September 22, 2023

The Reutilization Rockstar

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. —It was a hot day in August when my coworker and I walked into a warehouse with 80s rock music […]
September 21, 2023

‘Together with Veterans’ Enhances Military Community

You guys will hear me say this a million times over, the answer to making the most of any base is to build the community around you. I got the chance to sit with Randy McDonald, the Executive Director of the Minot Chapter of Together with Veterans and have a conversation with him about this […]

September 21, 2023

2023 Air Force Photo Contest

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas —Photographers of all ages and experience, get your cameras ready for the annual Air Force Photo Contest launched Sept. 15. The theme for this year’s contest, which runs through Nov. 14, is “101 Days of Summer.” “We’ve been asking patrons since June to capture the essence of summer through their […]

September 21, 2023

For Two Weeks I’m in Heaven

It’s a brisk fall morning. I grabbed a jacket on my way out the door knowing that more than likely it will be warmer this afternoon and the jacket will not be needed. It’s September in North Dakota, things are starting to change. Most of the birds that migrate south are gone. Above me is […]

September 21, 2023

Reshaping a Reputation

About two weeks ago I stood in front of a group of Minot’s leaders at the Military Affairs Committee (MAC) meeting. A PowerPoint I’d probably spent too much time perfecting projected behind me. My palms were sweaty. I’d known about this day for a long time, and here it was. More than anything I wanted […]

September 21, 2023

Spanning 3 Degrees of Latitude…

There’s a 1941 school map of North Dakota that hangs in my garage. Knowing of my interest in geography, one of my wife’s friends gave me that map when she moved away. I look at that map every day when I’m in the garage and after six years of hanging there, it still hasn’t gotten […]

September 21, 2023

Hollywood Horses

Old photographs have a way of bringing back to life events of years past. Recently I was looking through some photographs taken on the set of the movie “Dances with Wolves,” a 1990 big screen blockbuster in which I played an insignificant part as a Union soldier in the Civil War. I was one of […]

September 19, 2023

91st MSFS conducts Operation Frontier Thunder

Minot Air Force Base, N.D. —The 91st Missile Security Forces Squadron conducted Operation Frontier Thunder at Camp Guernsey, Wyoming, Aug. 28-31.Operation Frontier Thunder was a readiness exercise designed to simulate a deployed environment and provided an opportunity for Airmen of the 91st MSFS to validate their expeditionary skills. “Operation Frontier Thunder is the culmination of […]

September 14, 2023

Airmen Place Flags in Remembrance of Those Lost to Suicide

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. — The Integrated Primary Prevention office held their third Annual Flag Planting for Suicide Prevention month, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Sept. 6, 2023.The IPP office and 62 volunteers planted flags along Missile Avenue to represent the 358 Airmen that lost their lives due to suicide last year. Alicia […]

September 14, 2023

Travel with me to Omaha Nebraska

One thing to know about me, I love to travel. More than that, I love to travel and share what I experienced with others to help them travel too. In the military life, we can see more of the world than most whether that be through PCSing, TDYs, or just planning a trip. We are […]

September 15, 2023

Jr Journalism: Puppets & Vikings & Lefse, Oh My!

Terry Fator- now that’s a name you don’t see every day. And his job is unusual too: a singing ventriloquist that specializes in celebrity impersonations who won America’s Got Talent. That’s Terry for you. Fortunately for us, his unique entertainment style is coming to the Norsk Hostfest. Terry was born in a small town near […]

September 14, 2023

Terry Fator-My Story is One of Gratefulness

We all have memories from our childhood that define our path in life. For Terry Fator that memory takes him back to the church in his hometown, a small town outside of Dallas, Texas, where a young Terry was singing in front of a church filled with people. “I remember singing in front of a […]

September 14, 2023

Firefest event brings friendly competition and community fun

Minot Air Force Base’s FSS is at it again with a fantastic event that hopefully comes back every year! On September 9th from 12-5pm, MAFB hosted its first Firefest with the help of Fire Events. This event was something new and different for the base because the gates were open for the local community to […]

September 14, 2023

Thank You For Your Service

I have lived in Minot for over 45 years. I arrived here a single, just graduated from college, fledgling journalist. This was my first job in my career field. I found an apartment, set up my household and soon discovered that I needed something, besides my job, to keep me busy. After looking around, there […]

September 14, 2023

Finally Fall

I got an early start. Could not wait to get on the water. I thoroughly enjoy fishing, especially in the fall.No, it’s not officially calendar autumn, but the fall season is underway. Leaves are starting to change colors, even dropping from some trees. Water temperatures on state lakes have begun to drop slowly. Labor Day […]

September 14, 2023

Highway Patrol professionalism…

Have you ever been stopped, ticketed or even arrested by the North Dakota Highway Patrol? If so, did you notice there is something different about this law enforcement agency compared to others? It’s simply professionalism. I’m not trying to ding other law enforcement. I have friends in law enforcement, including the Nelson County sheriff, a […]

September 8, 2023

Missile Community Cancer Study continues to collect data from missile bases

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. —Air Force Global Strike Command released the initial PCB survey results from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Thursday, completing the first round of sampling at its three missile bases. Also included in the survey were Malmstrom AFB, Montana, and F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming. The survey was conducted in June […]

September 7, 2023

Ok Minot, I’m Here. Now What?

It doesn’t matter if you are a brand new Airman starting your first assignment or sneaking up to that 20 year mark as an Air Force family, being the new one in town always just plain stinks. You have to find your way around town by relying on the GPS, discover what you like, get […]

September 7, 2023

70 Years of Sharing Your Minot AFB Adventure

Back in the “old days,” base newspapers used to be the main form of communication to Airmen and their families. Before cell phones and social media captured attention, scandal and complaints, people used to scour the weekly newspaper, put out by Public Affairs, to find out about incoming weather, opinions, updates about commands and, well, […]

September 6, 2023

One Big Lake! Sakakawea Offers It All

“Hey what did you do this weekend?” it’s a common question, and even though you expect a return answer, let’s face it, you may not be paying attention to what is said. Never do you expect a comeback that describes a weekend where you loaded up a 27 foot sailboat with enough provisions for three […]

September 6, 2023

And The Old Farmer’s Almanac Says…

96 for a high on Saturday, and then without a lot of warning our high temperature on Tuesday was in the 70’s. Coffee shops were a buzzin’ today with predictions of lower temps, driving all of us old traditionalists to scope out the non-metrological prediction for fall 2023. September? Looks about average, with a chance […]