The 302nd Air Expeditionary Group moved fire retardant reloading equipment to the Channel Islands ANGS, Calif., July 8 to increase the efficiency of the eight modified C-130 aircraft in battling wildfires in California. These Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve assets have been operating out of McClellan airfield near Sacramento, dropping fire retardant on the raging wildfires since June 26. Initially the fires were mostly in the northern part of the state but have since moved south. Establishing the reload operation on the Channel Islands will allow the aircraft to reload retardant more quickly and decrease flight time to reach the fires in the south, thus increasing the amount of sorties per day. Through July 9, the C-130s have flown more than 300 sorties, dropping nearly 850,000 gallons of retardant. The 302nd AEG also includes two Navy and six Marine Corps helicopters equipped with buckets to drop water on the fires. (McClellan reports, one by SSgt. Luke Johnson, and a second by Patti Bielling)
US Space Command Should Always Be Led by a Guardian
Sept. 12, 2026
General Stephen Whiting took command of U.S. Space Command in January 2024, and if customary three-year tenures hold, his tour would end in January 2027. The question now before the President and Senate is who should follow him? Whoever they choose, it has to be a Guardian—and so should every successor…
