A National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk lands at Young Air Assault Strip on June 16, 2021, during operations for the Patriot ’21 exercise at Fort McCoy, Wis. Patriot ‘21 was a joint, interagency exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau (NGB). It took place at Volk Field, Wis., Combat Readiness Training Center and Fort McCoy from June 14-17. It is a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities in the same manner that they would during disasters. The exercise tests the National Guard’s abilities to support response operations based on simulated emergency scenarios, such as an earthquake creating a collapsed building, mass casualties, and the need for search and rescue along with evacuations of injured personnel. (U.S. Army Photo by Christopher Hanson, Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office)

A National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk lands at Young Air Assault Strip on June 16, 2021, during operations for the Patriot ’21 exercise at Fort McCoy, Wis. Patriot ‘21 was a joint, interagency exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau (NGB). It took place at Volk Field, Wis., Combat Readiness Training Center and Fort McCoy from June 14-17. It is a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities in the same manner that they would during disasters. The exercise tests the National Guard’s abilities to support response operations based on simulated emergency scenarios, such as an earthquake creating a collapsed building, mass casualties, and the need for search and rescue along with evacuations of injured personnel. (U.S. Army Photo by Christopher Hanson, Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office)

Military and civilian first responders work together during a simulated medical evacuation scenario June 16, 2021, during the National Guard Patriot '21 exercise at Fort McCoy, Wis. Patriot ‘21 was a joint, interagency exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau (NGB). It took place at Volk Field, Wis., Combat Readiness Training Center and Fort McCoy from June 14-17. It is a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities in the same manner that they would during disasters. The exercise tests the National Guard’s abilities to support response operations based on simulated emergency scenarios, such as an earthquake creating a collapsed building, mass casualties, and the need for search and rescue along with evacuations of injured personnel. (Photo by Kevin Clark, Fort McCoy Multimedia-Visual Information Office)

Chase, a law enforcement dog with the Nebraska state troopers, engages a fleeing suspect during a simulated prisoner transfer June 16, 2021, as part of the National Guard Patriot '21 exercise at Fort McCoy, Wis. Multiple Air Force security forces and civilian law-enforcement agencies participated in the exercise to help build real-world medical response and peacekeeping skills in the event of a natural disaster. Patriot ‘21 was a joint, interagency exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau (NGB). It took place at Volk Field, Wis., Combat Readiness Training Center and Fort McCoy from June 14-17. It is a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities in the same manner that they would during disasters. The exercise tests the National Guard’s abilities to support response operations based on simulated emergency scenarios, such as an earthquake creating a collapsed building, mass casualties, and the need for search and rescue along with evacuations of injured personnel. (Photo by Kevin Clark, Fort McCoy Multimedia-Visual Information Office)

U.S. Air Force security forces members wear civilian clothing and simulate a domestic disturbance at a training area June 16, 2021. during the National Guard Patriot '21 exercise at Fort McCoy, Wis. Multiple Air Force SF and civilian law-enforcement agencies participated in the exercise to help build real-world medical response and peacekeeping skills in the event of a natural disaster. Patriot ‘21 was a joint, interagency exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau (NGB). It took place at Volk Field, Wis., Combat Readiness Training Center and Fort McCoy from June 14-17. It is a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities in the same manner that they would during disasters. The exercise tests the National Guard’s abilities to support response operations based on simulated emergency scenarios, such as an earthquake creating a collapsed building, mass casualties, and the need for search and rescue along with evacuations of injured personnel. (Photo by Kevin Clark, Fort McCoy Multimedia-Visual Information Office)

U.S. Air Force security forces members wear civilian clothing and simulate a domestic disturbance at a training area June 16, 2021, during the National Guard Patriot '21 exercise at Fort McCoy, Wis. Multiple Air Force SF and civilian law-enforcement agencies participated in the exercise to help build real-world medical response and peacekeeping skills in the event of a natural disaster. Patriot ‘21 was a joint, interagency exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau (NGB). It took place at Volk Field, Wis., Combat Readiness Training Center and Fort McCoy from June 14-17. It is a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities in the same manner that they would during disasters. The exercise tests the National Guard’s abilities to support response operations based on simulated emergency scenarios, such as an earthquake creating a collapsed building, mass casualties, and the need for search and rescue along with evacuations of injured personnel. (Photo by Kevin Clark, Fort McCoy Multimedia-Visual Information Office)

Air Force security forces and civilian law enforcement members load a simulated casualty on to a U.S. Army UH-72 Lakota helicopter during a simulated medical evacuation exercise June 16, 2021, at Fort McCoy, Wis. The action was part of the National Guard Patriot '21 exercise. Multiple Air Force security forces and civilian law-enforcement agencies participated in the exercise to help build real-world medical response and peacekeeping skills in the event of a natural disaster. Patriot ‘21 was a joint, interagency exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau (NGB). It took place at Volk Field, Wis., Combat Readiness Training Center and Fort McCoy from June 14-17. It is a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities in the same manner that they would during disasters. The exercise tests the National Guard’s abilities to support response operations based on simulated emergency scenarios, such as an earthquake creating a collapsed building, mass casualties, and the need for search and rescue along with evacuations of injured personnel. (Photo by Kevin Clark, Fort McCoy Multimedia-Visual Information Office)

An Air Force C-17 Globemaster III takes off from the Young Air Assault Strip on South Post on June 16, 2021, during the National Guard Patriot '21 exercise at Fort McCoy, Wis. Multiple Air Force and civilian agencies participated in the exercise to help build real-world medical response and peacekeeping skills in the event of a natural disaster. Patriot ‘21 was a joint, interagency exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau (NGB). It took place at Volk Field, Wis., Combat Readiness Training Center and Fort McCoy from June 14-17. It is a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities in the same manner that they would during disasters. The exercise tests the National Guard’s abilities to support response operations based on simulated emergency scenarios, such as an earthquake creating a collapsed building, mass casualties, and the need for search and rescue along with evacuations of injured personnel. (Photo by Kevin Clark, Fort McCoy Multimedia-Visual Information Office)

An Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter takes off from the Young Air Assault Strip on June 16, 2021 during the National Guard Patriot '21 exercise at Fort McCoy, Wis. Patriot ‘21 was a joint, interagency exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau (NGB). It took place at Volk Field, Wis., Combat Readiness Training Center and Fort McCoy from June 14-17. It is a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities in the same manner that they would during disasters. The exercise tests the National Guard’s abilities to support response operations based on simulated emergency scenarios, such as an earthquake creating a collapsed building, mass casualties, and the need for search and rescue along with evacuations of injured personnel. (Photo by Kevin Clark, Fort McCoy Multimedia-Visual Information Office)

An Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter takes off from the Young Air Assault Strip on South Post on June 16, 2021, during the National Guard Patriot '21 exercise at Fort McCoy, Wis. Patriot ‘21 was a joint, interagency exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau (NGB). It took place at Volk Field, Wis., Combat Readiness Training Center and Fort McCoy from June 14-17. It is a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities in the same manner that they would during disasters. The exercise tests the National Guard’s abilities to support response operations based on simulated emergency scenarios, such as an earthquake creating a collapsed building, mass casualties, and the need for search and rescue along with evacuations of injured personnel. (Photo by Kevin Clark, Fort McCoy Multimedia-Visual Information Office)

U.S. Air Force security forces members wear civilian clothing and simulate a domestic disturbance at a training area June 16, 2021, during the National Guard Patriot '21 exercise at Fort McCoy, Wis. Multiple Air Force SF and civilian law-enforcement agencies participated in the exercise to help build real-world medical response and peacekeeping skills in the event of a natural disaster. Patriot ‘21 was a joint, interagency exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau (NGB). It took place at Volk Field, Wis., Combat Readiness Training Center and Fort McCoy from June 14-17. It is a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities in the same manner that they would during disasters. The exercise tests the National Guard’s abilities to support response operations based on simulated emergency scenarios, such as an earthquake creating a collapsed building, mass casualties, and the need for search and rescue along with evacuations of injured personnel. (Photo by Kevin Clark, Fort McCoy Multimedia-Visual Information Office)

U.S. Air Force security forces members wear civilian clothing and simulate a domestic disturbance at a training area June 16, 2021, during the National Guard Patriot '21 exercise at Fort McCoy, Wis. Multiple Air Force SF and civilian law-enforcement agencies participated in the exercise to help build real-world medical response and peacekeeping skills in the event of a natural disaster. Patriot ‘21 was a joint, interagency exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau (NGB). It took place at Volk Field, Wis., Combat Readiness Training Center and Fort McCoy from June 14-17. It is a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities in the same manner that they would during disasters. The exercise tests the National Guard’s abilities to support response operations based on simulated emergency scenarios, such as an earthquake creating a collapsed building, mass casualties, and the need for search and rescue along with evacuations of injured personnel. (Photo by Kevin Clark, Fort McCoy Multimedia-Visual Information Office)

A natural disaster can strike any time and the National Guard, along with state and county emergency management agencies, conducted a disaster-readiness exercise called Patriot ‘21 in mid-June.

Patriot ‘21 is a joint, interagency exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau (NGB). It took place at Volk Field, Wis., Combat Readiness Training Center and Fort McCoy from June 14-17.

It was a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities in the same manner that they would during disasters.

The exercise tests the National Guard’s abilities to support response operations based on simulated emergency scenarios, such as an earthquake creating a collapsed building, mass casualties, and the need for search and rescue along with evacuations of injured personnel.

The National Guard, along with local, state and federal partners, deployed to exercise venues at and around Volk Field practicing the response as well as at Fort McCoy.

“It’s been more than a year that we’ve been in a pandemic and we’ve also had civil disturbance and natural disasters along the way, and we’ve been in response mode. But we’re getting back to the business of training for those situations now,” said Lt. Col. Roger Brooks, exercise director for Patriot ‘21. “It’s all about training with our local civilian agencies and partners and improving our communication and ability to work seamlessly with different entities.”

Brooks said people in parts of Monroe and Juneau counties saw an increase in military equipment moving along roads and interstates as well as aircraft flying during the exercise.

Approximately 1,000 civilians, volunteers and National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from 26 states supported this year’s exercise. It also included participating National Guard units from neighboring states, volunteer organizations, and county emergency management agencies.

The exercise provides the National Guard an opportunity to improve cooperation and relationships with its regional civilian, military and federal partners in preparation for emergencies and catastrophic events.

Fort McCoy has supported the same exercise several times in previous years. The last time was 2019.

In 2019, Lt. Col. Ashley Nickloes, deputy exercise director for that year’s exercise operations said Volk Field, Fort McCoy, and Wisconsin in general are great areas to hold the kind of training completed during Patriot North.

“Wisconsin is near and dear to my heart. Why? It’s because of the hospitality,” Nickloes said. “The people of Wisconsin go out of their way to make sure that we are at home, and we have everything we need to accomplish the mission of this exercise to its fullest capability. I really believe that the Combat Readiness Training Center at Volk Field is unparalleled in their support of what they can supply to this mission, and we love coming back here every year.

“A lot of people also might not realize is what Fort McCoy and Volk Field bring to the area and to the Guard,” she said.

“For what Fort McCoy provides, it has … (Young Air Assault Strip), where we can bring in C-17s and C-130s in addition to other aviation assets. This is a great field where we can come in and practice. You don’t have lights out here (on the airstrip), so this is what it would be like if they were flying into many areas in Afghanistan.”