By Spc. Alan Prince

GRAYLING, Mich. -- Sgt. Dan Osgood of Port Huron, is currently operating out of the Camp Grayling Army Airfield in support of Exercise Northern Strike 2016. With more than 15 years in the Michigan National Guard, Osgood is a seasoned veteran with deployments to both Iraq in 2004, and Afghanistan in 2012. He is a member of Detachment 1, Company B, 3rd Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment based in Grand Ledge, and he is a flight engineer. His airframe of specialty is the CH-47, Chinook D model and he is an important part of the Northern Strike 16 aviation team responsible for transporting hundreds of troops per day from one location to another to ensure the exercise can continue without a hiccup. The CH-47 is the Army’s primary heavy troop and sup-ply transport aircraft. It has two rotors and can carry loads up to 50,000 pounds, making it an ideal transportation aircraft when a large number of troops or heavy equipment needs to be moved. Depending on the mission, the CH-47 can be airborne for as long as two and a half hours on one tank of gas. While the CH-47 “D” variant is being phased out, its upgrade, the “F” model is being used by the Michigan National Guard and according to Boeing, the CH-47 manufacturer; an upgrade program exists to remanufacture 300 of the 425 CH-47D models currently in operation to meet the CH-47F standard. Sgt. Osgood says he loves the Army and enjoys being a flight engineer for the CH-47. He is excited about supporting the units at Camp Grayling during Northern Strike 2016 and looks forward to getting more flight time.

TodayAugust 16, 2016

Northern Strike 2016 Port Huron Soldier does ‘Good’ work in Exercise Northern Strike 2016

Top right: Sgt. Dan Osgood, a flight engineer on a Chinook CH-47 helicopter, guides Marines safely aboard, Aug. 11, 2016, at the Camp Grayling Army Airfield in Grayling, Mich., during Exercise Northern Strike 2016. Bottom Right: Sgt. Osgood stands in front of a Chinook CH-47 helicopter. (Michigan National Guard photo by Spc. Alan Prince/Released)

Story By Staff Sgt. Nicholas OposnowCAMP GRAYLING JOINT MANEUVER TRAINING CENTER, Mich. -- Staff Sgt. Nathan Cushman, raft commander with the 1437th Multi-Role Bridge Company, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, directs the pilots of two Mk IV Bridge Erection Boats to guide an Improvised Ribbon Bridge around Howe’s Lake, Michigan during training at Northern Strike 2016. The two boats push and pull in tandem to move the IRB where it needs to go. The temporary bridge allows military vehicles and personnel to cross the water. “It’s like a well-oiled machine,” said Sgt. Sable Potter, a bridge crew member in the 1437th MRBC, “and we practice real hard to keep it that way.” The 1437th is a multi-role bridge company and the only military unit in the state that has the bridge crew member military occupation skill. To accomplish its mission, the company maintains one of the largest invento-ries of rolling stock in the Michigan National Guard. The unit’s inventory includes Common Bridge Transporter trucks, Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical trucks and various types of cranes, bulldozers and other construction equipment -- in addition to the company’s Bridge Erection Boats.

Staff Sgt. Nathan Cushman, raft commander with the 1437th Multi-Role Bridge Company, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, directs the pilots of two Mk IV Bridge Erection Boats to guide an Improvised Ribbon Bridge around Howe’s Lake, Michigan during training at Northern Strike 16, Aug. 13, 2016. (Michigan National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Nicholas Oposnow/Released)

Bridge Company Engages at Northern Strike

Correction: A previous edition of this newsletter incorrectly idendified the Marine Corps Infantry unit Company L, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines. The AAVs belong to 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion. Unlike the Army, the Marine Corps does not have mechanized infantry formations. To mechanize a unit, the USMC attaches Amtracks from AA Bns.

Tennessee ANG Unit Gains Diverse Training at NS16Tech. Sgt. Dan Heaton

All images: A C-130 Hercules flies by the Military Operations on Urbanized Terrain (MOUT) training facility at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center while members of the 118th Security Forces Squadron, Tennessee Air National Guard, participates in a series of drills during Northern Strike 16, Aug. 12, 2016. (Michigan National Guard photo by Master Sgt. David Kujawa/Released)

A Tennessee Air National Guard unit is gaining relevant, diversified training, beyond that which is available at home station, said the unit’s senior enlisted leader.“Working with the 5th Special Forces team at Northern Strike – there is no more current, no more high speed training than working with them,” said Chief Master Sgt. Dan Kellum, superintendent of the 118th Security Forces Squadron, which is based in Nashville. The Airmen from the 118th are engaging in several missions during Northern Strike 2016. The unit began by providing flight line security at Alpena, serving as “students” for the Special Forces team and providing security for various distinguished visitors at the exercise’s various venues.“We even had a few members of our Inspector General team from back home who were here, using this exercise as a chance to review our operations. We’re really maximizing this opportunity,” said Kellum.Tech. Sgt. Keith Lester, a member of the 118th SFS, said the training benefits the airmen of the unit by giving them an opportunity to experience different aspects of their career field. “We’re on the go, doing a lot of different things,” he said. “So we’re being exposed to things that some people have never done before and adding to their skill levels.”

Photos by

Tech. Sgt.

Dan Heaton

Early fog doesn’t stop Northern Strike Early fog doesn’t stop Northern Strike

Despite an early morning fog

that delayed flight operations on

Monday, Aug. 15, Northern

Strike 16 pressed on. Once the

fog burned off, these C-130 Her-

cules from the 182nd and 94th

Airlift Wings were back in ac-

tion, supporting operations on

Range 50 and elsewhere with

tactical airlift drops.