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90th Missile Wing comprised of finest warriors

  • Published
  • By Col. Greg Tims
  • 90th Missile Wing commander?
Always keep looking to the future -- do not let obstacles interfere with your goals. There was a young man born in Green River, Wyo. His father was part of the railroad, and he moved to Cheyenne when he was 6. He tried to join the Army Air Corps during World War II, but due to a back injury he was not allowed to join the service. He went to the University of Wyoming and later became a sports announcer. He would eventually become the cowboy voice of the Boston Red Sox, Curt Gowdy. Due to his love of the outdoors, Curt Gowdy State Park was named after him. Gowdy's trademark cowboy hat was always worn while he broadcasted Boston Red Sox games. As the old saying goes, "When one door closes two more open." This is what happened to Curt Gowdy. He lost his battle with leukemia and died in 2006. Whatever challenges faced in the past, the Air Force and the military have opened "two more doors" to a professional lifestyle for our young Airmen. This is your chance!

I have continually said our Airmen at F. E. Warren are the best, and this week has proved it. We not only are taking care of our mission but are an integral part of Air Force Global Strike Command as we continue to strengthen the nuclear enterprise. Additionally, we are taking care of our community -- where we work and play. This past week, I received a call about an accident near Launch Facility Bravo-11 with a civilian driven vehicle. Our Airmen were heading toward the site and noticed a car on the dirt road driving at a high rate of speed. The individual tried to take a sharp corner and ended up rolling her vehicle into the ditch. Our teams rushed to the aid of the injured individual. They successfully evacuated the vehicle and started to conduct self aid and buddy care until the emergency services arrived. I wanted to take this time and personally thank everyone who helped with this situation. From the security forces group: Airman 1st Class Brian Emch, and Airman 1st Class James Clingo, both from the 790th Missile Security Forces Squadron. To our maintenance group members: Senior Airman John Thompson, Senior Airman Zach Rossiter, Airman 1st Class Tyler Gates, Staff Sgt. Andrew Codner, Senior Airman Jeff Caldwell, Tech. Sgt. Tony Wadley, and Master Sgt. Gordon Dobbs, all from the 90th Missile Maintenance Squadron. Well done to you all for your professionalism and knowing how to react in an emergency situation.

Speaking of maintenance, I must congratulate Col. Don Adams, 90th Maintenance Group commander, and his group, for winning the base intramural football championships. The team captains and coaches were Airman 1st Class Corey Rucker, 90th MMXS, and Airman 1st Class Anthony Eschete, 90th Maintenance Operations Squadron. They had a great season: 14-0. That's perfection. Well done!

If you missed it, please ensure you read the articles by Troy Weaver, 90th Missile Wing Safety, and Airman 1st Class Andelson Tocong, 90th Logistic Readiness squadron. Mr. Weaver lays out tips and pointers when driving on snow and ice. Airman Tocong writes about eliminating all distractions before one gets behind the wheel. Adhering to their recommendations is nothing more than good common sense. Oh, and if you see someone who doesn't get these simple concepts, please feel free to exercise your leadership skills -- thanks!

Julie and I stopped in on the trick-or-treat events at the Fall Hall Community Center. What a superb event! I appreciate the efforts of Tara Morton, 90th Force Support Squadron, and her staff. The kids had a blast. I know because mine were still talking about the haunted house and how neat it was even days later. I also appreciate everyone slowing down while driving Sunday night to ensure we had a very successful trick-or-treating on base. The weather cooperated and it was nice to see all the different costumes. Additionally, I thank the security forces for stepping up their foot patrols and ensuring this event could be enjoyed safely by all.

I was reviewing a project my younger son did in his 6th grade social studies class. They were studying ancient Egypt. On one of the pages in the booklet, he was asked to describe the four steps to building a pyramid. He stated: "1) Make sure all corners are equally squared, 2) Use a hammer and metal chisel to ensure the bricks are tight, 3) Stack bricks on top of one another and 4) Smooth out the sides." I could not help but wonder what the Egyptians back then would say about how a 6th grade class had boiled down this complex engineering feat. Truly this is an engineering achievement that has stood the test of time and is even marveled by today's standards. The magnitude of this undertaking was truly remarkable.

My son's assignment description made me think what others will say about the Mighty Ninety 5,000 years from now. Whatever a 6th grade class might look like then, I'm sure they would agree that we too had a very complex mission for our day. Here is what I hope they would boil us down to: 1) The Mighty Ninety was comprised of the finest warriors of their day, 2) They provided superior nuclear deterrence for their nation, 3) They were trained to solve problems and run toward danger, not from it, and 4) They did it better than anyone else.

As Curt Gowdy used to say, "Their future is ahead of them."

How true for F. E. Warren!

Go Forth and Conquer!