Gen. Timothy Ray, Air Force Global Strike Command commander, speaks to the students of the School of Advanced Nuclear Deterrence Studies (SANDS) program about the importance of strategic leaders in the Air Force nuclear mission at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Nov. 17, 2020. SANDS is an Air Command and Staff College program designed to develop field grade officers into the next generation of nuclear deterrence leaders and experts through focused study on strategic deterrence. Over the course of the 10-month graduate-level program, students study the history of deterrence application, modern operational deterrence theory and formulate how deterrence will change the future. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Lillian Miller)