Operation Minuteman: 219th Style

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Desiree Moye
  • 119 Wing
June 1, 2015 --  The 219th Security Forces Squadron participated in a two week long integrated surge with the 91st Missile Wing in Minot, N.D., during an annual Operation Minuteman exercise May 17-31. Additionally, National Guard Bureau Chief Master Sgt. Todd Miskelly, A7S career field manager, met with Airmen and learned about the surge. It was his first visit to the Minot AFB missile field complex and he had a first-hand view of the 219th SFS conducting their duties.

While the 219th SFS is intermingled with the 91st Missile Wing personnel doing the mission on a daily basis, the Operation Minuteman surge period provides an opportunity for the Guard members to take primary responsibility for an entire sector of the missile field complex, and for the drill-status Guard personnel to work and train alongside the full-time people from both the N.D. Air National Guard and the active duty Air Force.

The 219th SFS is detachment of the N.D. Air National Guard's 119th Wing, in Fargo.

Operation minuteman is a demonstration of the total force capabilities and the ability of the drill-status Guard members to perform their war-time tasking.

Priorities for this years' OM were response times for simulated launch facility or LF, attacks securing and maintaining U.S. Air Force assets.

Total force is the active duty Air Force term used for integrating Air National Guard, Reserve, and active-duty components together for military missions being done throughout the world, and the work being done in the Minot Air Force Base missile field complex is a great example of the total force concept. It is such a good example, in fact, that work being done there is being considered as a model to be used at other installations,

Facilities such as LFs have comprehensive security systems which are monitored for suspicious activity. Security Forces personnel respond to motion- sensing alarms triggered by unsuspected animals, and even the wind. Low threat drills such as these is a measurable hindrance to complacency and preparation for incidents that could occur. 

This yearly reaffirmation builds stronger ties and confidence in the N.D. Guardsmen passed on from each new 91st commander.

"The commanders love having the guardsmen [attached to Minot Air Force Base] providing our support and expanding our mission set"said, Chief Master Sgt. Michael Schreiner, 219th SFS manager.

"The 219th detachment is an integral partner to us" said, Chief Master Sgt. Chad Schulte, the Chief Enlisted Manager from the 91st Security Forces Group. "Their seamless integration is unique in the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile community, you can't identify a guardsman from an active-duty member, we're just one big team."

Active guard reserve, or AGR, personnel, who are full-time staff members, work jointly with the U.S. Air Force active-duty personnel in the missile fields on a daily basis and the drill status guard members are assimilated into the mix when they are on duty.

The traditional Air Guard personnel train one weekend per month and 15 days each year in their missile field security and support jobs. They sometimes work more than their fifteen days each year -- when their civilian schedule allows -- and it is beneficial to the military for them to do so. Traditional Guard members are also trained by AGRs on a monthly basis and perform full-time security work in the missile fields.

"The daily augmenting of local personnel gives our group the [edge] to sustain the mission," said Col. Raymund Tembreull, 91st SFG commander. "During turbulent times when our force is very young the guard offers great stability and continuity through manpower and experience."