Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, Navy and Marine Corps fight as one

Members of the 146th Aerial Port Squadron of the California Air National Guard load a pallet of boots from the National Interagency Fire Center onto a C-130 aircraft from the 146th Airlift Wing before they are sent to National Guard troops fighting wildfires in California July 5. The 146th AW is conducting firefighting support missions as part of the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group. The 302nd AEG, comprised of aircraft from the Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, Navy and Marine Corps, provides unique capabilities and is part of a unified military support effort of U.S. Northern Command to provide assistance to the U.S. Forest Service, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and the National Interagency Fire Center. USNORTHCOM continues to closely monitor the California wildfires to anticipate additional requests for Department of Defense assistance to local, federal, and state civil authorities. Photo by Patti Bielling