F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- A new director of the F.E. Warren museum on F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, will begin work May 10, 2021, only the second individual to hold the position in 29 years.
Daniek Long may not have started her new job, but she already has deep ties to the museum and its operations.
“When I was in 4th grade I started volunteering at the Warren ICBM and Heritage Museum,” said Long. “By sixteen, I knew I wanted to work in museums when I got older, largely due to my volunteer experience there.”
In time, she worked to gain an education that would open the doors to working in museums.
“I went on to receive an Associates of History at Laramie County Community College, then to the University of Wyoming to obtain my Bachelor of Arts in History with a Minor in Museum Studies,” said Long. “My time at the University made me realize that I love all institutional jobs and wouldn’t mind working in a museum, archives or library so I went to Kent State University and obtained a Masters in Library and Information Science with a museum focus.”
Though the ICBM and Heritage Museum has always held a special place to her, this isn’t the first museum she has worked in.
“When I was at LCCC, I interned for the Wyoming State Historic Governors’ Mansion and the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office, then when I was at UW, I interned at the University of Wyoming Art Museum, acted as a page for the UW Archives, and was a librarian assistant for the university’s Rare Books Library,” said Long. “Then, during my last year at UW, the Wyoming State Governors’ Mansion took me on as a Seasonal Museum Assistant, then while I was doing that I worked as a Registrar for the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum.”
Although she hasn’t even started in the position, she does have goals and hopes for the facility, including updating some of the displays and working with the Public Affairs Office to help create a virtual museum experience.
“I am hoping to add some fun and interesting things to those cases for when the museum opens back up to the public,” said Long. “I also want to reach a broader audience of visitors and work more with the other local museums, including assisting the plan for a virtual museum - I want to make it more accessible to people and that would help showcase some of the objects not always on display.”
One part of the job she is eager to tackle head on is the annual D.A. Russell Days Open House held during the first days of CFD.
“The first year I started volunteering for the Warren I Museum was also the same year I first volunteered at Ft. D.A. Russell Days as a 3rd person re-enactor who instructed people on the time of history in which I was wearing,” said Long. “As I got older, I worked the Information tent for the event, acted as lead for the Historic Dance, drove ADA guests around the event, and did other odds and ends as needed – including tear down and set up. I have seen it move locations multiple times, as well as grow as an event and I hope to continue its growth for the future as I believe it is a great outreach event with the Cheyenne community and tourists so they can get the feel of the heritage and mission of the F.E. Warren Air Force Base.”