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A Texas sun sets behind a North Carolina Air National Guard C-130 Hercules Sept. 10 at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas. Just hours before, Airmen assigned to units in Colorado and North Carolina arrived at the airport to form the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group, the Air Force's response to a U.S. Forest Service support request to aid in fighting wildfires. The 302nd AEG's mission is to provide aerial firefighting capabilities using the Modular Airborne Firefighting System, or "MAFFS" system. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Collier)


On scene, standing ready

A Texas sun sets behind a North Carolina Air National Guard C-130 Hercules Sept. 10 at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas. Just hours before, Airmen assigned to units in Colorado and North Carolina arrived at the airport to form the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group, the Air Force's response to a U.S. Forest Service support request to aid in fighting wildfires. The 302nd AEG's mission is to provide aerial firefighting capabilities using the Modular Airborne Firefighting System, or "MAFFS" system. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Collier)

Related Imagery
Col. Richard Saunders, right, receives the 302nd Mission Support Group guidon from Col. James DeVere, 302nd Airlift Wing commander, during an assumption of command ceremony for the group at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., Oct. 15, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Stephen J. Collier)
Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130s from the Air Force Reserve Command's 302nd Airlift Wing depart Peterson AFB, Colorado, Aug., 3, 2015 in response to the initial National Interagency Fire Center MAFFS request for assistance. As of Aug., 12, 2015, the two 302nd AW MAFFS-equipped C-130s and crews have made 91 retardant drops discharging 219,705 gallons of retardant to aid in the suppression of wildland fires in California. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Amber Sorsek)
Senior Airman Sam Schwellenbach, hydraulics mechanic, checks the pressure of a MAFFS-equipped C-130 rear tire after it returned from a day of flying sorties on the River Complex fires in Northern California Aug. 5, 2015. As soon as the aircraft are done flying for the day the maintainers go to work to ensure it is ready for action the next day. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Daniel Butterfield)
A C-130J Super Hercules, assigned to the California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing, taxis to a reload
Members of the 39th Aerial Port Squadron physically push the MAFFS unit on to a C-130. It takes about two hours to load and configure the unit onto a C-130 aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Daniel Butterfield)
Senior Master Sgt. Tessa Tolle, left, and Master Sgt. Shannon Memmelaar, ¬¬¬C-130 MAFFS loadmasters, participated in this year’s MAFFS recertification training May 15, 2015 here. They were part of the ten aircrews who qualified for the mission in 2015 (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Federico)
A Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130 from the Air Force Reserve’s 302nd Airlift Wing drops potable water near Hackett mountain in Pike National Forest, Colo. during MAFFS certification training, May 16, 2015. Retardant dropped from a MAFFS-equipped C-130 can cover an area one-quarter of a mile long and 100 feet wide to aid in the containment of wildland fires. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Daniel Butterfield)
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. C-130 pilot Lt. Col. Robert Fairbanks, right, shows Maj. Gen. Stayce Harris, 22nd Air Force commander, a Modular Airborne Fire Fighting-equipped C-130 during her visit to the 302nd Airlift Wing here May 15, 2015. The general spent two days with the Air Force Reserve Command wing to get a firsthand look at MAFFS training. “That was a great introduction into what we do with the MAFFS mission here at the 302nd. It is challenging flying. And everyone takes it very seriously and to heart because, at the end of the day, what we’re trying to do is protect and save lives and properties from destruction. And so I appreciated that, and it really brought it to home the type of work that they’re doing. They’re challenging, once again, challenging situations with Mother Nature, they absolutely are. But every crew member here is absolutely ready for it,” said Harris.
Maj. Derik George was “coined” by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel for his contributions to Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System missions on June 28, 2013. George was part of the MAFFS crew that was recently recognized with an Air Mobility Command safety award for their actions in August of 2014. (Courtesy photo)
An Air Force Reserve Command C-130H assigned to the 302nd Airlift Wing drops a load of water during Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System certification near Hackett Mountain in Colorado May 18, 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Daniel Butterfield)
An Air Force Reserve Command C-130H assigned to the 302nd Airlift Wing follows a U.S. Forest Service lead plane during annual Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System training May 16-20, 2014 near Hackett Mountain, Colo. During wildland fires the lead plane directs the MAFFS-equipped C-130 where to discharge retardant. The system is filled with water during training. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Daniel Butterfield)
Master Sgt. Rocky Ramirez is “coined” by Maj. Gen. Scott Hanson after the general took a ride on a Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System training flight. “He just wanted to say thank you for the job that we do and wanted to say thanks for keeping the plane in such good shape and looking so nice. He said it was a great mission that we have. He was very impressed,” said Ramirez, a dedicated crew chief with the 302nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Hanson, Air Mobility Command Director of Operations, visited the Air Force Reserve Command’s 302nd Airlift Wing May 17 to get a first-hand look at MAFFS certification. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Daniel Butterfield)