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Faces of the Mighty Ninety: 90th Operational Support Squadron

F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --

Without targeting information, missiles are just darts in the sky. Very fast, destructive darts. With the 90th Operational Support Squadron here, the missileers are able to get the support, codes and targeting information they need to keep the 150 Minuteman III ICBMs locked and loaded.

 

One OSS Airman who gets that job done is Capt. Victoria Fort, 90th OSS ICBM emergency war order planner.

 

“We are like customer service, which is very important,” Fort said. “We provide anything the squadrons need for the launch facilities and launch control centers to do their job safely, securely and effectively.” 

 

Fort’s specialty is ensuring the targeting coordinates are correct before information is sent to the missiles out in the field. With only five months on station here, she has become a key member of her team. At her previous station at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, she was a member of the team that won best crew in the Air Force during the 2015 Global Strike Challenge.    

 

“Captain Fort is the champion of targeting,” said Capt. Lucas Rider, 90th OSS flight commander of ICBM EWAR plans and targeting. “She is always ensuring that our targeting and prints are processed, and that everything is done correctly. She is a great team member.” 

 

The 90th OSS uses an extensive library of checklists and two-person teams to ensure they are processing the targeting information correctly. 

 

“It would be a critical failure for our mission if we weren’t here to do our job,” Fort said. “The targeting, top secret and positive control material are all critical in ensuring the mission gets done. The crews could still get targeting information, but we have to validate and make sure it’s good or risk missiles not finding their targets.”

 

Fort attended Florida State University, becoming the first in her family to earn a college degree and join the military.

 

“I had a really good NCO in JROTC who pushed for me to go to college,” Fort said. “I come to work every day because I want to serve my country. This mission is very important.”

 

The 90th OSS is part of the 90th Operations Group, which is charged with the control of 15 Missile Alert Facilities and 150 Minuteman III ICBMs in a 9,600 square mile area covering three states. Without her contributions, the 90th Missile Wing and the nuclear enterprise mission could not be accomplished safely, securely and effectively.