F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- Telling the stories of different mission sets across the Air Force was nothing new to me, but for the first time in my career, I was helping multiple other people tell it for me.
For the past month, I have been preparing to bring some of the base's state news partners into one of the missile alert facilities. With this, having partner news audiences gain a better understanding of the base's mission.
The morning started like any other. I was up early ready to start my day, and just like any other busy day so were my kids. So while I was making sure my ducks were in a row for this tour, I had to say goodbye to my little ducks at home.
Once everything was ready for our team, we hopped on the tour bus and waited for the news agencies to arrive. Unfortunately, as they arrived, so did the snow. Nevertheless, we were ahead of schedule and on our way. While traveling, we were able to give background information about the base and help them develop the segments they were going to publish.
Arriving at the MAF, we were able to show them, that we weren’t exaggerating when we said it was in the middle of nowhere. The news agencies were interested in seeing firsthand what this facility entailed and who was there.
Having knowledge of the facility’s ins and outs without visiting one beforehand helped me easily answer questions and allowed me to articulate how the base’s MAFs provide strategic defense to the nation and what Airmen it took to support it.
We were able to meet with the four regular career fields who routinely work at the MAF, the security forces defenders who provide security for the installation, the services chef who provides all dietary needs for all members operating there, the missileers whose area of responsibility for defending the nation lies in a tiny area, and the facility manager who is the jack of all trades ensuring proper operation of the facility.
Our time at the MAF was used to hear from each of these careers, and explain how they each fit into the larger puzzle of national defense. They were able to see every part of the facility ranging from where people lay their heads and put up their feet to securing entranceways and being on high alert to defend their fellow Americans.
Overall the time spent at the missile alert facility tour was used to better understand how each facility operates. Then hopefully they took with them a deeper understanding of why it takes a team of people topside and two people 100 feet under the ground, so the rest of the country can sleep peacefully at night.