To all personnel:
I just returned from the 21st Century (to the 19th, of course
), where I attended the bienniel meeting of the Association of Air Force Missileers, which was held in the vicinity of Cheyenne, WY, with tours of a place called Francis E. Warren AFB (formerly Ft. D. A. Russell). I re-connected with several troops with whom I served in Montana in the 20th Century... Hadn't seen them in 37 years! Other than larger waistlines and more wrinkles, they hadn't changed a bit! (Wait a minute... I resemble that!)
What really got to me was how YOUNG the active duty Wing Commander (an O-6!) and how even YOUNGER most of the enlisted troops and junior officers look! Got to meet the 20th Air Force commander, MGEN Depes (who started out in missile maintenance, as a Targeting officer...like your obdt servant...but he stayed in), as well as CINCSPC (Space Command), Gen. Chilton, the first four-star astronaut (3 shuttle missions before going back to USAF).
I beg leave to report that our strategic deterrant force is in excellent shape, dispite personnel cutbacks (their are even rif'ing 1st & 2nd LT's...including one Distinguished Military Graduate of ROTC!
) The threat, of course, is much different than during the Cold War, but we can't take any chances if the world situation reverts to the 20th Century conditions with the additional threat of the Bad Guys!
Most interesting, if disturbing thing was 20AF's relating that he recently awarded 3 bronze stars to personnel from a Montana base, for service in Iraq! A major and a captain each received one for activities over there. The third was a Bronze Star with V for valor! This was awarded to a SRA (senior airman) who enlisted to drive trucks, and was assigned to the Montana base's transportation unit. But those troops are now being rotated in and out of the Sand Box! She...yes, SHE, wound up driving a truck in a convoy. The convoy was ambushed and the gunner up top wounded and put out of action. The airman pulled the wounded gunner down from the turret, manned the machine gun, and drove back the attackers. Then she rendered aid to the wounded (there were others). It is estimated she saved 38 people in the convoy by reacting as she did! NOT what one thinks of when one thinks about AIR FORCE support personnel assigned to a strategic missile base in CONUS! It sure ain't yer grandpa's Air Force! God Bless them ALL!