MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  

“Eight! Nine! One!” shouts Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Klein, 891st Missile Security Forces Squadron’s (891MSFS) senior enlisted leader.

“HELL YEAH!” shouted back over 200 voices, defenders’ gear at the Airmen’s feet, ready to tackle the day.

That rallying cry set the tone for OPERATION Valhalla Strike, a weeklong training where the 891MSFS from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, traveled to Camp Ripley Training Center, Minnesota, Aug. 24–29, 2025. The advanced training focused on air base ground defense and nuclear security tactics — the bread and butter of the squadron’s mission.

The training, called OPERATION Valhalla Strike, allowed the unit to complete requirements not possible at Minot AFB, including full-distance live-fire exercises.

“Our mission is to provide armed security to the missile field, as well as provide armed responses to all of the launch facilities that are in the Minot area of responsibility and inside the missile field,” said U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Maiszon Balboa, 891MSFS’s Alpha Flight commander. “What we're doing here is a simulated, squad-level deployment where we come out, we do drills, training, everything that would prepare us for a base ground defense mission in a deployed environment.”

The crack of gunfire echoed across the woodland-covered ranges of central Minnesota as the defenders conducted intensive training at Camp Ripley to enhance their ground combat skills. Camp Ripley provided full-distance firing ranges which allowed defenders to hone their rifle marksmanship and machine gun proficiency, exceeding the capabilities of standard Air Force 25-meter training ranges.

The 891MSFS is a squadron of more than 250 dedicated Airmen and civilians supporting the 91st Missile Wing’s global deterrence mission by defending the United States with the world’s premier combat-ready intercontinental ballistic missile force. They are responsible for providing protection of Minuteman III ICBMs and Minot AFB’s missile alert facilities, covering an 8,500 square-mile area in central North Dakota.

During OPERATION Valhalla Strike, defenders rotated through training blocks designed to sharpen every aspect of their skillset. On the ranges, the crack and thud of rounds came from M240 and M249 machine guns, the steady pop of the M4 carbine and the deep percussion of grenadiers training with 40mm systems.

Partnership was also a theme. The 891MSFS trained alongside the 54th Helicopter Squadron, integrating air support with ground maneuvers. Rotor blades overhead and defenders advancing on the ground offered a vivid picture of how air and land forces can converge in combat to overwhelm an adversary.

“Our goal is for each defender to leave Camp Ripley as a warrior that can shoot, move and communicate better than any adversary we may face in our area of responsibility,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. G. Chase Abrams, 891MSFS commander.

The squadron also practiced squad movement, close-quarters battle (CQB) and casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) procedures, integrating skills in realistic field scenarios. CQB and CASEVAC reinforced the 891MSFS’ mission to defend the 91st Missile Wing’s missile complex and respond to threats against nuclear security.

The first three days built toward a full-day field training exercise on Aug. 28, which tested the unit across all mission sets. Security Forces Airmen conducted defensive operations, casualty care and coordinated maneuvers under simulated combat conditions.

As buses pulled away from the Minnesota training grounds at week’s end, the echoes of gunfire faded into the pines. What remained was something quieter but enduring: a squadron sharper, stronger and more unified, returning home ready to defend one of the most critical missions in the nation.

“The skills we developed at Camp Ripley reinforce our ability to defeat potential adversaries at Minot,” said Abrams. “Our proficiency makes our adversaries decide each morning when they wake up that today is not the day to test the United States of America.”