(Washington D.C) – Montana United States Senator Steve Daines recently honored two Montana Army National Guard Aviation Crews as his Montanans of the Month on the floor of the Senate.
On August 9, 2025, the Helena-based aviation team responded to a rescue near Zortman after a person fell over a cliff and suffered serious injuries. With limited visibility from wildfire smoke and nightfall plus the added challenge of a sheer rock face and heavy timber, the crew conducted a highly technical nighttime rescue. Thanks to their precision and teamwork, the injured individual was safely hoisted and flown to Billings for medical care.
Only a week later, on August 17, 2025, another Montana Army National Guard aircrew from Billings sprang into action when three hypothermic hikers became stranded in the Beartooth Mountains. With ground rescue teams unable to reach the group safely, the MANG crew braved freezing temperatures and rough terrain to extract the hikers and deliver them to Columbus for emergency treatment.
