MINOT AIR FORCE BASE The assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical and biological defense programs and a number of other high-level people are expected to visit Minot Air Force Base in the next weeks.
Andrew C. Weber will visit the base to learn about its nuclear mission, base officials said.
Col. Douglas Cox, commander of the base's 5th Bomb Wing, told members of the Minot Area Chamber of Commerce's Military Affairs Committee about the visitors expected at the base early this year. The committee met at the base Thursday.
On Feb. 1, the bomb wing will join the base's 91st Missile Wing led by Col. Fred Stoss III, as a unit of Air Force Global Strike Command. The missile wing became part of the command Dec. 1.
Global Strike Command is the new command led by Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, of Barksdale AFB, La., to oversee the nuclear enterprise.
With its B-52 bombers and Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles, Minot AFB is unique. It is the only
dual-wing nuclear base in the Air Force.
"As the month of February continues, we have another important distinguished visitor on the horizon, the honorable Mr. Weber, assistant secretary of defense a four-star equivalent," Cox told the Military Affairs Committee members.
"He's coming out to take a look around Minot Air Force Base. He has not been at a northern tier (base) before and is very interested in the nuclear mission. That's part of his role as assistant secretary of defense. That will be a great opportunity for us to showcase what we do," Cox said.
Weber was appointed to his position by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate in May 2009.
He is the principal adviser to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and the deputy secretary of defense and under secretary of defense. Weber develops policies, provides advice and makes recommendations on nuclear weapons; chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear medical and non-medical defense; safety, surety, security and safe destruction of the current chemical weapons stockpile; nuclear, chemical and biological arms control activities; and related plans and programs.
Before his appointment, he was an adviser for Threat Reduction Policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for 13 years. For his work at the Defense Department, he has twice been awarded the Exceptional Civilian Service Medal.
A number of visitors will be at the base next week.
"As the Air Force reinvigorates the nuclear enterprise, we here at Minot Air Force Base are the beneficiaries of high-level attention on the challenges we face in training, infrastructure and personnel," Cox said Friday. "Our distinguished congressional and Air Force visitors this coming week will gain a deeper understanding of our mission requirements, but more importantly they will meet our airmen and civilians and learn about their daily requirements and work environments."
"This is an excellent chance for us to show our professionalism and dedication while simultaneously passing our message to some of the nation's most senior leaders and advisers. The information they take back to Washington, D.C., will ultimately benefit our combat readiness. The interest our senior leaders take in Minot Air Force Base contributes to a strong foundation to our safe, secure and reliable operations," Cox said.
Next week, retired Maj. Gen. Tim McMahon, former commander of 20th Air Force, will visit the base.
Laurie Arellano, chief of Public Affairs at the Minot base, said McMahon will be at the base Monday through Thursday to learn about the bomb wing's mission and nuclear operations, discuss nuclear enterprise with company grade officers council, learn about the personnel reliability program and tour the weapons storage area. He will also visit the 91st Missile Wing to learn more about its mission, operations and maintenance and meet with senior noncommissioned officers to discuss the nuclear enterprise.
As 20th Air Force commander, McMahon, who retired in 2003, was responsible for the nation's ICBM wings, including the Minot missile wing.
ICBM Caucus
Gen. Roger Burg, current commander of 20th Air Force, with headquarters at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., and the Senate staff visit/ICBM Caucus group is scheduled to visit the base Monday through Wednesday.
Their visit will include a security forces demonstration, a visit to the field, maintenance operations and question-and-answer sessions, said Arellano.
She said Burg will be at the base at the request of the Senate staff and will be at some of the points on the staff delegation visit. She said he will also be conducting some of his own business, including presenting a combat action medal and visiting with airmen and wing leadership.
Russell Rumbaugh, a professional staff member of the Senate Budget Committee chaired by Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., leads the Senate staff /ICBM Caucus visit.
Others in the group are: Bill Castle, military legislative assistant to Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah; Jamie Wise, military legislative assistant to Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.; Lt. Col. Mark Schramek, Congressional Appropriations Committee legislative liaison; Maj. Jeff Carter, Air Force Fellow with Conrad; Maj. Ken Kuebler, Air Force Fellow Hatch; and Maj. Norman Cannon, of Air Force Global Strike Command staff.
Installation experts visit
On Thursday and Friday, installation experts for the Air Force, Lt. Gen. Loren Reno, along with retired Lt. Gen. Michael Zettler and Maj. Gen. Timothy Byers, will visit.
Reno is deputy chief of logistics, installations and mission support and Byers is Air Force civil engineer. Both are at Air Force headquarters. Zettler, who retired in 2004 as deputy chief of staff for installtions and logistics at Air Force headquarters, is senior adviser to Reno and Byers.
They will hear mission briefings, tour the weapons storage area and visit maintenance, security forces, the missile field, and logistics and facilities including dormitories and base housing, Arellano said.
Inspection
The following week, the inspector general team will arrive at the base for an inspection of the new 69th Bomb Squadron and possibly the entire 5th Bomb Wing.
"We expect a very large team and to inspect every aspect of our operations," Cox said. "We've been working very hard and feel very confident that we are prepared and that we are going to do a very good job."