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Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce www.greatfallschamber.org
Photo provided by Malmstrom Air Force Base
Active-duty airmen from Malmstrom contribute individually
to the community by sharing in volunteer efforts. Among the
activities are the annual city cleanup efforts, base personnel
who deliver Meals on Wheels in Great Falls, volunteers to the
Great Falls Rescue Mission, and mentors for Big Brothers
Big Sisters.
Great Falls International Airport is also home to the Montana
Air National Guard and its 120th Airlift Wing, as well as the
219th RED HORSE Squadron. A total of 948 individuals are
assigned to those units, many of which (490) are Drill-Status
Guardsmen (DSG) who already work in the Great Falls area.
The RED HORSE squadron has members coming from
Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, North Dakota, Nebraska, and
Washington to serve during drill and in support of real-world
contingency operations.
The 120th Airlift Wing previously operated the oldest
C-130H1 aircraft in the entire inventory, and recently finished its
upgrade to C-130H3s. These airframes are twenty years newer
than the previous ones, providing a significant increase in
operational readiness and sustainability for a unit deploying all
over the world in support of national security interests. All told,
the Montana Air National Guard provides more than $41 million
in economic impact to the area.
Unbeknownst to many, the U.S. Army has a contingent
of troops in Cascade County. These personnel comprise
Company C, 1st Battalion, 163rd Cavalry Regiment.
Additionally, the U.S. Army Reserve 889th Quartermaster
Company, whose area of expertise is in storing and transporting
potable water, is also located in Great Falls.
Lastly, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and
Marine Operations (CBP-AMO) contracts with the Great
Falls International Airport for the hangar and terminal space
necessary for housing the Northern Border Air Wing.
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