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Operation Chastise Exercise

  • Published
  • By SMSgt Michael Knodle
North Dakota Air National Guard Base, Fargo, N.D. - The Happy Hooligans took part in a state-wide domestic operations exercise June 9-13, 2025 to build skills to cope with natural disaster response.  The exercise, named Operation Chastise, tested the 119th Wing's ability to mobilize, set up an emergency operations center, and provide support to respond to a natural disaster to protect lives and property.
 
The Happy Hooligans teamed with over 40 local, state and federal agencies to collaborate on a response to a simulated breach of Garrison Dam on the Missouri River in central North Dakota. 
 
"We have the domestic operations cell out of the Joint Force Headquarters and the 119th Wing out of Fargo are all participating as a function of this and some other outside states that have come in to play in this as well." said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Dan Murphy, Director of Operations for the Joint Force Headquarters, N.D. National Guard.
 
The exercise featured multiple opportunities for wing members to develop their skills.  Airmen from the 119th Civil Engineering Squadron practiced debris removal to ensure clear access for people and vehicles during emergencies.  Members of the 219th Security Forces Squadron trained on establishing traffic checkpoints to manage vehicle access to disaster sites.  The 119th Medical Group worked on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) skills and 119th Wing air crews simulated MQ-9 overflights, providing real-time reconnaissance to decision-makers and the Joint Operations Center at Fraine Barracks in Bismarck.
 
"The intent of this exercise is, on  a large-scale event that involves different agencies, so the cross-talk between agencies is invaluable and when you don't have that, it delays the response." said Murphy.  " So the full intent is to exercise to a very high degree with all agencies.  You develop those relationships and understand each other and what they bring."
 
Realistic training like this helps to keep the 119th Wing ready to respond when the state or nation calls on it.  Just another way the Hooligans remain "Always ready, always there."