Klamath Falls, Ore. – Crews and fighter jets from Kingsley Field are headed to Finland for a training exercise this spring.
Lieutenant Colonel Rick Giampietri of the Oregon Air National Guard says the 2-week deployment to Finland will begin May 9th. “We’re bringing six F-15’s on this exercise, and it will be a little over 100 personnel from the 173rd Fighter Wing,” said Lt. Col. Giampietri.
The airmen are headed to a base near Kuopio, not far from the Russian border.
Lt. Col. Giampietri says the training will benefit the Air Guard members, and their Finnish allies. He said, “We need to step out of our comfort zone, and go out on overseas deployments and experience what’s happening around the world, and be able to bring that training, and understanding back to our mission here.”
The 173rd has made previous overseas deployments to Bulgaria and Australia.
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