20th Air Force commander no stranger to Malmstrom

by Valerie Mullett
341st Missile Wing Public Affairs Office

7/26/2012 - MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- Maj. Gen. Michael J. Carey visited Malmstrom Air Force Base and Wing One July 17 to 19 for the first time since taking command of 20th Air Force and Task Force 214 on June 22.
This was not his first trip to Big Sky Country, having been here three times prior; his first trip in the late 90's, when retired Maj. Gen. Tom Deppe was the wing commander. His other trips included one to witness a Simulated Electronic Launch of a Minuteman, and another to participate in then-Col. Michael Fortney's change of command.

"Three times, three different events and each time, I was favorably impressed by the professionalism of the 341st, conditions of the installation and the demeanor of the people - all top notch," Carey said.

On this visit, he was honored to present a Bronze Star Medal to Master Sgt. Michael Padgett during a breakfast with the wing's first sergeants. He offered some words of wisdom during a pre-departure briefing to the missileers preparing to go on alert. He also met the 40th Helicopter Squadron staff, who flew him to a missile alert facility for a tour. Upon his return, he spent time with the maintainers and the medics before conducting an all-call with the company grade officers.

"We are our own special operations," Carey said. "We grow our own and we put them in really difficult positions."

Talking about the launch control centers being underground, he made reference to how the earth causes wear and tear that many who don't know about the nuclear mission, don't see and, obviously don't understand.

"We ask these men and women to do remarkably important jobs in a remarkably difficult environment and they don't really get the recognition they deserve," he said. "It's very impressive, and I am incredibly proud."

That pride transcends into two of his priorities as commander: Telling the 20th AF story and singing the praises of its members who do such a special mission.

"Although we may lament the fact that our expertise bench is not as deep as we would prefer it to be, we have THE BEST expertise America can give us," the general said. "That's it. There is no place else that has this refined, distilled expertise. And you'll only find it in 20th Air Force."

On his final day here, the commander toured the weapons storage area and made a trip to a launch facility. During his flight to the LF, he witnessed helicopter, security forces and maintenance Airmen work in tandem to protect and defend a convoy operation.

"Everyone here has a critical job. Everyone here is critical to the success of our mission - everyone," Carey said. "And every day, our potential adversaries observe our activities. In order to ensure they will continue to say, 'No, not today,' we all need to continue being the professionals that only 20th Air Force can breed."