MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- The 341st Security Forces Group officially reopened its Combat Arms Training and Maintenance facility here March 31, 2026, following a three-year restoration.
The facility, which provides critical firearms qualification and training for Airmen assigned to Malmstrom Air Force Base, closed in 2023 after a burst pipe caused significant damage. Although the main facility remained functional, damage rendered the integrated classroom unusable. Despite the setback, the mission never stopped. Demonstrating the resilience and adaptability of today’s warfighters, CATM instructors immediately developed a workaround. They decentralized their operations, conducting academic instruction at various borrowed spaces on base before moving students to the live-fire portion of the training.
This ensured every Airman—from those defending the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missile fleet to the combat engineers of the 819th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers supporting Air Combat Command’s global mission, remained fully qualified and combat-ready.
“There was never a question of if we could get the mission done, only how,” said Tech. Sgt. Jerell Hull, 341st Missile Security Operations Squadron CATM section chief. “Our instructors and support personnel proved that they are problem-solvers. They pieced together a logistics plan on the fly, secured temporary facilities, and kept the training pipeline running at full capacity. It’s a testament to the fact that our Airmen’s commitment isn’t tied to a building; it’s tied to the mission.”
The ad-hoc process, however, required extensive logistical coordination. Instructors and students spent valuable time transporting weapons, ammunition and heavy gear between temporary classrooms and the range.
"Having CATM adjacent to the classroom is a major benefit for our instructors and the students," said Hull. "By cutting down on travel and loading times, we have more time to focus on the fundamentals. Airmen spend less time moving gear and more time mastering their weapons, which directly impacts our ability to respond to any threat."
The restored facility provides qualification and sustainment training for a wide array of systems, including the M4A1 carbine, M18 modular handgun system and M870 shotgun. It also supports crew-served and specialized weapons such as the M249 and M240B machine guns, as well as the M320A1 and MK19 grenade launchers.
More than just a return to normalcy, the reopening of the integrated facility marks a significant upgrade in training capability. With the classroom and range unified, instructors can now seamlessly blend academic lessons with practical application, creating a more dynamic and effective learning environment. This allows for implementation of more advanced, scenario-based training exercises that challenge Airmen to maintain accuracy and make critical decisions under stress, simulating the high-stakes environment of strategic security.
"Our job as instructors is to ensure Airmen across all career fields are not just prepared, but masters of their craft, ready to meet any threat with unwavering confidence and lethal precision,” Hull said.
As the 341st Missile Wing continues to provide a round-the-clock nuclear deterrent, the restored CATM facility ensures that the Airmen on the front lines remain combat ready.