Operation Bully Stick emphasized that the intercontinental ballistic missile mission relies on more than a single career field.

“Operation Bully Stick is not exclusive to maintenance airmen,” said Senior Master Sgt. Edward Burlison, a 91st Missile Wing operations chief. “It also took the efforts of security forces, missile combat crew members, munitions squadrons, planners, security and maintenance controllers and supervisors working together to make sure the operation ran as smoothly as possible.”

Throughout the operation, teams performed a series of coordinated actions across multiple mission areas, ensuring safety, security and procedural compliance while maintaining continuous communication between above-ground personnel and missile combat crews.

“If you break down the tasks being performed during Operation Bully Stick, these tasks are performed over several days,” said Staff Sgt. Zacharye Hougen, a 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron team chief. “With Operation Bully Stick, we did what would take two to three days and accomplished it within 16 hours.”

Submitted Photo Senior Airman Sierra Smith, 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron missile maintainers, performs maintenance operations during Operation Bully Stick near Minot Air Force Base Oct. 23. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Vincent Padilla.

Exercises like Operation Bully Stick reinforce the wing’s ability to execute time-sensitive tasking while validating training, procedures and teamwork across the unit.