Minot warbirds ready

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Benjamin Stratton
  • 5th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. (ACCNS) --  Two Air Force generals conducted an ALL-CALL for the 5th Bomb Wing at Dock 1 May 2 to remind the Warbirds of their mission's importance to the nation and to motivate them for the upcoming Defense Nuclear Surety Inspection.

General Kevin P. Chilton, commander of US Strategic Command and General John D.W. Corley, Commander of Air Combat Command, visited the base in order to meet with Minot Airmen and let them know how critical each Warbird and Rough Rider is to the Air Force. They were joined in the visit by Lt Gen. Robert J. Elder Jr., commander of 8th Air Force, and Rear Admiral Doug McClain, director of global operations, USSTRATCOM.

Col Joel S. Westa, the 5th Bomb Wing commander, began his introduction with a resounding "Welcome to Warbird country! Here you will see Air Combat Command's best Airmen at work. They are confident, they are proud and they are ready for anything."

With a perfect blue sky and a powerful 5th Bomb Wing B-52H Stratofortress serving as a backdrop, Gen. Chilton and General Corley delivered motivating speeches to more than 1,000 Airmen in the audience.

"Showing the world that we are ready and able to do our mission is absolutely essential for the nuclear deterrence force. That overall deterrence mission is such a big part of the U.S. Strategic Command," said General Chilton.

"We signal our deterrence, we signal our strength and we use our bomber force to signal our displeasure," General Chilton said. "The amount of firepower we have here should give our enemies pause. You are the muscle of our deterrence force."

There are two parts to this deterrence force, the power of our capabilities and the will to demonstrate this force, General Chilton added. "Your attitude should be 'just bring it!'"

Regarding the upcoming inspection, "there will be more inspectors here inspecting inspectors than there will be inspectors inspecting you," General Chilton said. "And you are going to water their eyes and show them what the 5th Bomb Wing can do."

"Your commander has told me you are the finest Airmen inside Air Combat Command," said General Corley. "You have proven your worth. I think Airmen view the world differently. We are not encumbered by that next shoreline, we are not worried about that next mountain, we will either knock it down or we will fly over the top of it and that allows this great nation to flourish."

General Chilton also addressed the 91st Space Wing Rough Riders at their ALL-CALL held earlier the same day.

As the Warbirds and Rough Riders returned to their duty stations, Team Minot felt a heightened sense of pride and accomplishment. Team Minot is ready to perform and to demonstrate that readiness in the DNSI.