Guard Begins Security at MAFB

It was a historic moment at andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t minot-air-force-baseandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Minot Air Force Baseandamp lt aandamp gt this morning That s when the first members of the andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t north-dakota-national-guardandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt North Dakota Air National Guardandamp lt aandamp gt went on duty alongside security forces from the base to protect nuclear missiles and facilities Officials say it s the first such arrangement in the US andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t jim-olsonandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Jim Olsonandamp lt aandamp gt reports on this morning s launch of a new arrangement between the Air Guard and Minot Air Force Base Eric Foss knows the missile fields around Minot - he grew up in Douglas Now the airman first class is charged with protecting those missile silos and control facilities Eric Foss ND Air National Guard andamp quot Mostly I ll be guarding the launch facilities andamp quot Foss and Staff Sergeant John Chalupa are on their first assignment at Minot Air Force Base - as members of the North Dakota Air National Guard s new 219th Security Forces Squadron SSgt John Chalupa ND Air National Guard andamp quot I m excited I like being out there I like the schedule It s shift work but it s one of those things you like who you work with Being on a flight it s like a family out there Everybody takes care of everybody andamp quot The men are the first two guard members to go on duty guarding the base s andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t minuteman-III-missileandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Minuteman Threeandamp lt aandamp gt missile operation The first such arrangement anywhere in the US according to military officials SSgt John Chalupa ND Air National Guard andamp quot This is a historic event and it didn t happen overnight - it s been ten years in the making andamp quot Brigadeer General Patrick Martin is assistant Adjutant General for North Dakota He says the 140 men and women who will ultimately be part of the new 219th will have the same high expectations of the Air Force s 91st Missile Wing Col Mike Spencer 91st Missile Wing andamp quot With perfection being the minimum standard in the nuclear field we cannot fail and we will not fail We are successful because of all of us here today andamp quot General Martin and Colonel Mike Spencer the vice commander of the andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t 91st-space-wingandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt 91st Space Wingandamp lt aandamp gt addressed security forces Thursday morning - including the two Air Guard members getting ready for their first assignments in the field And the new personnel will take some schedule stress off the missile wing security forces Col Robert Becklund 119th Commander andamp quot We had guys working over night last night until 5 and that puts a strain on us and if you can come in and support this you re welcome andamp quot Col Mike Spencer 91st Missile Wing andamp quot This idea to have the National Guard here in North Dakota is a good idea It s taken a long time to get here but it s a good idea andamp quot Lt Col Tad Schauer 219th Commander andamp quot Feels pretty good There s been a lot of hard work and training to get to this point and now we re seeing it pay off andamp quot andamp quot From my perspective as the 219th Security Forces Squadron commander I thank you and look forward to doing a lot of good things in the future andamp quot At Minot Air Force Base Jim Olson KX News Guard members must go through almost a year of training to be certified to guard the nuclear weapons systems Minot Air Force Base is responsible for 150 Minuteman Three missiles that are buried in silos surrounding the base