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The flag outside the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, flies at half-staff July 10, 2012, in honor of the four crewmembers of MAFFS 7 who were killed when their MAFFS-equipped C-130 crashed during a fire fighting mission in South Dakota July 1. All Department of Agriculture and Department of Interior agencies flew their flags at half-staff to coincide with the crewmembers' memorial service held in Charlotte, N.C., that same day.

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Airman Raymond DeSoto, 302nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, marshals a MAFFS-equipped C-130 at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., June 29. MAFFS aircraft from the 302nd and 153rd Airlift Wings have been supporting Colorado wildland fire fighting efforts since June 25.

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A MAFFS-equipped C-130 from the 146th Airlift Wing of the California Air National Guard arrives at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., June 30, to support wildland fire fighting operations in the western United States. Four MAFFS units are scheduled to arrive June 30, joining four already operating out of Peterson AFB. The eight MAFFS constitute the entire U.S. military MAFFS fleet. The four units supporting the fire fighting effort are the 302nd Airlift Wing from Peterson AFB, the 146th Airlift Wing from Channel Islands, Calif., the 153rd Airlift Wing from Cheyenne, Wyo., and the 145th Airlift Wing from Charlotte, N.C.

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Senior Airmen Dustin Johannsen and Barry Logan pull a retardant hose from a MAFFS-equipped C-130 preparing to fly a drop mission in support of Colorado wildland fire fighting efforts June 29, here. MAFFS-equipped aircraft are capable of holding 3,000 gallons of retardant and can disperse it in five seconds.

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Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., NORAD and U.S. Northern Command commander, conducts a tour of MAFFS operations with Air Force Lt. Col. Luke Thompson, 302nd Airlift Wing Chief of Airborne Firefighting, on Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., June 28. Four MAFFS units from the 302nd and 153rd Airlift Wings are currently supporting wildland fire fighting operations in Colorado.

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Senior Airmen Dustin Johannsen and Barry Logan pull a retardant hose from a MAFFS-equipped C-130 preparing to fly a drop mission in support of Colorado wildland fire fighting efforts June 29, here. MAFFS-equipped aircraft are capable of holding 3,000 gallons of retardant and can disperse it in five seconds.

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Two C-130s assigned to the 302nd Airlift Wing sit on the tarmac at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. Four Modular Airborne Firefighting System-equipped C-130s from the 302nd and 153rd Airlift Wings have been assigned to support wildland fire fighting efforts in Colorado, dropping water and retardant on fires such as the Waldo Canyon fire burning in the background.

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Two Modular Airborne Firefighting System-equipped C-130s from the 153rd Airlift Wing of the Wyoming Air National Guard park on the ramp at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., June 25. The two aircraft will join two more MAFFS-equipped aircraft from the 302nd Airlift Wing assigned to Peterson Air Force Base in supporting wildland fire fighting efforts in Colorado.

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The 153rd Airlift Wing from Cheyenne, WY use a Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS) equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft in support of the Waldo Canyon wild fire in Colorado Springs, CO on June 27, 2012. Four MAFFS-equipped aircraft from the 302nd and 153rd Airlift Wings flew in support of the U.S. Forest Service as they fought fires in Colorado. MAFFS is a self-contained aerial firefighting system that can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than five seconds, covering an area one-quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide.

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A U.S. Forest Service aircraft banks away after leading a Modular Airborne Firefighting System-equipped C-130 on a drop run over the Waldo Canyon fire near Colorado Springs, Colo., June 26, 2012. Four MAFFS-equipped aircraft, two from the 302nd Airlift Wing based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., and two from the 153rd Airlift Wing of the Wyoming Air National Guard, are supporting wildland fire fighting efforts in the state of Colorado.

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A U.S. Forest Service aircraft breaks away as a Modular Airborne Firefighting System-equipped C-130 begins dropping retardant on a section of the Waldo Canyon fire near Colorado Springs, Colo., June 26. Four MAFFS units from the 302nd and 153rd Airlift Wings are flying in support of the U.S. Forest Service as they fight wildland fires in Colorado.

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A Modular Airborne Firefighting System-equipped C-130 drops retardant on a section of the Waldo Canyon fire near Colorado Springs, Colo. June 26. Four MAFFS aircraft from the 302nd and 153rd Airlift Wings are supporting civil authorities as they combat the fire, which has burned since June 23.

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Air Force Reservist Senior Airman Barry Logan, 302nd Maintenance Squadron, and Tony Waiswilos, U.S. Forest Service, give the signal to stop pumping retardant into a Modular Airborne Firefighting System-equipped C-130 during a reloading and refueling stop at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., June 28. A MAFFS equipped aircraft can hold 3,000 gallons of water or retardant and discharge it five seconds.

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A MAFFS-equipped C-130 from the 153rd Airlift Wing of the Wyoming Air National Guard arrives at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., June 25, to support wildfire fighting efforts in Colorado. The 153rd AW sent two aircraft equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems to join two from the 302nd Airlift Wing based at Peterson AFB for the effort.

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Air Force Lt. Col. Dave Condit, 302nd Airlift Wing, briefs reporters on the Modular Airborne Firefighting System during a media event June 25. Four MAFFS-equpped aircraft from the 302nd Airlift Wing and the 153rd Airlift Wing have been assigned to support wildland fire fighting efforts in Colorado.

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"Girl of the West" Amanda Summers greets members of NORAD and USNORTHCOM in the lobby of the commands' headquarters June 25. The Girls of West are promoting the Pikes Peak or Bust rodeo, which benefits military charities.

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Colorado Army National Guard Sgt. Ryan Betz, 8th Civil Support Team, works quickly to repair a tear in Sgt. Steve Russ's chemical suit during a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear response exercise May 3, 2012, on the U.S. Air Force Academy. Russ's suit suffered a rupture during a simulated reconnaissance mission of a contaminated area, and Betz used tape to seal it before continuing with the mission. U.S. Army North, a subordinate of U.S. Northern Command, is responsible for evaluating CSTs every 18 months.

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Colorado Army National Guard Sgts. Steve Russ and Ryan Betz check over their equipment before taking chemical samples from a sprayer during a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear response exercise May 3 2012, at the U.S. Air Force Academy. The reconnaissance team will take samples of the chemical and bring it back to be examined in the 8th CST's mobile lab. U.S. Army North, a subordinate of U.S. Northern Command, is responsible for evaluating CSTs every 18 months.

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Staff Sgt. Joshua Cookson, common operating picture manager, Task Force 51, U.S. Army North, and Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Davis, Illinois Air National Guard, work to establish procedures for a common operating picture during Exercise Silver Risk. The exercise focuses on the Dual-Status Command concept that will be used as the Department of Defense and Illinois National Guardsmen support the NATO Summit scheduled May 19-20 in Chicago. Led by the Illinois National Guard, it is the first time TF 51 Soldiers and civilians have participated under the authority of a dual-status command during a large scale command post exercise. Cookson said the COP being used was developed primarily at Army North, with some modifications being made by the Illinois Guard for its use.

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Colorado Army National Guard Sgt. Ryan Betz, 8th Civil Support Team, works quickly to repair a tear in Sgt. Steve Russ' chemical suit during a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear response exercise on the U.S. Air Force Academy May 3, 2012. Russ's suit suffered a rupture during a simulated reconnaissance mission of a contaminated area, and Betz used tape to seal it before continuing with the mission. U.S. Army North, a subordinate of U.S. Northern Command, is responsible for evaluating CSTs every 18 months.

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