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Global Strike mission continues during Winter storm

  • Published
  • By Staff Reports
  • Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  While Americans face hazardous road conditions and closures this week with a major winter storm blowing across the heart of the country, it is wintertime business as usual at most Air Force Global Strike Command bases, officials said.

The command's responsibility for northern bases, which serve both ICBM and long-range bomber missions, requires Global Strike Airmen to continue the mission in harsh winter weather to maintain nuclear readiness 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The only base to be adversely affected by this storm system is Whiteman Air Force Base, near Knob Noster, Mo. Only mission-essential personnel were reporting for duty there Tuesday, officials said.

Safety precautions are also in effect at Whiteman to include temporary runway and school closures.

Sub-zero temperatures, snow and ice are nothing new for many of Global Strike Command's wings, more than half of which operate in wintry conditions for more than half the year.

Other Global Strike Command bases were plowing through cold conditions with temperatures of 21 degrees below zero at Malmstrom AFB, Mont., and 24 below zero at Minot AFB, N.D., where the wind chill was 38 below zero Tuesday. Wind chills are expected to reach 50 degrees below zero at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., by Wednesday.

"Operating in harsh winter conditions is not new to us, but we always take weather seriously," said Col. Michael Morgan, AFGSC A3 deputy director. "Global Strike base officials are managing weather conditions to ensure the safety of people and resources. It is one of the things we value as a command--safety in all things large...and small."

Weather advisories were sent to Malmstrom and Minot base personnel, advising "high danger" temperature conditions and recommending specific cold weather gear for ground operations, frequent rest periods, buddy checks and restriction of non-essential tasks.

Bombers forward-deployed to Guam from Minot were unaffected by stateside conditions, officials said.