B-52 bomber Airmen visit missile base

Photo By Staff Sgt. Daniel Brosam | Airmen from the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., visit Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., as part of the Bomber-Missile Exchange Course, April 26, 2016. The overall objective of the BMEC is to build a core of mid-level Air Force Global Strike Command leaders with a broad scope of understanding of tactics, techniques and procedures applicable across both weapon systems. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Daniel Brosam)  

MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, MT, UNITED STATES

04.29.2016

Story by Airman Daniel Brosam 

341st Missile Wing

Ten Airmen from the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, visited Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, to develop a broader understanding of intercontinental ballistic missile system capabilities, missions and support organizations.

The 2nd BW and 341st Missile Wing participated in a Bomber-Missile Exchange Course, allowing Air Force Global Strike Command to build a core of mid-level leaders with a broad scope of understanding of tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) applicable across both weapon systems.

Maj. James Andrews, 2nd BW chief of the personnel reliability program, said it is important to see what other parts of the nuclear triad do on a daily basis as a part of the same command with the same deterrence mission.

"Part of the visit is to see how other wings operate, see what they do better than we do and also for professional development," said Andrews. "We're able to get that knowledge and implement better practices."

Through scheduled visits, each wing is able to learn from each other and understand the counterpart's weapon system TTPs for operations, maintenance and mission support to be able to adapt and implement useful practices at their home wings.

Airmen from the 2nd BW were selected to travel to Malmstrom for a week to observe how Team Malmstrom successfully executes the nuclear deterrence mission every day.

While here, the group spent time in the base's missile field at a launch facility which house the ICBMs, and a missile alert facility where missileers and security forces Airmen are responsible for operating and securing the missile. They also visited a maintenance trainer on base to see how maintenance Airmen prepare to work on the ICBMs and their components in the missile field.

Senior Airman Da'jon Jackson, 2nd BW Maintenance Group maintenance management analysis, feels learning each other's missions creates cohesion and allows the mission to be executed more efficiently.

"We have to keep track of more than 20 aircraft and (Malmstrom) has to keep track of missiles and (launch facilities)," said Jackson. "It's the same mission but just in a different way."

Courses will continue to be held in two, one-week phases. During each phase, one wing will serve as the host wing for their partner. Ideally, one phase of the course will occur every quarter in order to complete two course cycles per year.

• Date Taken: 04.29.2016
• Date Posted: 04.29.2016 11:31
• Story ID: 196884
• Location: MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, MT, US
• Hometown: BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, LA, US