HELENA — Monday afternoon, a deployment ceremony for the Montana National Guard’s 1052nd Firefighting Detachment was held at Fort Harrison as they head to Europe for a year-long mission, continuing the Guard’s long-standing role in supporting U.S. operations overseas while maintaining readiness to respond at home.
“There is a level of selfless service in firefighting that goes hand in hand with serving in the National Guard,” SSG John Gustafson, the detachment’s team chief, said.
Staff Sergeant Gustafson not only serves as a first responder in the military but also in his professional career with the Helena Fire Department.
Gustafson said, “We appreciate the opportunity to be a part of something that is greater than us.”
The deployment is made up of seven Montana soldiers with the 1052nd firefighting detachment. While one of the state’s smaller units, they are highly specialized in fire protection and emergency response capabilities.
They are headed to Bulgaria and Romania for close to a year, and for some, it is their first mission.
“A lot of excitement, I am excited to see other parts of the world, excited to go and see other cultures, and I am excited to go with people I have grown to love,” SGT Shane Gehring said. “They are family.”
To prepare for their deployment, personnel have completed rigorous training like live-burn exercises on aircraft and structures, as well as vehicle extraction and medical response training.
Gustafson said, “Being not only physically ready but also mentally ready, so a lot of that training we did has equipped us with the tools we need to be as prepared as we can to take on whatever that environment is.”
The 1052nd is one of four firefighting detachments within the Montana National Guard, and the three remaining firefighting detachments will remain in Montana, ready to provide fire and emergency response support to both state and federal missions, ensuring continued readiness at home.
“For me, it means everything,” Gehring said. “This is what we trained for, this is what we sign up for, and this is the goal.”
