using a Modular Airborne Firefighting System loaded onto two C-130 aircraft. The MAFFS, which is owned and maintained by the U.S. Forest Service, is a pressurized self-contained firefighting system designed for installation in C-130 aircraft without structural modifications to the aircraft. The system is designed to air-drop fire-retardant chemicals onto wildfires.

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Federal law enforcement agents and intelligence analysts from the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice met with their supporting active duty and reserve component military counterparts during the annual 2011 Joint Task Force North Intelligence Conference, held 8-10 March, at Fort Bliss, Texas. The JTF North conference, co-sponsored by DHS’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis, served as a forum for the development and planning of future intelligence initiatives to counter transnational criminal organizations and threats directed against the nation. Using both small and large group information exchange methodologies, the law enforcement agents, intelligence professionals, and supporting military personnel focused on drug trafficking, alien smuggling, aerial and maritime smuggling, terrorism, tunnels, cross-border gangs, weapons smuggling, threat finance, and information sharing and collaboration. JTF North incorporates the lessons learned and intelligence requirements that evolved from the conference into its future intelligence support operations provided to the federal law enforcement agencies.

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Spc. Derek Armstrong employs a Long Range Scout Surveillance System (LRAS) mounted on High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). The LRAS has both day and night surveillance capabilities. The ‘Warhorse’ Cavalry Scouts reported their observations to the U.S. Border Patrol agents in the field.

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More than 140 military dependents prepare to process through the Denver International Airport aerial port of debarkation March 24. DIA, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Wash., and Travis Air Force Base, Calif., are receiving flights of military dependents who voluntarily left Japan as part of Operation Pacific Passage following the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan March 11.

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Master Sgt. Cory Gatewood, left, welcomes a Navy family to Travis Air Force Base after a flight from Japan. Volunteers from Naval Air Stations Lemoore and Fallon assisted Travis Air Force Base personnel with the arrival of military families voluntarily evacuating Japan.

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Staff Sgt. Katie Speer, 60th Air Mobility Wing command chief executive, carries a child off the military chartered flight March 22. Approximately 500 passengers arrived at Travis Air Force Base in support of Operation Pacific Passage. On March 17, the Office of the Secretary of Defense approved voluntary assisted departures to the United States for family members residing in Japan. These flights will continue for the foreseeable future to accommodate the needs of our service member’s families.

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