F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- Security forces is the largest career field in the Air Force, and it takes an exceptional defender to stand out.
Senior Airman Brianna Ziolkowski, 790th Missile Security Forces Squadron security support team response force leader, uses her training and leadership skills to lead her four-man team in defending the base’s missile complex.
The missile field response force responds to security situations, and the 15 personnel must remain within a five-minute response time to the affected site. Ziolkowski explained that 790th MSFS defenders provide security, on and off site, at a launch facility when maintenance is operating.
The hours can be unpredictable and long, as some trips may cause the team to stay overnight at a missile alert facility.
“We work difficult hours, but it’s nice to crack jokes with each other and do things to lift our spirits,” Ziolkowski said.
Staff Sgt. Joseph Neverdusky, 790th MSFS security support team response force leader, said Ziolkowski is more dedicated than the average defender and gives 100 percent in every task.
“She stood out from the beginning,” Neverdusky said. “She is definitely one of our more hardworking Airmen, very involved.”
As a team leader, Ziolkowski is responsible for taking care of her fellow team members and making sure newcomers know how to authenticate their security status while on site.
“I joined the Air Force a little later than most, so I feel like that has helped me in this leadership position,” Ziolkowski said. “I also love learning, so I’m happy to pass knowledge on to other Airmen and have a positive impact.”
The support and comradery that is prevalent in the squadron is a rewarding part of the job, she said.
“What gets me up in the morning is knowing I get to see my friends,” Ziolkowski said. “It’s similar to high school, where you see the same people every day and develop close relationships.”
The Wisconsin native expressed her gratitude for this unique experience and the opportunity to play a role in such an important mission.
“There are only three bases that do our job, and it is an honor to know I can look back and say that I played a role in the nuclear deterrence mission,” Ziolkowski said.
Ziolkowski and her fellow 790th MSFS defenders are equipped to protect the world’s most powerful weapons safely, securely and effectively.