KALISPEL INDIAN RESERVATION, Wash. (Aug. 23, 2015) -- With the Tower Wildfire burning more than 10,000 acres of forest in Northeastern Washington over the last week, the Soldiers of Task Force First Round cannot get to the front lines quick enough, and to make this happen, they are completing training, which is setting the stage for future operations.
After arriving late the previous night, the Soldiers, out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, hit training first thing during the morning of Aug. 23, as they set out to not only learn tactics, which will help them suppress the wildfires, but also help protect land sacred to the tribe of the Kalispel Indian Reservation.
"We have got the troops engaged in a training exercise that's also a benefit for the tribe," said Jay Karle, military crew advisor for Soldiers of Task Force First Round. "These [Soldiers] are working hard at putting in an indirect fireline around a sacred burial site."
Knowing that the training also had real world implications made it all the more important for the Soldiers.
"This is something that we want to do and it is important because we want to let the civilians know that we are there whenever they need us," said Pfc. Terra Begay, a strike team member assigned to Task Force First Round. "We are here to protect our country anyway that we can."
The advisors are implementing training, which will keep the Soldiers continuing to hone their skills and see the Soldiers improving by the day.
"I think it's great; they are a great resource," Kearn said. "These [Soldiers] are driven, they are motivated, they are fit, they are organized, they are disciplined, so it is an easy transition for them to come over here and be firefighters."
Besides receiving training and providing support to the community, the Soldiers know that being here will provide a much needed boost to the firefighters on the frontline.
"By doing this, it helps those that are already out there fighting fires," said Begay, a native of Holbrook, Arizona. "They don't have to come and [dig firelines]; we will already have it done for them so they don't get over exhausted. They are already working long days and we just want to give them somewhat of a rest."
With very little time before Soldiers get to the frontlines, the time available now has to be taken advantage of.
"Let's have it be useful," said Karle, a native of Woodland Park, Colorado. These fires have impacted the people in this area pretty severely. Protecting some of these resources, this is what it is all about, the things that are irreplaceable."
Social Sharing