Ten Minnesota National Guard security forces Airmen trained with Soldiers from the U.S. Army’s elite special forces, known as green berets, during exercise Sage Eagle held at both Fort Knox and Fort Campbell, Kentucky for two weeks in October 2024. The exercise helped prepare the Guard members as they and the rest of the military shift their focus from fighting insurgencies in the desert to the potential for large-scale combat operations.

“Compared to the climate and tactics of the previous 20 years in the [Middle East], the training at Sage Eagle broadens our perspective,” said Chief Master Sgt. Mike Nelson, the security forces senior enlisted leader at Minnesota’s 133rd Airlift Wing. “Sage Eagle gets them better prepared for the unfamiliar and uncomfortable possibilities in the Pacific.”

During the exercise the Minnesota National Guard security forces Airmen, known as defenders, from the Saint Paul-based 133^rd Airlift Wing and the Duluth-based 148^th Fighter Wing prepared for up to 72-hour-long operations in the field, performing tasks ranging from small unit tactics, direct action, special reconnaissance, and leader engagements.

“We executed night raids and pilot rescue missions. It was definitely a learning experience,” said Air Force Staff Sgt. Mackenzie Miller, a security forces squad leader at the 133rd Airlift Wing. “I learned how much I could push myself. I told myself that ‘I can do it, and I will do it.’”

She spoke of the value not only of the joint exercise, but of the training received from skilled combat Soldiers such as the green berets.

“We picked up a lot from them – little things like how they wore their gear to how they plan and map everything out,” said Miller. “They were on top of their game at every instant. They worked together so well as a team … it seemed so simple for them.”

During the exercise, the Airmen pushed through challenging terrain, at times were without running water and lived off the packaged meals known as MREs.

“This is what good, hard training looks like,” said Air Force Master Sgt. Matthew Reed, the National Guard’s security forces functional area manager. “Everyone wanted to keep going. They were dealing with harsh conditions and still wanted to get back into the exercise … Morale was better at the more austere location.”

“There’s definitely value in an exercise like this,” said Nelson. “This exercise helped us check off almost half of our annual training requirements.”

Now in its third iteration, the Sage Eagle exercise is only growing in prominence within the National Guard security forces community. Beginning in 2022 with 30 defenders, going to 40 in 2023, then jumping to 230 defenders from 39 different National Guard security forces squadrons in 2024.

“Word got out how amazing this is,” said Reed, explaining the dramatic spike in security forces participation. “Some security forces squadrons are using the Sage Eagle exercise as their entire annual training. I’ve been in the career field 14 years; I’ve never experienced anything like this.”

Story by Air Force Maj. Nathan Wallin
Minnesota National Guard

Photos by: U.S. Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Sarah M. McClanahan