Why No Bomb Is a Dud When Air Force EOD Is Around

Why No Bomb Is a Dud When Air Force EOD Is Around

HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah—Cleaning trash off a training range may sound like a dull task—but not if the trash is highly explosive.

Airmen with the 775th Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Flight deal with such trash on a regular basis at the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR), an area about the size of Delaware where military aircraft practice dropping a wide range of ordnance. In the hands of an EOD technician, a dud bomb can become a useful tool to understand explosives and practice new disarming techniques that can help both the 775th and other units across the military.

“It builds an Airman’s understanding of explosives, and explosive effects, which trickles down to everything else that you’re going to do,” Staff Sgt. Cody Patterson, a member of the 775th, told Air & Space Forces Magazine. “I can’t mitigate a hazard if I don’t fully understand what the hazard is.”

One of the world’s largest weapon test facilities, UTTR has several kinds of ranges. Some are used year-round by military pilots honing their airstrike skills, while others are used to test new weapons being developed. On the large training ranges, the 775th EOD flight performs two large sweeps a year for unexploded ordnance, and they also clear out specific paths when range employees need to change or upgrade a target. The smaller test ranges need to be cleared more often so scientists and engineers can safely collect data on weapons performance.

“EOD is on the range if there is a used target, and somebody wants to go down there,” said Capt. James Stapleton, an element leader at the 775th. “For the test range, EOD clears the area so that the engineers can go do their part.”

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Airmen assigned to the 775th Civil Engineering Squadron, Explosive Ordnance Disposal team, use all-terrain vehicles during training near the Utah Test and Training Range, March 24, 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Taylor Queen)

The range work adds up: Patterson estimated that last year the 775th disarmed about 2,400 unexploded bombs, missiles, and more across 40 missions that could span from a couple of days to a couple of weeks depending on the size of the range being cleared. Maintaining vehicles for transport and preparing the logistics of range work is half the battle, he said.

“It all costs money and man-hours to upkeep equipment, vehicles, and trailers that we take to the range,” the sergeant said. “I would say easily 70 percent of our time is either on range or preparing to get to the range.”

One of the most hazardous tasks the 775th performs on the range is clearing areas where submunitions have been dropped. Hundreds of smaller submunitions can be dropped in one bombing run, and some submunitions have a dud rate of 10 to 15 percent. That means if 200 submunitions are dropped on a target, there may be 20 or more that hit the ground and do not detonate.

To clear out submunitions, up to a dozen EOD techs from the 775th ride on all-terrain vehicles, form a line with the team leader in the center of it, and then move across the target area scanning for unexploded ordnance, said bomb tech Senior Airman Brandon Hughes. If an EOD sees something suspicious, the line stops to inspect the object and, if it is not immediately hazardous, they mark the grid coordinates with their GPS-equipped ATAK phones and continue the process for the rest of the target area.

Once the area is swept, the team typically places charges near the ordnance and detonates them from a safe distance. Since they involve live explosives, every range mission is still a dangerous mission for the EOD techs—it is not just their lives on the line, but also those of range workers, scientists, and fellow service members who train there. Hughes said Army soldiers sometimes practice maneuvers on the same areas where aircraft drop bombs, though not at the same time.

“It is especially important for us to pay attention to those areas so they’re not running into any [unexploded ordnance] while they practice their soldiering skills,” he said.

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U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Andrew Filcher, assigned to the 775th Civil Engineering Squadron, Explosive Ordnance Disposal team, scans for potential threats during training near the Utah Test and Training Range, March 24, 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Taylor Queen)

Once they are detected, dud bombs offer EOD techs a chance to hone their craft.

“Everything can be a training event, essentially,” Patterson said. “Obviously we’re going to make it safe at all times. But you can try something like ‘hey, the [technical publication] says this is untested, but maybe I can gather some data.’”

For example, the 775th recently tested improvised methods of knocking the fuze off of a bomb, essentially disarming it. When the units discovers new tactics, techniques or procedures (TTPs), they pass them off to fellow bomb techs in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps.

“As a career field we try to experiment and share with each other so we’re not keeping TTPs to ourselves,” Hughes said.

There is always room to learn something new, since no two range missions are alike.

“You’re never going to go to the same area and find the same 81mm mortar that you found the last time you were out there, so you always keep your head on a swivel trying to make sure you find everything that you need to find,” Hughes said.

The lessons learned at UTTR, particularly in regards to clearing submunitions, may play a key role in a possible near-peer conflict. During the Global War on Terror, troops often had to secure a city block against ground attack so that bomb techs could safely defuse a single improvised explosive device. In the future, Air Force EOD techs may have to clear isolated runways of large numbers of air-dropped unexploded ordnance as quickly as possible before another air attack arrives.

“We’re worried about ‘how do I clear this runway fast using the least amount of stuff,’ because it’s going to happen again,” said Patterson.

Some of those techniques harken back to “old-school World War II tactics” such as using rope, tape, and zip ties to yank submunitions off a runway all at once, he explained. Others include pouring concrete into a backhoe bucket and pushing the bombs off the tarmac, or using rope, tape, and a wrench to pull the fuze off from a distance.

“I can try something here so that later if I’m downrange and I’m trying to clear a runway, I already know what is or is not going to work because I just cleared a grid of 160 of these two months ago,” Patterson said.

Other explosives also have the benefit of being fun to detonate. Master Sgt. Rebecca Kimberling, another EOD tech, said illumination rounds or flares and chaff make sparkles like fireworks when they are blown up into the air. But one kind of explosion happens only at UTTR: destroying old or obsolete rocket motors that are used to propel nuclear missiles. Those detonations can involve 20,000 to 30,000 pounds of net explosive weight, Hughes said. By comparison, the biggest explosions EOD techs typically encounter in training is 1,000 pounds. The rocket motor detonations are “monumentally bigger,” he said.

“One of the neat things when you have an explosion that large is watching the blast wave just propagate outwards,” Kimberling said. “It just sends everything outwards, and it is such a fast process but it seems slow-mo when you’re watching it, like time is standing still for you.”

It just goes to show: Cleaning up the trash can be a real blast.

Air Force Bumps Annual Retention Bonus for Aviators Up To $50K

Air Force Bumps Annual Retention Bonus for Aviators Up To $50K

The Air Force is bumping up bonuses in its quest to retain pilots, the service announced June 5. Aviators—including pilots, air battle managers, and combat systems officers—can now receive up to $50,000 annually for agreeing to stay on in fiscal year 2023, a significant increase from the cap of $35,000 set last year.

The move comes as the Air Force is still working on a congressionally-mandated retention program aimed at easing its pilot shortage. The new program is “projected to roll out this summer” an Air Force spokeswoman said, adding that effort still needed to be finalized.

The move announced June 5 is an update to what the Air Force is now calling its “legacy” aviation bonus program.

“FY23 will be a transition year for the Air Force,” the service said in a release.

A new effort, referred to as Rated Officer Retention Demonstration Program, was required by the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act and includes provisions that services can offer up to $50,000 and/or guaranteed future assignment locations in an effort to retain pilots.

An Air Force spokeswoman said the two efforts “were developed to work collaboratively together to target and synchronize retention efforts across the rated community simultaneously.” The NDAA-mandated program will also cap its annual bonus at $50,000 for fiscal 2023, she added. The Navy, for comparison, capped its annual pilot bonuses at $35,000 for fiscal 2023.

The spokeswoman said the new program is for regular Air Force “manned pilots only, with no more than three years but not less than one year remaining” on their service commitments.

In testimony to Congress last month, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff David W. Allvin said Air Force ended the fiscal 2022 1,900 pilots short of its goal of 21,000, a net loss of about 250 pilots.

“The FY23 NDAA Rated Officer Retention Demonstration Program is designed to offer monetary and non-monetary incentives,” to counteract that, the spokeswoman said, though the service has yet to officially outline what it will offer in addition to money.

“Program details are still being finalized,” the spokeswoman said.

Allvin said the Air Force is trying to retain aviators earlier in their careers rather than offering them cash at the end of their 10-year service commitment—when their plans for the future may already be set.

“What we have done now is offered these incentives to them three years before the commitment is done,” Allvin said. “Now, obviously, we’re asking for a longer commitment, but at that time, it’s helping them cement their future, see where their families are, and have that predictability.” 

The commercial aviation industry, where many Active-Duty Air Force pilots end up, is also trying to entice its pilots to stay on with their own incentives. Major airlines have announced new labor agreements with their unions and double-digit wage increases in recent months.

“Publicly available data on hiring, employment, and wages indicate strong current demand for pilots,” the Government Accountability Office wrote of the commercial industry in April.

In his testimony, Allvin cited a lack of stable home life, money, and having to conduct too many non-flying duties as reasons for aviators leaving the Air Force.

While the NDAA-mandated program is not yet official, Air Force is doing what it can under its existing regime.

The “legacy” program applies to aviators whose Active-Duty service commitment is expiring in fiscal 2023 or has already expired. Pilots have until Sept. 15 to apply when the program opens up on June 6. Pilots on a bonus program for a lower amount cannot renegotiate for a higher amount this year, the Air Force said. Bonuses range from $15,000-$50,000 per year with contract lengths ranging from three to 12 years, an Air Force spokeswoman said.

“Our experienced aviators are uniquely qualified to succeed in a combat environment and these incentives are necessary to maintain that talent and competitiveness with our pacing challenge,” Maj. Gen. Albert Miller, Air Force Training and Readiness director, said in a statement.

In First, B-1 Bombers Join Largest Nordic Air Exercise

In First, B-1 Bombers Join Largest Nordic Air Exercise

A pair of B-1 bombers flew over the North Sea on June 5, joining in on an expansive aerial exercise taking place in the Nordic region. 

As part of Arctic Challenge Exercise 2023, the B-1s from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, flew above the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and integrated with F-35s from the U.S. Air Force and Royal Norwegian Air Force, as well as U.S. Navy aircraft. 

“The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy routinely conduct operations in the High North alongside the Finnish, Swedish, and Norwegian Air and Naval Forces, and Arctic Challenge provided enhanced opportunities for NATO allies and partners to integrate with strategic U.S. bombers and the Ford-class aircraft carrier in a new environment,” a U.S. Air Forces in Europe press release stated.

The B-1s are in Europe as part of a Bomber Task Force deployment, based out of RAF Fairford, U.K. Since arriving two weeks ago, Airmen and aircraft have been busy. On May 23, one B-1 was intercepted by a Russian fighter over the Baltic Sea region. On May 30, a bomber flew over Bosnia and Herzegovina, in a show of support amid continued unrest in the area. And on June 1, a B-1 integrated with allied forces during a small force exercise across France and Belgium. 

Their participation in Arctic Exercise Challenge, however, marks their biggest training opportunity yet—and the first time U.S. bombers have flown in the biennial exercise since it began in 2013. 

In addition to the B-1s, the U.S. Air Force is flying F-35s and F-15s from the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, U.K., in the exercise, as well as KC-135s from the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall, U.K., and the Maine Air National Guard. 

Sweden is leading the exercise, with aircraft also stationed in Norway and Finland. The U.S., U.K., the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and the Czech Republic all sent personnel and aircraft. 

“By training and conducting realistic exercises in the High North, like Arctic Challenge Exercise 2023, U.S. forces and those of Allied and Partner nations hone skills, fine-tune interoperability, nurture key relationships, and acclimate to the inherent challenges posed by fighting in the Arctic’s extreme conditions,” a USAFE press release stated.  

How Many Airmen Does It Take To Run An F-35 Gas Station?

How Many Airmen Does It Take To Run An F-35 Gas Station?

HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah—Earlier this spring, the 388th Fighter Wing proved just 12 Airmen can operate an F-35 contingency location, refueling and rearming the fighters at spots across Georgia and South Carolina.

The demonstration, part of exercise Agile Flag 23-1, marks yet another proof of concept for the Air Force’s plan to send small teams of Airmen far afield to keep fighter jets running, then pack them up again before moving to another location.

“You can kind of treat a contingency location like a gas station” Maj. Cahn Wadhams, commander of the 4th Fighter Generation Squadron under the 388th, told Air & Space Forces Magazine. 

“Jets land, we gas them, we load bombs and then they leave,” he added. “Whatever aircraft lands there, we can get it ready, though we are limited to support just two aircraft at any given time. That is why we’ll set up for a specific set of time, then change location. That is the ‘agile’ piece of Agile Combat Employment.”

Agile Combat Employment (ACE) is the Air Force’s operating concept in which Airmen and aircraft disperse from a central base to smaller, more austere locations in order to complicate an adversary’s targeting—a hub-and-spoke model.

In Agile Flag 23-1, Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga. acted as the hub, from which the smaller teams of Airmen would depart for contingency locations in Georgia and South Carolina, “turn and burn” aircraft, then return to the hub to resupply before heading out to another location the next day. The contingency teams at Agile Flag 23-1 stayed at each location for 12-hour shifts, but the concept is built to allow teams to operate for multiple days, Wadhams said.

Each contingency location was staffed with 12 maintenance Airmen who served as the mission-generating element of the team, Wadhams explained. Part of the reason why the teams could be so small is the concept of Multi-Capable Airmen (MCA), a key tenet of ACE in which Airmen learn skills outside their usual job specialty.

At Agile Flag, that took the form of Airmen who usually put bombs on aircraft helping direct the planes to launch, or crew chiefs stopping unauthorized personnel on the flight line, something normally done by security forces.

“MCA is designed because of the fact that there is going to be a high rate of attrition if war breaks out,” Wadhams said. “The Air Force needs to have light, agile, and lean forces that are constantly able to move.”

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Weapons loaders prepare to re-crate an AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile during Agile Flag 23-1 at Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Ga, March 4, 2023. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Micah Garbarino)

In addition to Airmen learning new skills, ACE requires different kinds of units to work together more closely than ever before. At Agile Flag, that meant maintainers, command and control specialists, and support personnel figuring out how to operate smoothly.

“This was the first time we’ve ever done it, so we expected that,” Wadhams said.  “It’s good to see what our constraints are, what we need to fix as we figure out how to fit a mission generation force element into another wing.”

Speed is particularly critical, as these contingency locations will likely operate “in the red zone of where fires and missiles can hit,” said Col. Jeremy Anderson, commander of the 388th Maintenance Group. 

“Get the jets back up and back in the fight, but then be ready to defend yourself and survive, and when the C-130 comes, get the heck out of there,” he added. “That’s the whole point, because by now the enemy has figured out exactly where you’re at, and you are about to get attacked. So load up, get out and go to the next spot.”

That mindset is very different from what many maintenance Airmen experienced over the past 20 years, when they stayed “in the rear with the gear” on sprawling bases in the Middle East complete with amenities and fortifications, Anderson said. 

“Now it’s ‘get on the C-130, here are your tents, your backpack and MREs, I’m going to plan and come back and get you in a few days, and if any F-35s drop in, gas them, load them and get them the hell out of there,’” he said.

That change introduces logistical questions, and the Air Force is still figuring out what the standard kit might be for a contingency location team, especially if there may be enemy ground troops nearby.

“We’ve got this duck-and-cover mindset where we only throw our protective gear on when we are about to get attacked and then we come back out afterwards to start wrenching on jets,” Anderson said. “If we are worried about folks in the tree line or similar threats, now we need tactical gear that we can wear while we maintain aircraft. Instead of big and bulky you need to be able to move around and be comfortable wearing it for long periods of time.”

Another shift will be the level of responsibility that lower-ranked Airmen will take on. Master sergeants who may not have working communications gear will decide whether or not a partly-broken jet is safe enough to attempt a flight back to higher maintenance care, a decision which is usually left to colonels. Accepting that greater level of risk is a big step for the Air Force maintenance community, which is typically risk-averse, Wadhams explained.

“Now we’re telling our Airmen ‘take more risks, because it is required for mission success,’” he said. “That’s a fine balance that we in the maintenance community have not really cracked and we are trying to figure that out. I think it is just going to take reps and training and getting down in the weeds.”

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An F-35A Lightning II maintainer with the 4th Fighter Generation Squadron watches the first two jets arrive at Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Ga., during Agile Flag 23-1., March 2, 2023. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Micah Garbarino)

Luckily, with the greater sense of responsibility, Airmen can also expect greater stability in terms of when they will have to be at peak levels of operational performance. The Air Force is standing up its Air Force Generation Model where units will move together through 6-month phases to prepare for a deployment, get ready for a deployment, deploy, and then reset after a deployment. In the past, the service would cherry-pick individuals or flights for deployments, which could lead to upheaval for some Airmen.

“In the past models, we had a lot of unpredictability and instability in our Airmen’s lives, because you just didn’t know where you were going to go,” said Chief Master Sgt. G Foster, chief enlisted manager for the 388th Maintenance Group. Under AFFORGEN, Airmen will have a better idea of when they will be ready to go, and they know they will go together with their teammates.

The Air Force will have to make smart decisions not just about people, but also about airplanes and equipment. Anderson and Wadhams pointed out that ACE and contingency locations depend on “setting the theater,” which means prepositioning stocks of gas or other supplies so they are available when a contingency location crew arrives.

“The problem is that as soon as you set the theater, the enemy is watching, they are seeing you set the theater, but there is no other way to do it,” Anderson explained. “You balance speed with preparedness. I can go anywhere really fast, but am I going to be able to do anything when I get there? Or do I just drop off a bunch of MREs and tents and bury fuel bladders all over the place so that the enemy does not know which of the 200 places I’m going to use?”

Fighter jets are also limited by the places they can land, since they require fairly smooth, improved surfaces. The Air Force is working through how to “set the theater” while also keeping adversaries guessing, Anderson said.

But even if stocks are prepositioned, there will be the challenge of finding enough transport aircraft to bring teams and equipment to them, Wadhams pointed out.

“Designated airlift is nearly impossible considering the Air Force is also the airlift provider for the Marines and the Army,” he said. Teams may have a transport aircraft for a day, but then the plane has to go pick up someone else in need. Gen. Mike Minihan, the head of Air Mobility Command, is well aware of the challenge.

“As the joint force maneuver, we have to service everybody,” Minihan said in March while discussing his troops’ large-scale exercise, Operation Mobility Guardian, which will take place over the Pacific Ocean this summer.

“Airlift is going to be the biggest struggle,” said Wadhams. “If we don’t have gas, we can’t fly.”

Top Space Force General Visits Europe to Explore How to Operate Within NATO

Top Space Force General Visits Europe to Explore How to Operate Within NATO

With the Space Force on the precipice of standing up its own European component, the service is studying how it will work within NATO, the continent’s primary military framework.

To that end, Lt. Gen. DeAnna Burt, deputy chief of space operations for operations, cyber, and nuclear, traveled to Germany and the United Kingdom late last month.

In Germany, Burt met with NATO space operations personnel “to learn and understand how the U.S. can best integrate and support the alliance’s space mission,” according to a news release.

Both the Space Force and NATO are still figuring out how the alliance will use space capabilities.

“We’re also talking about now what does this mean,” Burt told reporters after the visit, which ran from May 22-26. “Space has been identified as a new domain under NATO.”

After NATO’s declaration that space was the “fifth domain” in 2019—the year the the Space Force was created—the alliance set up a dedicated Space Center in 2020. In 2021, NATO said “attacks to, from or within space” could lead to the invocation of the alliance’s Article Five mutual defense clause. Much like the Space Force’s original operating construct, NATO’s space operations are part of NATO Allied Air Command, which is led by U.S. Air Force Gen. James B. Hecker, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

But the Space Force is in the process of breaking out its own space components under different geographic combatant commands.

“The United States decidedly has been doing space for a long time but has not broken it out as a separate service and its own combatant command until recently,” Burt said. “So there’s a lot of learning going on and sharing of what we’ve learned as we’ve traveled this road on the U.S. side, sharing with our partners.”

According to a readout of the trip from the Space Force, Burt also traveled to London to discuss space operations with the British military, which recently stepped up its military capabilities in space.

Soon, the Space Force will create its component inside U.S. European Command. Right now, the service is preparing to transfer its existing space operations, part of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, into a component separate from the Air Force but with little immediate change in staffing, Burt said. That would create a similar arrangement to U.S. Central Command’s space component, which kept existing personnel but made its commander Col. Christopher Putman independent of Air Forces Central boss Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich in an effort to gain a bigger voice for the service.

“It only makes sense as the newest service that we are also standing up our own service components,” Burt said. “So we’re repurposing those personnel who are already there in that Director of Space Forces element, and now pulling them out and establishing them as a service component to U.S. EUCOM.”

For now, she said, those forces plan to remain where they are at Ramstein, and the command will officially be authorized by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III.

“While that is pending and we’re working that official letter, we are doing mission analysis on the number of people that it’s going to take to execute that mission and to support U.S. EUCOM,” said Burt, who added the DOD was also exploring if Ramstein should be the permanent hub for the USSF on the continent.

As the Space Force begins to find its footing as an independent service, it has recently articulated the concept of “responsible counterspace campaigning,” dipping its toe into the prospect of offensive missions in space to ensure the service can continue to support of the U.S. military.

“My job is to be prepared to fight tonight if asked by the nation. How do we do responsible counterspace campaigning?” Burt said. “And those words are very specific: responsible. Do we have responsible norms of behavior of how we operate in the domain?”

NATO has been bolstered recently with increased defense spending and a new member after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Kyiv has been heavily reliant on space capabilities, using commercial assets such as SpaceX’s Starlink and satellite imaging to aid its war effort. Russia, in turn, has sought to disrupt those capabilities.

But for Burt, one of the main lessons to come out of the war doesn’t come from space, but from the air. Commercial traffic avoids Ukrainian airspace lest it be caught in the crossfire, which already happened in 2014 when Russian-backed forces shot down a civilian airliner. That offers a stark lesson, she said, for any nation contemplating conducting a war in space, which Burt noted had distinct dangers from a conflict that uses space assets to support other domains.

“When you look at Ukraine from an air perspective, all the commercial traffic goes around Ukraine,” Burt said. “Nothing is flying directly over Ukraine or the battlespace. That’s how we are protecting noncombatants. They don’t go into the area of responsibility or the danger area. We can’t do that in space. Everyone is in the engagement zone if we were to have a war that extended into space, which is why it is not something that we want to do.”

Coming in 2024: Patrick Space Force Base Picked for STARCOM Headquarters

Coming in 2024: Patrick Space Force Base Picked for STARCOM Headquarters

The Department of the Air Force has selected Patrick Space Force Base, Fla., as the preferred location for Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) headquarters—and hopes to start moving in by fall of next year.

STARCOM, one of three field commands under the U.S. Space Force, is responsible for educating and training Guardians, developing the service’s nascent doctrine and tactics, techniques, and procedures, and testing Space Force capabilities. 

Roughly 350 personnel are expected to make up STARCOM headquarters once it reaches full operational capability, a Department of the Air Force spokeswoman told Air & Space Forces Magazine. An environmental impact analysis is set to take place later this year, followed by a final decision, according to a department release. 

The spokeswoman said personnel are then expected to start arriving in fiscal year 2024, which ends in October of that year.

Patrick is located just a few miles from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and the Space Force’s main launch facilities on the East Coast. The Florida location beat out five other bases for STARCOM headquarters—Buckley, Peterson, and Schriever Space Forces Bases in Colorado; and Vandenberg Space Force Base and Los Angeles Air Force Base in California.  

The field command will be the first headquartered on the East Coast after it relocates from its temporary home at Peterson, in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Department of the Air Force is planning to construct new facilities to house STARCOM, the spokeswoman said. 

“Until then, personnel will utilize existing and temporary facilities at Patrick Space Force Base,” she added. 

In addition to STARCOM, the department announced preferred locations for six other Space Force organizations this week, including three of the five Deltas under STARCOM. 

  • Space Delta 10, which develops Space Force doctrine and conducts wargames, will also be at Patrick Space Force Base. 
  • Space Delta 11, responsible for Space Force ranges and aggressors, will be at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. 
  • Space Delta 12, which handles test and evaluation, will be at Schriever Space Force Base, Colo. 
  • Space Delta 15, which provides command and control capabilities to the National Space Defense Center, will remain at its current location of Schriever. 
  • The 75th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Squadron, responsible for the “federated targeting mission” using different satellites across orbits, will also remain at Schriever. 
  • The 74th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Squadron, which provides threat analysis and intelligence for tactical space operations, will be based at Peterson Space Force Base, Colo. 

About 100 personnel are expected to be part of Space Delta 10, which will also start moving to Patrick in fiscal 2024, the department spokeswoman said. 

The announcement that bases in Colorado will get four more permanent Space Force missions comes as debate continues to rage over the home for U.S. Space Command—while not a Space Force organization, SPACECOM’s basing decision has been led by the Department of the Air Force, which identified Redstone Arsenal, Ala., as its preferred location in 2018. Accusations of political favoritism instantly followed and a final decision is still pending years later. 

Alabama lawmakers have recently upped their pressure on the Pentagon to finalize its choice and proceed with Redstone, while Colorado legislators are fighting to keep the combatant command headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base.  

Last month, media reports indicated President Joe Biden’s administration may halt the move to Alabama, citing the state’s abortion laws as negatively affecting female service members. 

Florida recently tightened its own abortion restrictions, but the Air Force spokeswoman said that “reproductive healthcare is not a criteria in the Department of the Air Force strategic basing process” before noting that the process used to select U.S. Space Command headquarters is different in that “parts of that process were dictated by the Department of Defense.”

Read: President Biden’s Full Speech at USAFA’s 2023 Graduation

Read: President Biden’s Full Speech at USAFA’s 2023 Graduation

U.S. President Joe Biden’s June 1 graduation address at the U.S. Air Force Academy was his first visit to USAFA as president. Here is the full text and video of his speech. (Text courtesy of WhiteHouse.gov).

Hello, Falcons!  (Applause.)  Big day! 

It’s great to be back at the Air Force Academy, at the altitude of 7,258 feet above sea level—far, far above that of West Point or Annapolis.  (Applause.) 

I figured I should say that so my Air Force One pilots, Colonel Kirkland, Class of 1999, and Colonel Donnelly, Class of ‘01, make sure they are willing to take me back to D.C.  (Laughter.) 

I also brought with me today my Air Force and Space Force military aides, Lieutenant Colonel Jon Roe, Class of ‘07, Lieutenant Colonel Ann Hughes, Class of ‘08. 

These officers travel the world with me, demonstrating—and I mean this sincerely—demonstrating the values of this institution every single day. 

It’s no exaggeration to say I trust my life through Academy graduates.  And some of my team members have trusted their lives through academy cadets.  

A few months ago, I called to speak to my National Security Advisor, who was out here.  But I was told he was unavailable.  Turns out Firstie Andrew Dever had him out doing loops and barrel rolls in a glider.  (Applause.) 

I asked if I could do that today.  The Sec—and the Secret Service said, “No, we’ll have to shoot it down.”  (Laughter.) 

Look, thank you, Colonel Clark—Lieutenant Col-—Lieutenant General Clark, and to all the faculty and staff here at the academy for your dedication and commitment in shaping the next generation of American air power and space power. 

And thank you to all the parents and families and sponsor families out there in the stands.  You’ve supported these cadets throughout their lives.  You taught them how to stand up, never bow, never bend, never yield.  You inspired them to put integrity first, to choose service over self—it sounds like hyperbole, but it’s literally what you did—to pursue excellence in all they do.  But I know you’re bursting with pride at what they’ve already accomplished. 

So, graduates, give your families a round of applause.  Stand up and give them a round of applause.  (Applause.)  Show them your appreciation.  (Applause.)  I think they’re excited. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you (inaudible)!  

THE PRESIDENT:  The only thing your moms and dads are saying is, “I wish I could have paid for this education.”  (Laughter.)  

Every other graduation I do—and I’ve done some—a lot of graduations—college graduations—I usually say, “Parents, today you all get a pay raise.  No more tuition.” 

But Secretary Kendall, General Brown, General Saltzman, thank you for leading our Air Force and our Space Force to take on the missions that most matter—most matter for today and the future so we can continue to maintain air and space superiority just as we have in every U.S. conflict in this century. 

But, graduates, you’re not just commissioning into the Air Force and the Space Force, you are commissioning into a Joint Force.  One thing working more closely together across the service branches than ever before in new—new ways to deter, if necessary, defeat every threat to our nation. 

Last week, I was proud—and I mean it sincerely—to nominate your Air Force Chief, General C.Q. Brown, Jr., the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  (Applause.)  Stand up, General.  (Applause.) 

General, our country thanks you.  And I look forward to working with you as Chairman. 

And these graduates will have the additional pride of starting their careers of service led by, General that might say, a butt-kicking American airman.  I think you used that phrase.  (Laughter.)  

Class of 2023 — …this is a day you’ve worked hard to reach.  Think back to that first day of Basic when the bus dropped you off at the Footprints.  You didn’t know what the hell would lie ahead.  Maybe you were wondering what exactly you’d gotten yourself into. 

And then, after a few days of acclimating, getting yelled at nonstop by your cadre, hearing those words that meant it would only get worse—quote, “PT ban has been lifted.”  (Laughs.)  As if that’s a good thing, right?  (Laughs.)  “The PT ban has been lifted.” 

Marching down to Jack’s, building tent city, even sweeping the dirt to make it look like there were hallways. 

You know, before making it past the Assault Course Fall and Assault Course Nunez—Nuñez.  And I tell you what—you’re all crazy.  But at any rate—(laughter)—no, I’m only kidding. 

Remember—remember the pride you felt joining the Flying Wedge in the T-Zo, the first time during the Acceptance Day parade, only to face an even more difficult challenge when the school year began: academics. 

It wasn’t all push-ups and cramming for prog week, though to set the Guinness Book of Records—World Records—most simultaneous push-ups—there had to be an enormous amount of push-ups. 

Beyond you, beyond—but all of you—I think you had some fun along the way.  Maybe a good use of your Epic Passes.  (Laughter.)  That would be reason enough to join.  (Laughter.)  Had a few steaks and tortellini dinners to celebrate commitment and job drops. 

I got to see some of you at the White House a few weeks ago to celebrate winning the Commander-in-Chief trophy for the 21st time.  (Applause.) 

When I was graduating from high school 300 years ago—(laughter)—I applied to the Naval Academy.  And I was picked by the senator—there’s two ways senators can pick.  You can pick individually, or they can name 10 people and let the academy choose.  And I was a relatively good football player, so I had a shot. 

And I remember the day that a guy name Steve Dunning, from my class, was also nominated.  We drove up.  It was about 7:00 in the morning.  We were going to drive down to Annapolis.  And I had just heard the night before: They had a halfback named Joe Bellino, won the Heisman Trophy, and a quarterback named Roger Staubach.  I went to Delaware.  (Laughter.) 

The Blue Horizons rocketry team managed to send the superintendent’s flight cap all the way to space.  (Laughs.)  I don’t know whether he knew it or not, but — 

Even more impressive, you got it back, some 70 miles away. 

Of course, there may also have been achievements of less sterling nature.  Maybe you had to do a few tours.  Maybe you’re one of the cadets who decided to enjoy the view from the top of the Chapel in the Box. 

So, before I forget, since I was at one of those schools, at a state university, I found myself in a little bit of trouble a couple times.  I really wish that a Commander-in-Chief had spoken at my graduation, because I have the power to hereby waive any confinements and restrictions of minor cadet disciplinary systems violations.  They’re waived.  And, man—(applause)—I wish that my commencement speaker had that power. 

Look—(laughs)—after four long years, you pushed to the limits and forged into leaders of character.  And after finally getting to jump into the fountain, you commission as a Second Lieutenant of the United States Air Force and the United States Space Force, part of the greatest—and this is not hyperbole—you’re part of the greatest fighting force in the history of the world.  

That is the truth.  That’s the God’s truth.  That’s not an exaggeration.  We have the finest military in the history of the world.  

And you have earned it.  (Applause.)  And this day is the day to celebrate. 

And as your Commander-in-Chief, I’m honored to be here as you take on the duties of serving and defending our nation. 

In the years to come, you’ll have even more asked of you.  You’ll take on greater responsibilities, and you’ll be challenged even beyond everything you’ve yet experienced. 

But you have those mountains.  You leave them as you look—I’m sure you’re going to be thinking about this a lot as you’re moving through your careers. 

As you leave these mountains where the air is rare, you’re going to take with you the confidence that your years have prepared you for whatever is ahead. 

After all, your time at this proud institution is defined by so much history, so much tradition, and marked by significant change, as was referenced earlier.  Unlike—and overcome time and again to re-orient yourself together with your squadron and your wing and find new ways to soar. 

As been mentioned already, when COVID hit during the fourth—your four-degree year, you had to re-—excuse me—you had to rapidly redeploy back to your home and learn new ways to study and maintain camaraderie during “COVID-ca-”—“COVID-cation.” 

And by the way, I wonder how many of you had to kick your brother out of your room when you went back. 

But all kidding aside, recognition may have been cut short, but it came back in the fall.  You did the Run to the Rock.  You earned the prop and wings, just like every cadet before you. 

Resilience, creativity, endurance, commitment—these have been essential parts of your unique Academy training. 

And you’re going to need those qualities as you continue your careers because the world you are graduating into is not only changing rapidly, the pace of change is accelerating as well. 

We are seeing proliferating global challenges, from Russia’s aggression and brutality in Europe to our competition with China, and a whole hell of a lot in between—from growing instability to food insecurity to natural disasters, all of which are being made worse by the existential threat of climate change. 

I don’t hear many of my friends anymore saying there’s no climate change.  They’ve finally figured it out.  We’ve been trying to push that since 1981. 

But we are seeing engaging technol-—emerging technologies all—AI—from AI and 3D printing—that could change the character of conflict itself. 

They’re not going to be easy decisions, guys. 

I met in the Oval Office—in my office with 12 leading—no, excuse me—8 leading scientists in the area of AI.  Some are very worried that AI can actually overtake human thinking and planning.  

So, we’ve got a lot to deal with—an incredible opportunity but a lot to deal with. 

We’re also working across multiple domains, developing new capabilities, like our new next-gen B-21 Raider.  And we’re—you’re going to be flying that sucker. 

And we are going to count on you to keep us at the forefront of air and space dominance, enabling an entire joint force to be stronger. 

Graduates, you’ve made a noble choice to lead a life of service. 

Now you also shoulder a great privilege and a mighty responsibility: leadership.  Yeah, leadership—a word often used. 

In the years ahead, your Airmen and Guardians are going to look to you for guidance and inspiration, because the world is going to get more confusing.  They’ll put their trust in you.  And you, in turn, must strive to always be worthy of their confidence.  Listen to them.  Listen to them. 

I’ve always believed that America is strongest when we lead not only by the example of our power but by the power of our example.  Let me say it again.  I’ve traveled the entire world, been in almost every country.  The reason why we’re respected so much is not just our power but the power of our example.  

And it matters.  It matters. 

The same is going to be true in your own experience of leadership.  No matter what changes or challenges come, your character, your moral clarity, your capabilities must never waver. 

Again, not hyperbole: The nation needs you—genuinely needs you. 

Our world stands at an inflection point. 

I had a professor who used to say an inflection point is when you’re driving your car down a highway at 60 miles an hour and suddenly you turn the wheel 10 degrees.  You can never get back on the same track you were on before. 

The decisions we make today are going to determine what the world looks like decades from now. 

No graduating class gets to choose the world into which they graduate.  

Every class enters the history of a nation up to the point that has been written by others. 

But few classes, once every several generations, enters—enters at a point in our history where they actually have a chance to change—change the trajectory of the country. 

It’s the only reason I ran.  I said to our speaker, I read his article.  That’s why when I ran, I said I was running for three purposes, two of which were to restore the character in this country and, two, to unite it. 

You’ll face that inflection point today, and I know you’re going to meet the moment to make sure that the future we’re building is one that fundamentally aligns with our values and protects America’s interests; to make sure that our skies and orbits remain open and navigable to everyone; to make sure that new technologies are used to lift people up to new heights, new opportunities, not hold them down or exploit them; and to make sure that the fundamental rules of the international system we put in place more than seven decades ago to prevent another world war are upheld and strengthened to address new threats. 

One of the greatest strengths the United States of America brings to this effort is one of the greatest assets you will harness throughout your careers.  It’s our unmatched network of alliance and partners—allies and partners. 

I’ve spent the bulk of my first year just re-establishing that, meeting hundreds of hours with our NATO Allies and others—those nations who willingly stand beside us to face down threats and solve shared challenges. 

You’ve already gotten some sense of that with the friendships and bonds you’ve built with the cadets graduating today, who will commission in their home militaries across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Indo-Pacific. 

Our partnerships amplify our strength and make us more effective.  And don’t think our adversaries don’t understand it.  That’s why they work so damn hard to try to split us. 

We’ve sent it—we’ve said it—we’ve seen it over and over again, especially in the global support for the brave people of Ukraine as they defended their families and their homes against Russia’s brutal assault. 

Remember what was said?  Putin was certain that NATO would crack, that they would not stand together.  

We put 40 nations together.  The United States has rallied the world to stand strong with Ukraine and defend the values that the American people hold so dear: freedom, sovereignty, democracy, simple dignity. 

Working with a coalition of more than 50 nations, we have delivered historic security assistance that has enabled Ukraine to defend itself. 

I’ve been there many times before the war, spoke at the Rada.  I’ve been there since the war began. 

The United States Air Force and Space Force have been the backbone of that operation, providing airlift capacity 

and logistical know-how to move artillery, ammunition, fighting vehicles, anti-tank, and air defense system; providing missile warning space-based ISR, supporting communications. 

No other nation in the world—in the whole world—has the enabling capacity that we do—and what we have to do to thank you and your immediate predecessors. 

Just a few weeks ago, I was with President Zelenskyy in Hiroshima at the G7. 

I told him that we’d work with our partners to begin training Ukrainian pilots in Europe on fourth-generation fighter aircraft, including the F-16, so Ukraine can defend itself today and in the future. 

The Ukrainian people’s iron resolve to live in freedom will never be broken.  They are incredible: average women and men fighting, giving their lives for their country and their families. 

And the American people’s support for Ukraine will not waver.  We’ve always stand up for democracies—always.  (Applause.) 

I’m going to ask you to contemplate what happens if it wavers and Ukraine goes down.  What about Belarus?  What about the rest of Eastern Europe? 

Look, the G7 also demonstrated remarkable unity in the world’s leading democracies when it comes to China. 

The United States—I’ve met with Xi Jinping more than any per-—more than any leader in the world, starting back when I was Vice President. 

The United States does not seek conflict or confrontation with China.  China and the United States should be able to work together where we can to solve some global challenges like climate.  

But we are prepared for vigorous competition.  And we will stand—stand up for our interests, for our friends, and for our values. 

With our G7 partners, we issued a set of shared principles for engaging with China and minimizing the threats to our nations—by bolstering our economic security, resisting economic coercion, counter-—countering harmful practices, and protecting a narrow set of advanced technologies critical to our national security by not trading them. 

By working together with nations that share the most fundamental values, we multiply one another’s strength and firmly fix a course toward our shared vision for the future. 

In every part of the world, we advanced our partnerships in concrete ways that strengthen the American security. 

In the Indo-Pacific, we’ve deepened our alliance and our trilateral cooperation with Japan and Republic of Korea, who are now talking together and working together to enhance deterrence against threats in the region, including from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 

We’ve elevated the Quad, bringing together Australia, India, Japan, and the United States to advance an Indo-Pacific that’s free and open, prosperous and secure.  Didn’t exist before. 

We’re delivering on AUKUS, a new strategic partnership that brings the United States closer together with Australia and the United Kingdom, two of our most capable allies. 

NATO is more energized and more united than it’s been in decades, and it’s now even stronger with the accession of our newest ally, Finland, and soon Sweden, in the Alliance as soon as possible.  (Applause.)  It will happen.  I promise you. 

We’re working with Canada to upgrade NORAD’s capabilities and ensure that North America’s air defense surveillance systems are the best in the world. 

And in just the past 12 months, I’ve hosted in the United States the leaders of every country in the Western Hemisphere, every country in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands.  We are a Pacific nation. 

These nations may not all agree with us on every issue, but they want to work with us; they choose us—not because of threats or coercion, but because of the common interests we pursue together to make the world a better and safer place for everyone.  That—that is what the United States stands for. 

When people around the world see a United States gray tail flying overhead, or the stars and stripes on your shoulders, they know what that means no matter where you go: freedom, opportunity, possibilities, hope. 

It’s who we are.  It’s what we fight for.  It’s why we choose this path. 

So, graduates, as you head out, whether to graduate school or pilot training, to serve as missileers or space operators, scientists or engineers, never forget the sacred oath you swear and the mission you serve is something far, far greater than any person or president.  It’s our Constitution.  It’s our country.  And it’s our enduring American values. 

You know, we’re the most unique nation in the world.  And say, “Well, everybody says…”—but we are.  We’re the only nation in the world formed and based on an idea.  An idea.  Every other nation in the world is formed based on things like geography, ethnicity, religion. 

We’re the only nation built on an idea that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all [women and] men are created equal…endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights… life, liberty, pursuit of…”  That’s the organizing principle of America.  (Applause.)  

We haven’t always lived up to it, but we’ve never—except on one brief moment—even thought about walking away from it. 

Generations of our forebears have fought and sacrificed to defend it, sacrifices we honored earlier this week on Memorial Day. 

My son was an Army officer, a major; the attorney general who sought permission to go fight with his unit in Iraq for a year.  Unfortunately, his hooch was very close to these burn pits, and he came home with Stage 4 glioblastoma, and died. 

I remember looking at him in the bed.  This is the God’s truth.  I hadn’t planned on saying this, and maybe I shouldn’t.  He looked at me and said—and we’re talking about war.  He said, “Dad…”—he was attorney general, odds-on favorite to become a governor.  He said, “Dad, the proudest thing I’ve ever done in my life is putting on that uniform.  The proudest thing.” 

Just before he passed, he said, “I’m not afraid.  I’m not afraid.” 

That’s what you all are made of as well: pride.  Pride—not in yourself, but what you’re fighting for. 

It’s a sacred charge that you now inherit as well. 

This year, we mark the 75th anniversary—this year—of an integrated force, the 75th anniversary of women serving in the force, and the 50th anniversary of an all-volunteer military.  (Applause.)  And your class is one of the diverse—most diverse classes in the history of this academy or any academy to graduate.  That’s why we’re strong.  That’s why we’re who we are.  That’s why we’ll never give up.  That’s why!  (Applause.) 

We also recognize that with every step we’ve taken to harness the full diversity of our nation, to tap more of our indomitable American spirit, our Armed Forces have only grown stronger, more effective, and more admired.  The same is true of this institution.  

This year’s graduating class is among the most diverse in academy history.  You’re graduating the highest percentage of women.  By the way, I met with the—who are those guys that fly over shortly?  You’ve heard of them, haven’t you?  Three of them are women.  (Applause.)  So don’t screw around, guys.  And the highest percentage of minority cadets in history. 

You’re a strengthening force, a force that depends—depends on American values, that reflect America itself.  

And each of you has an obligation to treat the Airmen and Guardians you lead, and everyone you encounter, with dignity. 

Your honor code says, “We will not lie, steal, or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does.” 

So it’s on all of you to root out the scourge of sexual assault and harassment in the military and to never tolerate it among—never tolerate it; to make sure that every member of our Armed Forces, no matter who they are, who they love, feels safe and respected in the ranks. 

Class of 2023 — 

AUDIENCE:  Thor! 

THE PRESIDENT: —you’ve been trained to lead, to set an example of leadership for others.  You’ve been given the skillset to think clearly, to make strategic decisions, and to do what is right, under pressure. 

You’ve earned the trust and respect of your fellow cadets and your in-—instructors. 

And you are the very embodiment of the American military excellence, and you are ready for anything.  Anything. 

As I look out today, I give you my word as a Biden: I’ve never been more optimistic—never been more optimistic about the future of this country, in no small part because of you.  I mean it sincerely. 

Four years ago, you arrived as individuals.  Today, you’re part of a Long Blue Line.  Future generations will stand in your footsteps, strive to meet the heights that your—of your expectations, draw inspiration from the example of honor and integrity that you’re going to set. 

Held aloft by the core values you learned here, our Air Force, our Space Force, our Joint Force, indeed our nation, is safe and steady hands with all of you. 

May God protect you all as you set out on your journeys.  And remember—remember: Never bend, never bow, never yield.  And remember who we are. 

May the Lord guard and guide the ones who fly through great space and sky.  And may God protect all those who wear the uniform of the United States of America. 

Let us hear us one more time for the Class of 2023. 

AUDIENCE:  Thor!  (Applause.) 

Biden Tells USAFA Grads: You Have Rare ‘Chance to Change Trajectory’ of US

Biden Tells USAFA Grads: You Have Rare ‘Chance to Change Trajectory’ of US

Speaking at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s graduation ceremony June 1, President Joe Biden urged the Class of 2023’s 921 graduates “to keep us at the forefront of air and space dominance.” 

The newly-commission Air Force and Space Force officers must lead, he said, at an “inflection point” in history: “Your Airmen and Guardians are going to look to you for guidance and inspiration, because the world is going to get more confusing,” Biden said. “They’ll put their trust in you. You in turn must strive to always be worthy of their confidence. Listen to them. Listen to them.” 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, competition with China, the impacts of climate change, and unknown challenges stemming from the rise of artificial intelligence will all change the world. 

“It’s not going to be easy decisions, guys,” said Biden. “I met in the Oval Office with eight leading scientists in the area of AI. Some are very worried that AI can actually overtake human thinking.” Yet, at the same time, he said, the Air Force and Space Force face a future of “incredible opportunity.”

“We’re working across multiple domains developing new capabilities, like our new next-gen B-21 Raider,” Biden noted. “You’re going to be flying that sucker. We’re going to count on you to keep us at the forefront of air and space dominance, enabling the entire joint force.” 

Speaking before Biden, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall emphasized the importance of new technology and changing global dynamics to the new officers. 

“You’re accepting a leadership role in a military in the midst of a strategic competition that is as great a challenge as we have faced in decades, certainly in my career,” said Kendall, who graduated from West Point 52 years ago. “You will be challenged to meet the requirements of our current missions while preparing for an uncertain future. You will be challenged to get everything you can out of today’s force to help build tomorrow’s force.” 

Biden and Kendall’s remarks echo the National Security Strategy released last year, which referred to the 2020s as a “decisive decade.” 

“The decisions we make today are going to determine what the world looks like decades from now,” Biden said. “No graduating class gets to choose the world into which they graduate. Every class enters the history of a nation up to the point that has been read by others. A few classes once every several generations, enters at a point in our history where they actually have a chance to change the trajectory of the country.” 

In order to effect that change, Biden and Kendall said, new officers will have to foster a positive environment for their troops.  

“Our nation’s parents are entrusting their sons and daughters to your supervision and care,” Kendall said. “As a leader of character, you are now responsible for creating and strengthening the readiness of the units you will serve and lead. As commissioned officers, you will be responsible for the example you set, for the conduct of those under your supervision, and for shaping the culture of organizations you lead or are a part of.” 

Specifically, Biden called on the graduates to “root out the scourge of sexual assault and harassment in the military” and “make sure that every member of our forces … feel safe and respected in the ranks.” 

Biden later personally congratulated each graduate as they received their degree. At the end, he tripped on a seam or wire on the stage, falling down to gasps from the crowd. The president was quickly helped to his feet by aides and returned to his seat under his own power; he later posed for photographs with the new officers.

480th ISR Wing Honored with Gen. Doolittle Award

480th ISR Wing Honored with Gen. Doolittle Award

The 480th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., received the 2023 Gen. James H. “Jimmy” Doolittle Award in recognition of its top-notch ISR support of major commands and joint and combined force commanders across the world over the past two years. 

The 480th ISR Wing is the 10th recipient of the award, which is presented by the Air Force Historical Foundation to an active Air Force or Space Force unit for demonstrating “gallantry, determination, esprit de corps, and superior management of joint operations” as it pursues its mission.

The award was presented by Gen. Doolittle’s granddaughter, Jonna Doolittle Hoppes, the president of the Air Force Historical Foundation. The ceremony was held at the Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Va., on June 1.

“There isn’t any group that works harder behind the scenes and gets things done and nobody even sees,” said Doolittle Hoppes. “We don’t realize that you’re there until the mission that we’ve set out on is accomplished.”

Among the 480th’s notable accomplishments are its support of the bed down of Afghan refugees, both in the air and on the ground; its collection of crucial intelligence around the Russia-Ukraine conflict; its support of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s first-of-its-kind visit to Taiwan; its involvement in watching North Korean ballistic missile launches; and its assistance in bringing down the Chinese surveillance balloon earlier this year.

“I’m tremendously proud of this unit and our accomplishments, and they’ve already reached the stratosphere,” said 480th Commander Col. Nathan L. Rusin, who accepted the award. “I’m also extremely proud of receiving recognition of those accomplishments because again, we do a lot of this shrouded in secrecy. As I talked about before, we celebrated our 20th birthday of the 480th ISR Wing this year, and truly I can’t wait to see what we accomplished by the time we hit 40.”