F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --
The 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron provides continuous security in the missile field for the 90th Missile Wing and ICBM force.
That continuous security is provided by Airmen trained to do their job safely and effectively.
Senior Airman Dontavius Craft, unit trainer for 90 MSFS, mentors and trains newly arrived Airmen.
“My job is to help newer members understand their role in our squadron,” said Craft.
There are many different factors involved for Airmen to become qualified in their job. Annual testing and duty position/job knowledge tests are a few of the necessary qualifications.
“My job as a trainer is to update records, fix old file information, and find out which Airmen are trained on which tasks,” explained Craft.
The initial processing, or phase 1 training, teaches Airmen the basic information they’ll need when they trip out to the field.
Phase 2 training is the duty evaluation. Airmen must wait six days until they become certified on the job, and 1 year to complete core tasks (formerly known as CDCs). These 5 level tasks ensure the Airmen know every aspect of their job.
The Airmen who Craft trains then go into Defense Suppression Integration as they are waiting to trip out. Once they arrive at the missile field, the Airmen's job is to secure weapons and uphold security.
Airman 1st Class Kylee Purlee, 90 MSFS, arrived on F.E. Warren 3 months ago. She is currently in training for her 5 levels and just returned from the field.
“It can be challenging,” said Purlee. “We have 12-hour shifts in the field, and there are a lot of different duties to complete.”
Some of these duties include launch facility checks, walking the perimeter, missile alert facility checks, looking for bombs, and checking launch enclosure doors, air grates and diesel pits.
Alarms are important to eliminate any chance of an intruder or possible breach of security. Snow, rain, wind and even wildlife like rabbits can set off alarms, which security forces are trained to respond to.
“Our mission is to protect the nukes and prevent unauthorized entry,” said Purlee.
Airmen also walk around the fenced areas to guarantee the gate has not been altered in order to establish security of the perimeter.
“We have to make sure there are no more than 8 inches of vegetation,” explained Purlee. “Anything that could interfere with the mission is accounted for.”
The mission of the missile security forces squadrons is to protect the 15 missile alert facilities and approximately 150 Minuteman III missiles on constant 24-hour alert throughout a 9,600-square-mile area.
| Date Taken: | 02.26.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 03.04.2021 16:00 |
| Story ID: | 390113 |
| Location: | F. E. WARREN AFB, WYOMING, US |
| Web Views: | 248 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Missile Security Forces Squadron Provides Continuous Defense of Missile Fields, by SrA Faith Iris Macilvaine, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
