MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- Airmen across the 341st Missile Wing responded to a Major Accident Response Exercise, August 19, 2026, at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana.
For Malmstrom personnel, these exercises are a fundamental aspect of readiness. These events are conducted annually to ensure that they are always ready to respond to major accidents and perform their jobs efficiently.
Randy Bridenthal, 341st MW Inspector General director of exercises and plans, is part of the team responsible for planning and scheduling these exercises.
“The base exercise program is the means for our Commanders to validate trained and ready forces, exercise their contingency plans, and support their mission essential task,” said Bridenthal. "Exercises help to hone and refine execution of mission essential and supporting tasks, improve response capabilities, and enhance and evaluate readiness.”
A MARE can cover a wide range of different scenarios, all of them focused on aircraft crash and recovery after a major aircraft incident. This exercise featured a simulated crash of an MH-139A Grey Wolf Helicopter. It rapidly grew to involve personnel from multiple squadrons and groups across the base, including the Fire Department, Security Forces, Medical and other first responders.
These exercises assess the wing's response to an aircraft crash resulting in mass casualties, requiring an immediate military presence for site protection, Command/Control and recovery. Personnel are tested on how quickly and well they relay information from the incident scene to senior leadership. An additional objective is to execute pre-established plans involving local mishap response protocols, emergency notifications, and safety investigations.
Exercises like the MARE act as a stress test that that identify gaps in training, checklists, or plans. The exercise is intentionally designed to enable participants to observe the developing situation and take the actions they have been trained in to influence the final outcome of the exercise.
Wing exercise planning begins at least 120 days before execution. Exercise planning is an extensive process involving multiple agencies meeting together to ensure that the exercise meets its goals. The Wing Inspection Team provides objectives that are derived from the wing commander’s intent, and to identify any limiting factors that may affect the exercise.
“Exercises validate the 341st MW’s readiness for our Commanders and mission teammates,” said Bridenthal. “Our exercise program is designed to improve capability and the readiness of base personnel to perform operations through regularly scheduled wing-level exercises that examine operational plans, policies, and procedures under various simulated crisis situations.”