Future missileers get immersion experience at F.E. Warren

by Senior Airman Veronica Ward
U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs

1/29/2015 - F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- A group of approximately 20 cadets who are slated to enter the missile operations career field upon graduation this summer, visited F. E. Warren AFB Jan. 15-17 to learn about the mission and see it firsthand.

The immersion trip was organized to introduce and welcome future missileers to the team and allowed cadets to learn about the importance of the nuclear mission, said Maj. Gen. Richard Clark, a 1986 USAFA graduate and vice commander of Air Force Global Strike Command.

"You don't start building leaders when they're majors, you start building leaders when they're cadets," Clark said during a briefing at the Academy prior to accompanying the group on the trip. "It takes years to get the right leaders in command and right now we need an infusion of excellence."

Approximately 60 members of the Class of 2015 are slated to train as missileers after graduation, with the intent that this group will bring a new perspective into the career field.

"If they come together and become the nucleus, they can infuse a unique level of teamwork to the field, lean on each other, and as the team grows they can pull others in," Clark said. "My hope is that they can evolve with the modernization of the force and become the new thinkers. They are at the front end of the change that is starting now."

Current missileers led cadets through a three-day immersion, answering questions about the daily actions of young lieutenants going into the career field.

"I'm excited to show them everything about the nuclear career field," said 1st Lt. Jason Ponce, 90th Operations Group. Ponce, a 2012 Academy graduate who guided the group through the experience, along with 1st Lt. Heather Randall, also with the 90th OG.

Officers from the squadron to major command levels took part in briefings and demonstrations, offering advice and encouragement to the future missileers.

"We're here to help expand their knowledge and awareness of what this mission entails," said Maj. Joshua Henderson, a career missileer and Academy air officer commanding of Cadet Squadron 7. "By doing so--exploring the operations, maintenance and security forces elements of the mission at F.E. Warren--they'll be better enabled to understand what they are going to see and set the bedrock of their future success as missile combat crew commanders."

Throughout the trip, cadets held discussions with lieutenants who went through the training missileers enter upon graduation and received responses to rumors they'd heard about the career field.

"I didn't know much about the (missileer) career field," said Cadet 1st Class John Fernandez, CS-5 . "I was pretty hesitant, but now I know what I'm getting myself into. It seems like a good community."

Officers agreed this immersion is beneficial to cadets, allowing them perspective prior to becoming lieutenants.

"They deserve to go into the career field with the best posture they can and have every opportunity to be successful," Clark said. "By getting their questions answered, they can start with their eyes open. They already have every tool they need from USAFA. Now they need a vision with purpose of who they want to be."

The majority of cadets agreed the immersion, though not available for every career field, has given them a more informed outlook.

"It was really awesome being able to see not only what the missileers do every day but also being able to see the different components such as security forces and the maintenance side," said Cadet 1st Class Kerri Schmidt, CS-3 . "I'm actually really glad I'm in this career field now, seeing everything that's happened, and I'm looking forward to the future."

Fernandez expressed the same sentiment.

"I'm looking forward to getting experience, getting into an operational career field, and serving my country," he said.