Centennial, Colo. — The 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion,135th Regiment, Colorado Army National Guard participated in Exercise Northern Strike, one of the Department of War’s largest reserve component readiness exercises held in Grayling, Michigan, Aug. 2-14, 2025.
This joint, multi-national exercise was an opportunity to test unit readiness, refine warfighting skills, and operate as a cohesive team in a dynamic environment.
“The major thing I’m learning here being a new pilot is flying two or more helicopters together in formation to carry out the same task,” U.S. Army Warrant Officer Ryan Endres, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot, said. “Getting your correct distance from the other helicopter in front of you, making sure you’re able to land at the same time to minimize time on the ground — it makes it safer for the crew and the service members we transport.”
For new aviators like U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Jesse Maxam, UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot, 2-135th GSAB, the exercise provided opportunities they rarely get back at home in Colorado.
Maxam finished flight school just over one year ago. He said the exercise gave him the chance to learn directly from his far more experienced peers.
“I’m new to the unit, and I’ve been trying to soak in all of the things we do at an exercise like this,” Maxam said. “This is my first annual training and I’ve definitely learned a lot from the more senior pilots and crew chiefs.”
One of the battalion’s core missions during the exercise was troop and equipment transport. UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilots and crews flew Marines to different landing zones across the Grayling training area, inserting troops directly into tactical positions.
Alongside lift missions, Colorado Soldiers sharpened their skills in medical evacuation. Crews conducted scenario missions where role-players and mannequins simulated casualties and where they responded to nine-line MEDEVAC requests, all while being on alert for real-world responses to actual injuries and illnesses.
“I like to tell my other medics, we’re going to train like we fight,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Jason Smith, flight paramedic, 2-135th GSAB. “That excitement and adrenaline that builds when the nine-line drops — I want them to learn how to handle that stress so they can refocus on their patient and provide the best level of care.”
Medical crews also practiced hoist operations, an essential task when landing isn’t possible in tight or dangerous terrain.
“In certain cases, we might be doing a hoist where we can’t land and have to send medics down to pick up a patient,” U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Nathan Bergfeld, UH-60 Black Hawk pilot, said. “It forces us to think on the fly and make safe decisions in confined areas.”
Colorado Soldiers worked directly with Taiwan’s National Fire Agency and National Police Agency, along with local emergency responders to train on search and rescue procedures to be able to respond effectively in the event of a disaster.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Nathan Still, crew chief, highlighted the value of working with local and international partners.
“Any time we get the opportunity to exchange information, tips, tricks, technology, techniques — it just strengthens the posture of everyone,” he said.
Estonian Defence Forces soldier, Junior Sgt. Ruth Maadla, embedded with the 2-135th GSAB, participated in the exercise through the Military Exchange Program, a partnership initiative where service members from one country train with or temporarily serve alongside the military of another country.
“One thing that I will take back to Estonia with me is Tactical Combat Casualty Care,” Maadla said. “There were some differences from what we have back home. I will talk with our medical personnel and see if we can use what I learned here.”
Tactical Combat Casualty Care is the U.S. military’s standard for providing life-saving medical care on the battlefield.
As the exercise wrapped up, Still emphasized that Northern Strike not only sharpened technical skills but also built unit cohesion.
“The most impactful part has been the way our unit rallied around different learning opportunities. We adjusted to changes, grew closer together and set ourselves on a trajectory to bolster both our state mission and our overseas operations.”
The battalion is scheduled to deploy to Kosovo later this year for Operation Joint Guardian, a NATO mission, providing around-the-clock medical evacuation coverage, troop transport and training support for allied forces.
Northern Strike was an opportunity to practice the exact missions they’ll conduct while deployed overseas. This included working as a task force and ensuring that pilots and crews advanced their flight qualifications to meet combat readiness standards.