Senior Airman Kyle Wilson, Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. – The plains of North Dakota stretch out in a vast expanse of rolling hills interrupted only by the occasional cluster of trees; covered in snow and ice or grass swaying in the wind, depending on the time of year. Though seemingly bare, this land is rooted in a vital role to national defense. Nestled within the windswept prairies lies the operational area of the 91st Missile Wing, home to a network of Missile Alert Facilities and Launch Facilities spread out across 8,500 square miles that house the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile weapon system.
Standing watch – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – ensuring the safety and security of these assets, and the nuclear deterrence provided by them, are the Airmen of the 91st Security Forces Group; fittingly referred to as ‘Defenders.’
“Our mission is to secure the MAFs and LFs that are assigned to the 91MW,” said U.S. Air Force Col. James Slaton, 91SFG commander. “The most important part of that is having the capability to respond and defeat any adversary that would attempt to access these resources.”
To ensure the safety and security of the assets under their watch, the Airmen of the 91SFG regularly conduct exercises and realistic training scenarios to enhance readiness and response capabilities in the event of security threats.
“We are training and exercising constantly,” said Slaton. “On any given day, our Defenders are out in the missile complex running through scenarios and working on their skill set to be prepared to execute the mission.”
In addition to the security provided by Airmen on the ground, the 54th Helicopter Squadron works in tandem with the 91SFG to provide an all-encompassing blanket of security; providing rapid response capabilities and a bird’s eye view of the missile fields at a moment’s notice.
“The 54HS is a phenomenal partner, they’re our eyes in the sky,” said Slaton. “They give us the capability to reach any type of scenario quickly, as well as providing aerial fire support.”
The Minuteman III weapon system is considered the most responsive leg of the United States’ nuclear triad. The safety and security that 91SFG Defenders supply to these assets ensures that the U.S. nuclear deterrent remains securely credible to adversaries.
“The immediate response that the ICBM fleet provides our national decision makers a lot of leverage and influence,” Slaton explained. “Our Defenders ensure that the Airmen who maintain and operate this weapon system are able to do so in a secure environment.”
The Airmen of the 91SFG, always ready and always standing watch over an enormous area of operation, are the lynchpin to ensuring that these assets remain safe and secure from any and all threats.
Slaton explained that if he had to choose one word to describe the Defenders of the 91SFG, it would be the Finnish word ‘sisu’, which translates roughly to guts, grit, and determination in the face of extreme adversity.
“It originated during World War II to describe the Finnish resistance to Soviet invasion, due to the harsh environments they had to operate in,” said Slaton. “Our Defenders operate in one of the toughest environments that Air Force security forces members are placed in, outside of an active combat zone; and they do it day in, day out, ready to respond at a moment’s notice.”
