VOLK AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Wis. -- The roar of fourth and fifth- generation fighters fill the air on Volk Field on a foggy morning as the jets prepare to take to the skies over Wisconsin. U.S. Marine Corps fighters continue to train by honing tactics for the fight in any clime or place.
“Sentry North is an exercise for fighters to practice their tactics in a joint environment, and we support that by providing refueling to extend their time on station,” said Capt. Carolyn Schaeffer, a KC-130J pilot with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 352, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Sentry North enables crucial training for aircrews and pilots of both the KC-130J and supporting aircraft to hone their technical skills. The exercise, which was held June 2nd to June 13th, 2025, provides squadrons from 3rd and 4th MAW with the opportunity to practice maintaining forward arming and refueling points (FARPs), conduct joint fighter tactics, rapid deployments, and midair refueling with KC-130J Hercules. The exercise brings aviation platforms and their supporting assets in from the U.S. Air National Guard, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Marine Corps Reserve.
Midair refueling extends the range and endurance of short-range fighter jets, enhancing the Marine Corps’ ability to conduct Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO). EABO is a form of expeditionary warfare involving mobile, low-signature, operationally relevant, and relatively easy to maintain naval and aerial forces operating from austere, temporary locations ashore or inshore within contested or potentially contested maritime areas. These operations support sea control, sustain fleet operations, and enable sea denial.
“By showing the Marine Corps is capable of setting up and participating in EABO, we show that we have the range necessary to conduct island hopping operations, should that ever be required and showing that we can work with our counterparts to make that happen.” Schaeffer said about the training during Sentry North.
The KC-130J Hercules is a key asset that enables these operations. They are capable of carrying over 57,500 pounds of fuel, used to fuel its own engines, as well as refuel rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft while in flight. During the exercise, the Hercules assigned to VMGR-352 and VMGR-234, MAG-41, 4th MAW refueled two F-35B Lightning II simultaneously and refueled a total of six jets. It also transported Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 225, MAG-13, 3rd MAW along with flight line equipment before the aerial refueling missions.
“We are the jack of all trades,” said Sgt. Fateh Gill, a loadmaster with VMGR-352, going on to describe the squadron’s mission sets. “We can do air drop, aerial refueling, transportation of cargo and personnel.”
Loadmasters are part of the flight crew and are in the rear of the aircraft during flight over seeing the cargo and additional personnel on board the aircraft. They further support the mission by being capable of observing the safety of landing, takeoff, refueling process for the rear of the aircraft, and becoming qualified to run the refueling process from the front of the plane.
“Sentry North is essential, because it allows us to get exposure working with all the different branches,” Gill said. “The repetition is critical, because we want to be fully prepared when it really matters.”
Exercises like Sentry North continue to highlight the Marine Corps’ commitment to being able to fight at any time, in any place, and at a moment's notice.