City Commissioners will be asked to approve an updated mutual aid agreement with the Montana Air National Guard fire department during their Sept. 5 meeting. Annually, Guard officials ask Great Falls Fire Rescue to update contact information and response capabilities. The Air Force sometimes updates their own regulations that require updating the mutual aid agreements, which is the case for
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Fighter jets are flying over Great Falls for a training exercise. The jets are F/A-18 Hornets and F-5N Tiger II, according the Montana Air National Guard. The units participating are, according to the Montana Air National Guard: Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112 is a reserve United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron, known as the “Cowboys”. The squadron is based
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Earlier in January, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin rescinded the August 2021 memo mandating that all members of the U.S. military under DoD authority be vaccinated against COVID-19 and the November 2021 memo on vaccination requirements for the National Guard and Reserves. The change was established by the National Defense Authorization Act for the current fiscal year. As of mid-January, the
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The Montana Air National Guard is updating its fleet of C-130 Hercules planes from four-blade to eight-blade propellers. “There are some huge benefits with the eight-blade props,” Lt. Col. Justin Hutchins, director of operations, said in a release. “The biggest ones are reduced maintenance cost, along with the ability to have better performance.” The 120th Airlift Wing’s plane was sent
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Construction is progressing on the city’s new indoor aquatic and recreation center in Lions Park. The new indoor aquatics and recreations center is 45,000 square feet of new construction that will include a recreation pool, lap pool, gym, fitness center, walking track, multipurpose room, party room, locker rooms, restrooms, child watch area, lobby, offices, storage and mechanical rooms at 900
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The sound of fighter jets have returned to Great Falls this week and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will be performing this weekend at the 2022 Flight Over the Falls airshow at the 120th Airlift Wing of the Montana Air National Guard. Capt. Daniel Katz will be flying in the No. 6 Thunderbird as the opposing solo during the show
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The U.S. Thunderbirds will take the skies over Great Falls again next weekend at the 2022 Flight Over the Falls at the airport. The airshow is July 23-24 and celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Montana Air National Guard and the U.S. Air Force. The Guard is hosting the event this year, in partnership with Malmstrom Air Force Base, and
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Commissioner unanimously approved a change to the city’s construction contract with Swank Enterprises that reduced the cost by $244,655 for the new indoor aquatic center. The commission awarded the construction contract to Swank in November with a base bid of $17.9 million and an alternate for $354,000 for about 45,000 square feet of new construction, site work such as excavation,
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The 120th Airlift Wing of the Montana Air National Guard and Malmstrom Air Force Base are hosting the 2022 Flight Over the Falls at the airport July 23-24. The U.S. Thunderbirds are scheduled to perform. Daines honors Piano Pat, WW2 veteran; visits Malmstrom, 120th Airlift Wing Col. Trace Thomas, 120th commander, told City Commissioners in June 2021 that the Thunderbirds
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C-130s from the 120th Airlift Wing of the Montana Air National Guard have been transferred to Chile, Colombia and Romania. The older C-130 models at the 120th had been replaced by newer models beginning in June 2021. Two of the older C-130s went to Chile in April, two went to Colombia in September 2021 and the last one went to
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