Francis E. Warren Air Force Base
Encyclopedia
Francis E. Warren Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force
base located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Cheyenne, Wyoming
. It is one of three strategic missile bases in the United States. It is named in honor of Francis E. Warren
.
Warren AFB is the home of the 90th Missile Wing (90 MW), assigned to the Twentieth Air Force
, Air Force Global Strike Command. The 90 MW operates the LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM, with launch facilities in Southeast Wyoming
, Western Nebraska
, and Northern Colorado
. It is also the home of Twentieth Air Force
, which commands all United States Air Force ICBMs.
Warren AFB is the oldest continuously active military installation within the Air Force, being established by the United States Army
as Fort David Allen Russell
in 1867. The facility came under United States Air Force control on 1 June 1947.
The 90th Missile Wing is commanded by Colonel Christopher Coffelt. Twentieth Air Force is commanded by Major General C. Donald Alston
.
base with the introduction of the SM-65D Atlas
missile in 1958. Today, the 90th MW operates 150 LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBMs on full alert 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.
The 90 MW is organized into five groups:
Other tenant units at Warren are:
ace Captain Eddie Rickenbacker
who crashed his plane on the field and survived. The airfield was used in 1919 by the "Western Flying Circus," then led by then-Major Carl "Tooey" Spaatz
(later promoted to general and the first Air Force Chief of Staff
).
The base does maintain an active 30' x 30' heliport which is primarily utilized by Air Force UH-1N Twin Huey
helicopters of the 37th Helicopter Squadron to ferry missile launch crews and maintenance personnel to various launch control centers and missile silos surrounding the base.
at age 19 during the American Civil War
.
The installation has an exceptionally long record of continuous military use. The history of the base dates back to the Railroad Act of 1862, when President Lincoln and Congress set plans for the transcontinental railroad, including a military installation on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains in the Wyoming Territory, to protect Union Pacific workers from hostile Indians. From these pioneer origins, the base has evolved from a noteworthy frontier infantry and cavalry post into the largest, most modern strategic missile facility in the United States.
When President Lincoln
and Congress
set plans for the transcontinental railroad
, they recognized the need for a military installation to protect Union Pacific
workers from hostile Indians. On July 4, 1867, the railroad established its mountain region headquarters at Crow Creek Crossing, later known as Cheyenne
. A few weeks later, the U.S. Cavalry
moved from temporary headquarters in Cheyenne
to a point 3 miles (5 km) west and established Fort D. A. Russell. Thus, 1867 was the beginning of a city and a fort, and both have grown together over the years.
Detachments of the 30th Cavalry formed the first garrison, under the command of Colonel
John D. Stevenson. For a brief time the troops lived in tents, but during the winter of 1867-68 they moved into wood-frame quarters. The dwellings were set in the shape of a diamond, instead of a rectangle, to protect against harsh winter winds that howled across the then treeless high plains. The diamond opened to the east and measured 800 by 1040 feet (317 m). The entrance to the original fort was at a point next to the present day Chapel 1.
The first troops stationed here lived the rough frontier life, which meant coping with the rigors of the weather in winter and with Indians in spring and summer.
In 1876, troops from Fort Russell participated in the Great Sioux Indian Wars
, the same in which Lieutenant Colonel
Custer's
forces were defeated.
Fort Russell was made a permanent post in 1884 because of its strategic location. In 1885, the War Department
ordered the post be rebuilt to serve eight infantry
companies
. The Army
built 27 red brick buildings for $100,000 to replace the older wood frame structures, and planted thousands of trees. The last expansion of the base took place in the early 20th century when large barracks along Randall Avenue were constructed. Many of the early brick buildings were stables that housed nearly 20,000 horses and mules. From 1885 to 1930, more than 220 brick buildings were erected; most of them remain in use today.
The base maintains the historic exterior of each building with appropriate interior modifications for today's living and working environment.
In 1866, Congress
formed four black regiments
: the 9th and 10th Cavalry and 24th and 25th Infantry. The 25th Infantry was the only unit that didn't serve at Fort D. A. Russell. Black
soldiers were called "Buffalo Soldiers," a title originating from Native Americans
who likened the soldiers to the spiritual buffalo.
In 1898, the Spanish-American War
brought renewed importance to the post. Soon after President McKinley
sent a message to Congress
, the 8th Infantry left Fort D. A. Russell for Cuba
. Later, the Wyoming National Guard
mustered into service at the post and departed for duty in the Philippines
. In the battle for Manila
, the Guard
was the first battalion
to reach the walls of the city and to raise the flag.
In 1901, troops from Fort Russell again went to the Philippines
to help put down an insurrection and bring peace to the Pacific
. They returned with a Queen Mary Tudor cannon forged in 1557 and the Bells of Balangiga
. The seven-foot cannon, the only one of its kind in America, and the bells, which had been used by insurrectionists as a signal to launch an ambush on American troops, are on display near the base flagpole.
In 1906, Secretary of War
William Howard Taft
recommended Fort Russell expand to a brigade
-size post. By 1910, the construction of red brick quarters, two-story barracks, offices and stables had tripled the area of the post. During this era, artillery units were assigned there, and the facility increased in size to accommodate troop training with the latest 20th century weapons.
From 1913 to 1916, during the Mexican Revolution
, post artillery units were stationed along the border to prevent the struggle from coming onto American soil. During World War I
, the post served as a mobilization point and training facility for field artillery and cavalry groups. As World War I
began, Fort Russell had become one of the largest military posts in the United States
.
What stands as quarters #2 today was, in 1885, the post commander's home. By tradition, the post commander always occupied the largest house on post. Hence, the commander moved into quarters #8 when it was built in 1903. Quarters #2 was then assigned to the family of Captain John "Black Jack" Pershing, who later led American forces in Europe
during World War I
. Captain Pershing married U.S. Senator
Francis E. Warren's
daughter, but she preferred staying with her father when her husband was on campaign. Due to the influence of Senator Warren
, Captain Pershing was promoted to general within six months of his marriage. Pershing was promoted to General of the Armies, a position shared by only one other man, General
George Washington
.
issued a proclamation changing the name of the post to Fort Francis E. Warren, honoring Wyoming's
territorial governor and first state governor. Warren was a U.S. Senator
for 37 years. He received the Medal of Honor
when he was 19 for heroism during the Civil War
.
Other well-known figures stationed here include General Billy Mitchell (the "Father of the Air Force"), General Mark Clark
(World War II
(General
in Europe
), General Benjamin O. Davis, Sr.
(first black general), Dr. Walter Reed
and singer Sammy Davis, Jr.
. Entertainers Neil Diamond
and Chris LeDoux
grew up at this installation.
Former Wyoming Supreme Court
Justice Richard V. Thomas
was a JAG
officer at the base from 1956-1959.
During World War II
, Fort Warren was the training center for up to 20,000 of the Quartermaster Corps. More than 280 wooden buildings were constructed without insulation and interior walls to temporarily house the increased number of troops. In the harsh Wyoming winter, waking up in these barracks often meant shaking snow from one's blanket before heading for the just-as-cold communal showers. A prisoner of war camp was also constructed at that time.
, city officials in Spokane, Washington
, had tried to acquire joint use of facilities at Geiger Field. Air Training Command
used Geiger as its Aviation Engineer Training Center and the Army Air Forces was opposed to sharing facilities with civilian authorities. Instead, Headquarters USAAF directed ATC to transfer its training mission from Geiger Field to Fort Francis E. Warren in Wyoming.
.
In March 1949, HQ ATC was directed to re-program, as a part of an overall restructuring to a 48-group Air
Force. The statement of trained personnel requirements gave priority to radio, radar, armament, and aircraft maintenance training programs. To meet these training requirements, it was necessary for ATC to find additional space for these courses. To do that, the Air Force announced on 17 January that all aviation engineering courses at Fort Warren, with the exception of powerman, would transfer to the Army's Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. In addition, the fixed wire courses at Scott AFB went to Fort Warren, so that Scott had room to expand its radio mechanic school.
On 7 October 1949, Fort Francis E. Warren became Francis E. Warren AFB.
As a result of the Korean War
, Air Training Command had to in-process thousands of volunteer reservists. Between late July and the end of October 1950, the command brought on active duty about 20,000 reservists. Most of this work was done at Warren AFB.
In 1957, in response to budget reductions, Air Training Command formed a base utilization board to examine all its facilities, looking at existing and future training requirements. That board concluded that two bases could be released--Francis E. Warren and Scott AFB, Illinois. Warren AFB had a number of strikes against it, including poor weather conditions that limited training to seven months of the year, lack of a flying field, and many inadequate buildings. In 1958, Air Training Command finally received permission from Headquarters USAF to phase out its training programs at Francis E. Warren AFB.
Effective 1 February 1958, the base transferred from Air Training Command to Strategic Air Command
. Training, however continued until 24 March 1959, and on 1 May ATC discontinued its 3450th Technical Training Group.
. Although not the first designated missile wing, Warren became the first fully operational ICBM base in the United States Air Force.
Originally, the project design for the above-ground SM-65D Atlas
ICBM launch and control facilities at "Site A" was to be completed by mid-May 1958 and construction finished in November 1959. However, design revisions delayed the project several months. Construction began at a location 23 miles (37 km) northwest of Cheyenne in late 1958 for the facilities of the recently activated 706th Strategic Missile Wing, which would control the ICBMs. On 15 September 1959, the first Atlas D missile to deploy away from Vandenberg AFB, California, went to the 564th Strategic Missile Squadron stationed at the Warren I complex. A month later, F.E. Warren became the recipient of the first air transported Atlas missile. With General Power (the Commander in Chief of SAC) present, the first Atlas D complex was turned over to the 564th SMS and declared operational on 9 August 1960.
As work proceeded at the Warren I complex, the Army Corps of Engineers contracted for yet another complex. In February 1959, bids were opened for "Warren II," a complex that would have three sites with three Atlas-D launchers at each. The Warren II site was ready in the summer of 1960. The 565th Strategic Missile Squadron
, activated on 1 December 1959, operated the nine launchers.
The Warren III site, designed for nine SM-65E Atlas
missiles would be scattered over a 60 square miles (155.4 km²) area at single "coffin" launch sites. The term "coffin" was used because the missile laid on its side underground with the coffin roof at ground level. This configuration offered limited protection for the launcher. On 1 October 1960, the 549th Strategic Missile Squadron
became the last Atlas-E SMS to be activated. The 549th SMS was redesignated 566th SMS on 1 July 1961. On that same date the parent 706th Strategic Missile Wing stood down. Command responsibilities at Warren AFB were assumed by the recently activated 389th Strategic Missile Wing
.
In May 1964, as the 565th and 565th SMS Atlas-D missiles were being phased out, the 389th Strategic Missile Wing received SAC's last operational readiness inspection for this system. In September, SAC deactivated the 564th SMS. During the following March, the 566th SMS Atlas-E's would also be deactivated, completing the phaseout of the Atlas Missile at Warren.
The departure of the Atlas squadrons did not mark the end of F.E. Warren's role in the ICBM program. On 15 October 15, 1962, Morrison-Knudsen and Associates won the contract to construct 200 LGM-30A Minuteman I missile silos over an 8300 square miles (21,496.9 km²) area of Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado, located north and east of the base. On 1 July 1963, the Air Force activated the 90th Strategic Missile Wing. Over the next year, four component strategic missile squadrons activated with the 400th SMS became the last Minuteman I "B" unit to stand up on July 1, 1964.
In November 1972, SAC initiated the Minuteman Integrated Improvement Program. The program entailed silo hardening and upgrading command data buffers, which allowed for quicker missile retargeting. In addition to receiving upgraded silos and launcher control facilities, Warren also received new missiles. With conversion to the LGM-30G Minuteman III model, Warren's last Minuteman IB model went off alert status in September 1974.
On 22 November 1982, in a decision statement for Congress, President Ronald Reagan stated his plan to deploy the MX missile dubbed "Peacekeeper" (later designated LGM-118 Peacekeeper) to superhardened silos located at F.E. Warren. Capable of carrying up to 10 independently targeted nuclear warheads, the Peacekeeper was designed to strengthen the ground-based strategic policy of the United States. The initial plan was to deploy 100 Peacekeepers in silos of the 400th and 319th Strategic Missile Squadrons. In July 1984, construction began for Peacekeeper support facilities at Warren. From 1986 through 1988, 50 Peacekeepers would be backfitted into silos formally occupied by Minuteman IIIs of the 400th Strategic Missile Squadron.
In 2002, President George W. Bush set a plan in motion to reduce the country's missile forces from 6,000 to between 1,700 and 2,200. Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to follow a similar plan. As part of this reduction, the Peacekeeper missiles would be taken off alert and inactivated. Inactivation of Peacekeepers began in 2002, and the last missile was inactivated on 16 September 2005. Squadron inactivation followed on 19 September 2005.
and combat during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 resulted in significant changes to the organizational structure of the United States Air Force.
On 1 September 1991, Twentieth Air Force
was reactivated by Strategic Air Command and became operationally responsible for all land-based Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. On 1 June 1992, Warren transitioned from the deactivating SAC
to newly-established Air Combat Command
, and finally, on 1 July 1993 to the Air Force Space Command
. This realignment was designed to take advantage of the similarities between missile launch and space launch operations. The 90th Strategic Missile Wing was also renamed the 90th Missile Wing. The wing became the 90th Space Wing on October 1, 1997.
With the ratification of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty I
, the United States had until December 2001 to reduce its nuclear arsenal. As a result, the 90th Missile Wing reduced the fleet from three reentry
vehicles permissible to a single reentry vehicle configuration. On 6 August, 2001, all 150 Minuteman IIIs
had been converted to a single reentry vehicle, beating the December deadline. Warren missile fields currently maintain 150 Minuteman III missiles, split evenly between the 319th
, 320th
, and 321st Missile Squadron
s.
The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure
commission (BRAC) did not recommend making any significant change to the base's current operations.
On 1 July 2008, the 90th Space Wing was redesignated the 90th Missile Wing, per the order of outgoing Air Force Chief of Staff General T. Michael Moseley
as a way of refocusing the unit on the nuclear surety mission after the 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident
.
The final transition for Twentieth Air Force occurred Dec.1, 2009, placing all U.S. ICBM forces under Air Force Global Strike Command, headquartered at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. This realignment ultimately placed
ICBMs and bombers with similar missions under a single command.
The 90th Missile Wing was selected as the first missile base to upgrade Minuteman III launch control
centers with the rapid execution and combat targeting modification. Existing LCC's had not been
upgraded significantly since being brought on line in the early 1960s. REACT replaced the command and
control consoles with a single, integrated, state-of-the-art, computer-processing console. Major
improvements in automation allow combat crews to more rapidly process message traffic and carry out
execution orders if needed. The REACT and other modernization programs will ensure the Minuteman III
system remains a formidable weapons system well into the 21st Century
Due to the remoteness of the locations where they were constructed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Warren Atlas sites have not been redeveloped since their closure in 1965. The 564th SMS A/B Warren I site is completely abandoned. The public road "Atlas Road" ends at a fence with an "No Tresspassing" sign about 2 or 3 miles (4.8 km) from the actual site, and the road past the gate appears to be well cracked and vegetation is growing out of the unmaintained surface. The site itself, which is in private ownership, when viewed from aerial images looks as if it has been abandoned for decades, The above ground launchers and support structures left as they were when inactivated nearly 50 years ago. Roofs of some structures still exist, others do not. The access roads are very deteriorated as well, with large areas of vegetation growing though the cracks in the surface.
The other Atlas-D sites for the 565th SMS are all intact, sites A and C appear to be unused although both are in private hands. Site B has large numbers of abandoned vehicles on it, although again, all of the facilities appear to be still intact. The Atlas-E sites appear to be intact, all in private hands, and other than being overgrown, appear to have been left to the elements and time since 1965.
Since their closure in the early 2000s, the Peacekeeper Missile Alert Facilities all have been turned over to the GSA for disposition. All appear to be intact and in government hands. The locked gates and fences surround abandoned buildings which appear in good condition. The 50 launch silos (Launch Facilities) have all been imploded, then graded. Other than a road leading to the former site, most of which are still fenced and are still government owned, nothing more than natural vegetation is there in aerial imagery.
, the base has a total area of 5.0 square miles (13.1 km²), of which, 5.0 square miles (12.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it is water. The total area is 0.79% water.
of 2000, there were 4,440 people, 639 households, and 631 families residing on the base. The population density
was 888.3 people per square mile (342.9/km²). There were 735 housing units at an average density of 147.0/sq mi (56.8/km²). The racial makeup of the base was 79.6% White, 9.4% African American, 0.5% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 4.4% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.8% of the population.
There were 639 households out of which 82.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 92.2% were married couples
living together, 4.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 1.1% were non-families. 1.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 3.59 and the average family size was 3.58.
On the base the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 26.7% from 18 to 24, 48.4% from 25 to 44, and 1.8% from 45 to 64. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 201.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 259.4 males.
The median income for a household on the base was $32,589, and the median income for a family was $32,946. Males had a median income of $25,247 versus $20,819 for females. The per capita income
for the base was $18,426. About 2.2% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under the age of 18.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
base located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
. It is one of three strategic missile bases in the United States. It is named in honor of Francis E. Warren
Francis E. Warren
Francis Emroy Warren was an American politician of the Republican Party best known for his years in the United States Senate representing Wyoming.-Early life and military service:...
.
Warren AFB is the home of the 90th Missile Wing (90 MW), assigned to the Twentieth Air Force
Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
, Air Force Global Strike Command. The 90 MW operates the LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM, with launch facilities in Southeast Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, Western Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, and Northern Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. It is also the home of Twentieth Air Force
Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
, which commands all United States Air Force ICBMs.
Warren AFB is the oldest continuously active military installation within the Air Force, being established by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as Fort David Allen Russell
Fort D.A. Russell (Wyoming)
Fort D. A. Russell, also known as Fort Francis E. Warren, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base and Fort David A. Russell, was a post and base of operations for the United States Army, and later the Air Force, located in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The fort had been established in 1867 to protect workers for the...
in 1867. The facility came under United States Air Force control on 1 June 1947.
The 90th Missile Wing is commanded by Colonel Christopher Coffelt. Twentieth Air Force is commanded by Major General C. Donald Alston
C. Donald Alston
C Donald Alston is a Major General in the United States Air Force.-Career:Alston graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1978. He was then sent to Sheppard Air Force Base and Vandenberg Air Force Base for intercontinental ballistic missile combat crew training.In 1979, he became a...
.
Units
The 90th Missile Wing, which was activated 1 July 1963, with the original designation of the 90th Strategic Missile Wing, became the nation's first operational Intercontinental Ballistic MissileIntercontinental ballistic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery...
base with the introduction of the SM-65D Atlas
SM-65D Atlas
The SM-65D Atlas, or Atlas D, was the first operational version of the U.S. Atlas missile. It first flew on April 14, 1959. Atlas D missiles were also used for orbital launches, both with upper stages and on their own as a stage-and-a-half vehicle....
missile in 1958. Today, the 90th MW operates 150 LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBMs on full alert 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.
The 90 MW is organized into five groups:
- 90th Operations Group90th Operations GroupThe 90th Operations Group is the operational component of the United States Air Force 90th Missile Wing. It is stationed at Francis E...
- Consists of more than 550 operators, chefs, facility managers and support personnel. It is composed of three missile squadrons, an operations support squadron, a helicopter squadron and a standardization and evaluation element. Each tactical missile squadron is responsible for five missile alert facilities and 50 Minuteman III ICBMs. The units of the 90th Operations Group include:
- 319th Missile Squadron319th Missile SquadronThe 319th Missile Squadron is the flagship squadron of the 90th Missile Wing based at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It operates 50 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles through five Missile Alert Facilities.-History:...
- 320th Missile Squadron320th Missile SquadronThe 320th Missile Squadron is part of the 90th Missile Wing based at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It operates LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles. Currently, the 320 MS is one of nine active United States ICBM squadrons.-History:Activated in spring 1942 as a B-26...
- 321st Missile Squadron321st Missile SquadronThe 321st Missile Squadron is part of the 90th Missile Wing based at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It operates Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.-History:...
- 90th Operations Support Squadron
- 37th Helicopter Squadron.
- 319th Missile Squadron
- 90th Maintenance Group
- Provides the commander with U.S. Strategic Command fully modernized, combat-ready Minuteman III ICBMs along with command and control systems required to launch those missiles. The group maintains 150 missiles and associated launch facilities, as well as 15 launch control facilities spread between a three-state, 9,600 square-mile complex.
- 90th Mission Support Group
- Provides world-class combat support enabling the 90th Missile Wing's mission while preparing and deploying warrior airmen to combatant commands world-wide. The 1,000 men and women of the group provide civil engineering, transportation and logistics, communications, contracting, and personnel and services support.
- 90th Security Forces Group
- Provides continuous security for the 90th Missile Wing. The mission of the 90 SFG includes the protection of F. E. Warren AFB, 15 Missile Alert Facilities (MAFs) and 150 Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) on constant 24-hour alert throughout a 9,600 square-mile area spanning three states. The 90th SFG also sustains a combat-ready force deployable worldwide in support of wartime and peacetime taskings. The 90th Security Forces Group comprises five squadrons:
- 790th Security Forces Squadron
- 90th Ground Combat Training Squadron
- 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron
- 90th Security Forces Squadron
- 90th Security Support Squadron
-
- The 790th Missile Security Forces Squadron provides security for convoys and missile maintenance operations. The 90th Ground Combat Training Squadron is located in Guernsey, Wyo., and provides security, pre-deployment, and antiterrorism/force protection training for USAF personnel. The 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron provides security for 15 missile alert facilities and 150 launch facilities. The 90th Security Forces Squadron provides installation and weapons storage area security; police services; pass and registration functions; and reports and analysis duties. The 90th Security Support Squadron provides command and control for the missile field and access control for all missile field forces as well as all security forces training and equipment support.
Other tenant units at Warren are:
- 153rd Command and Control Squadron (Wyoming Air National Guard)
- Provides a mobile, survivable and endurable command, control, communications, computers and intelligence capability to the commander of the United States Northern Command.
- Headquarters, Twentieth Air ForceTwentieth Air ForceThe Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
- Has dual responsibilities to Air Force Global Strike Command and United States Strategic Command. As the missile Numbered Air Force for AFGSC, 20th Air Force is responsible for maintaining and operating the Air Force's ICBM force. Designated as STRATCOM's Task Force 214, 20th Air Force provides on-alert, combat ready ICBMs to the president.
- Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 80
- Wyoming Wing Headquarters of the Civil Air Patrol
- Area Defense Counsel
Operations facilities
Unlike most Air Force Bases, Warren Air Force Base has no runway for fixed-wing aircraft. The only conventional airfield ever located at F. E. Warren AFB was a single dirt strip. This field, never used by modern day pilots, was made famous by World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
ace Captain Eddie Rickenbacker
Eddie Rickenbacker
Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the longtime head of Eastern Air Lines.-Early...
who crashed his plane on the field and survived. The airfield was used in 1919 by the "Western Flying Circus," then led by then-Major Carl "Tooey" Spaatz
Carl Spaatz
Carl Andrew "Tooey" Spaatz GBE was an American World War II general and the first Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. He was of German descent.-Early life:...
(later promoted to general and the first Air Force Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
The Chief of Staff of the Air Force is a statutory office held by a four-star general in the United States Air Force, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Air Force, and as such is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the Secretary of the...
).
The base does maintain an active 30' x 30' heliport which is primarily utilized by Air Force UH-1N Twin Huey
UH-1N Twin Huey
The Bell UH-1N Twin Huey is a medium military helicopter that first flew in April, 1969. The UH-1N has a fifteen seat configuration, with one pilot and fourteen passengers. In cargo configuration the UH-1N has an internal capacity of 220 ft³ . An external load of 5,000 lb can be carried...
helicopters of the 37th Helicopter Squadron to ferry missile launch crews and maintenance personnel to various launch control centers and missile silos surrounding the base.
History
Warren Air Force Base is named in honor of Wyoming's first United States Senator, Francis Emroy Warren (1844-1929). Senator Warren was awarded the Medal of HonorMedal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
at age 19 during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
The installation has an exceptionally long record of continuous military use. The history of the base dates back to the Railroad Act of 1862, when President Lincoln and Congress set plans for the transcontinental railroad, including a military installation on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains in the Wyoming Territory, to protect Union Pacific workers from hostile Indians. From these pioneer origins, the base has evolved from a noteworthy frontier infantry and cavalry post into the largest, most modern strategic missile facility in the United States.
Fort Russell
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
and Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
set plans for the transcontinental railroad
Transcontinental railroad
A transcontinental railroad is a contiguous network of railroad trackage that crosses a continental land mass with terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad, or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies...
, they recognized the need for a military installation to protect Union Pacific
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
workers from hostile Indians. On July 4, 1867, the railroad established its mountain region headquarters at Crow Creek Crossing, later known as Cheyenne
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
. A few weeks later, the U.S. Cavalry
United States Cavalry
The United States Cavalry, or U.S. Cavalry, is the designation of the mounted force of the United States Army. The role of the U.S. Cavalry is reconnaissance, security and mounted assault. Cavalry has served as a part of the Army forces in every war in which the United States has participated...
moved from temporary headquarters in Cheyenne
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
to a point 3 miles (5 km) west and established Fort D. A. Russell. Thus, 1867 was the beginning of a city and a fort, and both have grown together over the years.
Detachments of the 30th Cavalry formed the first garrison, under the command of Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
John D. Stevenson. For a brief time the troops lived in tents, but during the winter of 1867-68 they moved into wood-frame quarters. The dwellings were set in the shape of a diamond, instead of a rectangle, to protect against harsh winter winds that howled across the then treeless high plains. The diamond opened to the east and measured 800 by 1040 feet (317 m). The entrance to the original fort was at a point next to the present day Chapel 1.
The first troops stationed here lived the rough frontier life, which meant coping with the rigors of the weather in winter and with Indians in spring and summer.
In 1876, troops from Fort Russell participated in the Great Sioux Indian Wars
Sioux Wars
The Sioux Wars were a series of conflicts between the United States and various subgroups of the Sioux people that occurred in the latter half of the 19th century...
, the same in which Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
Custer's
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
forces were defeated.
Fort Russell was made a permanent post in 1884 because of its strategic location. In 1885, the War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
ordered the post be rebuilt to serve eight infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
companies
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
. The Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
built 27 red brick buildings for $100,000 to replace the older wood frame structures, and planted thousands of trees. The last expansion of the base took place in the early 20th century when large barracks along Randall Avenue were constructed. Many of the early brick buildings were stables that housed nearly 20,000 horses and mules. From 1885 to 1930, more than 220 brick buildings were erected; most of them remain in use today.
The base maintains the historic exterior of each building with appropriate interior modifications for today's living and working environment.
In 1866, Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
formed four black regiments
United States Colored Troops
The United States Colored Troops were regiments of the United States Army during the American Civil War that were composed of African American soldiers. First recruited in 1863, by the end of the Civil War, the men of the 175 regiments of the USCT constituted approximately one-tenth of the Union...
: the 9th and 10th Cavalry and 24th and 25th Infantry. The 25th Infantry was the only unit that didn't serve at Fort D. A. Russell. Black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
soldiers were called "Buffalo Soldiers," a title originating from Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
who likened the soldiers to the spiritual buffalo.
In 1898, the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
brought renewed importance to the post. Soon after President McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
sent a message to Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, the 8th Infantry left Fort D. A. Russell for Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. Later, the Wyoming National Guard
Wyoming National Guard
The Wyoming Military Department is part of the Government of Wyoming. It's primary components are the Wyoming Army National Guard, and the Wyoming Air National Guard. The most important component of the Wyoming Air National Guard is the 153d Airlift Wing...
mustered into service at the post and departed for duty in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. In the battle for Manila
Battle of Manila (1898)
The Battle of Manila was a short land engagement between the United States and Spain at the end of the Spanish-American War, which occurred a couple of months after the pivotal American victory during the naval Battle of Manila Bay...
, the Guard
Wyoming National Guard
The Wyoming Military Department is part of the Government of Wyoming. It's primary components are the Wyoming Army National Guard, and the Wyoming Air National Guard. The most important component of the Wyoming Air National Guard is the 153d Airlift Wing...
was the first battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
to reach the walls of the city and to raise the flag.
In 1901, troops from Fort Russell again went to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
to help put down an insurrection and bring peace to the Pacific
Pacific Rim
The Pacific Rim refers to places around the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The term "Pacific Basin" includes the Pacific Rim and islands in the Pacific Ocean...
. They returned with a Queen Mary Tudor cannon forged in 1557 and the Bells of Balangiga
Balangiga massacre
The Balangiga massacre, as it is known in the Philippines, or the Balangiga affair, as it is known in the United States, was an incident in 1901 during the Philippine-American War where more than forty American soldiers were killed in a surprise guerrilla attack in the town of Balangiga on Samar...
. The seven-foot cannon, the only one of its kind in America, and the bells, which had been used by insurrectionists as a signal to launch an ambush on American troops, are on display near the base flagpole.
In 1906, Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
recommended Fort Russell expand to a brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
-size post. By 1910, the construction of red brick quarters, two-story barracks, offices and stables had tripled the area of the post. During this era, artillery units were assigned there, and the facility increased in size to accommodate troop training with the latest 20th century weapons.
From 1913 to 1916, during the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
, post artillery units were stationed along the border to prevent the struggle from coming onto American soil. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the post served as a mobilization point and training facility for field artillery and cavalry groups. As World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
began, Fort Russell had become one of the largest military posts in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
What stands as quarters #2 today was, in 1885, the post commander's home. By tradition, the post commander always occupied the largest house on post. Hence, the commander moved into quarters #8 when it was built in 1903. Quarters #2 was then assigned to the family of Captain John "Black Jack" Pershing, who later led American forces in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Captain Pershing married U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Francis E. Warren's
Francis E. Warren
Francis Emroy Warren was an American politician of the Republican Party best known for his years in the United States Senate representing Wyoming.-Early life and military service:...
daughter, but she preferred staying with her father when her husband was on campaign. Due to the influence of Senator Warren
Francis E. Warren
Francis Emroy Warren was an American politician of the Republican Party best known for his years in the United States Senate representing Wyoming.-Early life and military service:...
, Captain Pershing was promoted to general within six months of his marriage. Pershing was promoted to General of the Armies, a position shared by only one other man, General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
.
Fort Warren
In 1927, the last cavalry units left the installation, ending 60 years of cavalry history at Fort Russell. In 1930, President HooverHerbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
issued a proclamation changing the name of the post to Fort Francis E. Warren, honoring Wyoming's
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
territorial governor and first state governor. Warren was a U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
for 37 years. He received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
when he was 19 for heroism during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Other well-known figures stationed here include General Billy Mitchell (the "Father of the Air Force"), General Mark Clark
Mark Wayne Clark
Mark Wayne Clark was an American general during World War II and the Korean War and was the youngest lieutenant general in the U.S. Army...
(World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
), General Benjamin O. Davis, Sr.
Benjamin O. Davis, Sr.
Brigadier General Benjamin Oliver Davis, Sr. was an American general and the father of Benjamin O. Davis Jr. He was the first African-American general officer in the United States Army....
(first black general), Dr. Walter Reed
Walter Reed
Major Walter Reed, M.D., was a U.S. Army physician who in 1900 led the team that postulated and confirmed the theory that yellow fever is transmitted by a particular mosquito species, rather than by direct contact...
and singer Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
. Entertainers Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
and Chris LeDoux
Chris LeDoux
Chris Ledoux was an American country music singer-songwriter, bronze sculptor and rodeo champion.During his career LeDoux recorded 36 albums which have sold more than six million units in the United States as of January 2007...
grew up at this installation.
Former Wyoming Supreme Court
Wyoming Supreme Court
The Wyoming Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The Court consists of a Chief Justice and four Associate Justices. Each Justice is appointed by the Governor of Wyoming for an eight-year term. The five Justices select the Chief Justice from amongst themselves. The person...
Justice Richard V. Thomas
Richard V. Thomas
Richard Van Thomas was a member of the Wyoming Supreme Court, having served from December 1974 until his retirement in February 2001. From 1985–1986, he was chief justice of the Wyoming high court.-Background:...
was a JAG
Judge Advocate General's Corps
Judge Advocate General's Corps, also known as JAG or JAG Corps, refers to the legal branch or specialty of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, and Navy. Officers serving in the JAG Corps are typically called Judge Advocates. The Marine Corps and Coast Guard do not maintain separate JAG Corps...
officer at the base from 1956-1959.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Fort Warren was the training center for up to 20,000 of the Quartermaster Corps. More than 280 wooden buildings were constructed without insulation and interior walls to temporarily house the increased number of troops. In the harsh Wyoming winter, waking up in these barracks often meant shaking snow from one's blanket before heading for the just-as-cold communal showers. A prisoner of war camp was also constructed at that time.
United States Air Force
At the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, city officials in Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, had tried to acquire joint use of facilities at Geiger Field. Air Training Command
Air Training Command
Air Training Command is a former major command of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. ATC came into being as a redesignation of the Army Air Forces Training Command on July 1, 1946...
used Geiger as its Aviation Engineer Training Center and the Army Air Forces was opposed to sharing facilities with civilian authorities. Instead, Headquarters USAAF directed ATC to transfer its training mission from Geiger Field to Fort Francis E. Warren in Wyoming.
Air Training Command
ATC training stopped at Geiger Field on 15 May 1947, and Air Training Command assumed jurisdiction of Fort Francis E. Warren on 1 June. The 463d Air Force Base Unit was activated that date to manage the support facilities, and the 3450th Technical Training Wing was activated for conducting training. Training began at Warren on 7 July. In September 1947, Fort Warren, along with other Army Air Force facilities, was transferred to the newly-established United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
.
In March 1949, HQ ATC was directed to re-program, as a part of an overall restructuring to a 48-group Air
Force. The statement of trained personnel requirements gave priority to radio, radar, armament, and aircraft maintenance training programs. To meet these training requirements, it was necessary for ATC to find additional space for these courses. To do that, the Air Force announced on 17 January that all aviation engineering courses at Fort Warren, with the exception of powerman, would transfer to the Army's Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. In addition, the fixed wire courses at Scott AFB went to Fort Warren, so that Scott had room to expand its radio mechanic school.
On 7 October 1949, Fort Francis E. Warren became Francis E. Warren AFB.
As a result of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Air Training Command had to in-process thousands of volunteer reservists. Between late July and the end of October 1950, the command brought on active duty about 20,000 reservists. Most of this work was done at Warren AFB.
In 1957, in response to budget reductions, Air Training Command formed a base utilization board to examine all its facilities, looking at existing and future training requirements. That board concluded that two bases could be released--Francis E. Warren and Scott AFB, Illinois. Warren AFB had a number of strikes against it, including poor weather conditions that limited training to seven months of the year, lack of a flying field, and many inadequate buildings. In 1958, Air Training Command finally received permission from Headquarters USAF to phase out its training programs at Francis E. Warren AFB.
Effective 1 February 1958, the base transferred from Air Training Command to Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
. Training, however continued until 24 March 1959, and on 1 May ATC discontinued its 3450th Technical Training Group.
Strategic Air Command
With the transfer of Warren AFB to SAC, the 389th Air Base Group was established on 1 February 1958 to take control of the former ATC facilities. In addition the provisional 4320th Strategic Missile Wing was established that date with responsibility for 24 Atlas missile sites under Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
. Although not the first designated missile wing, Warren became the first fully operational ICBM base in the United States Air Force.
706th/389th Strategic Missile Wing
SM-65D Atlas
The SM-65D Atlas, or Atlas D, was the first operational version of the U.S. Atlas missile. It first flew on April 14, 1959. Atlas D missiles were also used for orbital launches, both with upper stages and on their own as a stage-and-a-half vehicle....
ICBM launch and control facilities at "Site A" was to be completed by mid-May 1958 and construction finished in November 1959. However, design revisions delayed the project several months. Construction began at a location 23 miles (37 km) northwest of Cheyenne in late 1958 for the facilities of the recently activated 706th Strategic Missile Wing, which would control the ICBMs. On 15 September 1959, the first Atlas D missile to deploy away from Vandenberg AFB, California, went to the 564th Strategic Missile Squadron stationed at the Warren I complex. A month later, F.E. Warren became the recipient of the first air transported Atlas missile. With General Power (the Commander in Chief of SAC) present, the first Atlas D complex was turned over to the 564th SMS and declared operational on 9 August 1960.
As work proceeded at the Warren I complex, the Army Corps of Engineers contracted for yet another complex. In February 1959, bids were opened for "Warren II," a complex that would have three sites with three Atlas-D launchers at each. The Warren II site was ready in the summer of 1960. The 565th Strategic Missile Squadron
565th Strategic Missile Squadron
The 565th Strategic Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 389th Strategic Missile Wing, stationed at Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyoming. It was inactivated on 25 March 1965.-World War II:...
, activated on 1 December 1959, operated the nine launchers.
The Warren III site, designed for nine SM-65E Atlas
SM-65E Atlas
The SM-65E Atlas, or Atlas-E, was an operational variant of the Atlas missile. It first flew on 11 October 1960, and was deployed as an operational ICBM from September 1961 until April 1966. Following retirement as an ICBM, the Atlas-E, along with the Atlas-F, was refurbished for orbital launches...
missiles would be scattered over a 60 square miles (155.4 km²) area at single "coffin" launch sites. The term "coffin" was used because the missile laid on its side underground with the coffin roof at ground level. This configuration offered limited protection for the launcher. On 1 October 1960, the 549th Strategic Missile Squadron
549th Strategic Missile Squadron
The 549th Strategic Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 385th Strategic Aerospace Wing, stationed at Offut Air Force Base, Nebraska. It was inactivated on 15 December 1964.-World War II:...
became the last Atlas-E SMS to be activated. The 549th SMS was redesignated 566th SMS on 1 July 1961. On that same date the parent 706th Strategic Missile Wing stood down. Command responsibilities at Warren AFB were assumed by the recently activated 389th Strategic Missile Wing
389th Strategic Missile Wing
The 389th Strategic Missile Wing is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with the 13th Strategic Missile Division, being stationed at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It was inactivated on 25 March 1965...
.
In May 1964, as the 565th and 565th SMS Atlas-D missiles were being phased out, the 389th Strategic Missile Wing received SAC's last operational readiness inspection for this system. In September, SAC deactivated the 564th SMS. During the following March, the 566th SMS Atlas-E's would also be deactivated, completing the phaseout of the Atlas Missile at Warren.
90th Missile Wing
In November 1972, SAC initiated the Minuteman Integrated Improvement Program. The program entailed silo hardening and upgrading command data buffers, which allowed for quicker missile retargeting. In addition to receiving upgraded silos and launcher control facilities, Warren also received new missiles. With conversion to the LGM-30G Minuteman III model, Warren's last Minuteman IB model went off alert status in September 1974.
LGM-118 Peacekeeper missiles
On 22 November 1982, in a decision statement for Congress, President Ronald Reagan stated his plan to deploy the MX missile dubbed "Peacekeeper" (later designated LGM-118 Peacekeeper) to superhardened silos located at F.E. Warren. Capable of carrying up to 10 independently targeted nuclear warheads, the Peacekeeper was designed to strengthen the ground-based strategic policy of the United States. The initial plan was to deploy 100 Peacekeepers in silos of the 400th and 319th Strategic Missile Squadrons. In July 1984, construction began for Peacekeeper support facilities at Warren. From 1986 through 1988, 50 Peacekeepers would be backfitted into silos formally occupied by Minuteman IIIs of the 400th Strategic Missile Squadron.
In 2002, President George W. Bush set a plan in motion to reduce the country's missile forces from 6,000 to between 1,700 and 2,200. Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to follow a similar plan. As part of this reduction, the Peacekeeper missiles would be taken off alert and inactivated. Inactivation of Peacekeepers began in 2002, and the last missile was inactivated on 16 September 2005. Squadron inactivation followed on 19 September 2005.
Twentieth Air Force
The end of the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and combat during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 resulted in significant changes to the organizational structure of the United States Air Force.
On 1 September 1991, Twentieth Air Force
Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
was reactivated by Strategic Air Command and became operationally responsible for all land-based Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. On 1 June 1992, Warren transitioned from the deactivating SAC
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
to newly-established Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
, and finally, on 1 July 1993 to the Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations....
. This realignment was designed to take advantage of the similarities between missile launch and space launch operations. The 90th Strategic Missile Wing was also renamed the 90th Missile Wing. The wing became the 90th Space Wing on October 1, 1997.
With the ratification of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty I
START I
START was a bilateral treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. The treaty was signed on 31 July 1991 and entered into force on 5 December 1994...
, the United States had until December 2001 to reduce its nuclear arsenal. As a result, the 90th Missile Wing reduced the fleet from three reentry
vehicles permissible to a single reentry vehicle configuration. On 6 August, 2001, all 150 Minuteman IIIs
had been converted to a single reentry vehicle, beating the December deadline. Warren missile fields currently maintain 150 Minuteman III missiles, split evenly between the 319th
319th Missile Squadron
The 319th Missile Squadron is the flagship squadron of the 90th Missile Wing based at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It operates 50 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles through five Missile Alert Facilities.-History:...
, 320th
320th Missile Squadron
The 320th Missile Squadron is part of the 90th Missile Wing based at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It operates LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles. Currently, the 320 MS is one of nine active United States ICBM squadrons.-History:Activated in spring 1942 as a B-26...
, and 321st Missile Squadron
321st Missile Squadron
The 321st Missile Squadron is part of the 90th Missile Wing based at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It operates Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.-History:...
s.
The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
commission (BRAC) did not recommend making any significant change to the base's current operations.
On 1 July 2008, the 90th Space Wing was redesignated the 90th Missile Wing, per the order of outgoing Air Force Chief of Staff General T. Michael Moseley
T. Michael Moseley
Teed Michael Moseley, , is a retired United States Air Force General who served as the 18th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force...
as a way of refocusing the unit on the nuclear surety mission after the 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident
2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident
The 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident occurred at Minot Air Force Base and Barksdale Air Force Base on August 29–30, 2007. Six AGM-129 ACM cruise missiles, each loaded with a W80-1 variable yield nuclear warhead, were reportedly mistakenly loaded on a United States Air...
.
The final transition for Twentieth Air Force occurred Dec.1, 2009, placing all U.S. ICBM forces under Air Force Global Strike Command, headquartered at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. This realignment ultimately placed
ICBMs and bombers with similar missions under a single command.
The 90th Missile Wing was selected as the first missile base to upgrade Minuteman III launch control
centers with the rapid execution and combat targeting modification. Existing LCC's had not been
upgraded significantly since being brought on line in the early 1960s. REACT replaced the command and
control consoles with a single, integrated, state-of-the-art, computer-processing console. Major
improvements in automation allow combat crews to more rapidly process message traffic and carry out
execution orders if needed. The REACT and other modernization programs will ensure the Minuteman III
system remains a formidable weapons system well into the 21st Century
Previous Names
- Established as Fort Francis E. Warren, 1 January 1930 (United States Army)
- Came under USAAF control, 31 May 1947
- Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, 7 October 1949–present
Major commands to which assigned
- Air Training Command, 31 May 1947
- Strategic Air Command, 1 February 1958
- Air Combat Command, 1 June 1992
- Air Force Space Command, 1 July 1993
- Air Force Global Strike Command, 7 August 2009–present
Base operating units
- 463d AF Base Unit, 1 June 1947
- 3450th Air Base Gp, 26 August 1948
- 389th Air Base Gp, 1 February 1958 (rdsgd 389th Combat Support Gp, 1 January 1959)
- 809th Combat Support Gp, 1 July 1963
- 90th Combat Support Gp (redesignated 90th Mission Support Group), 1 August 1972–present
Major units assigned
- USAF Aviation Engineering School, 1 June 1947-1 May 1959
- 3450th Technical Training Wing, 26 August 1948-1 February 1958
- 4320th Strategic Wing, 1 February 1958
- Redesignated 706th Strategic Missile Wing, 23 February 1958
- Redesignated 389th Strategic Missile Wing389th Strategic Missile WingThe 389th Strategic Missile Wing is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with the 13th Strategic Missile Division, being stationed at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It was inactivated on 25 March 1965...
, 1 July 1961-25 March 1965- 13th Air Division, 1 July 1959
- Redesignated: 13th Strategic Missile Division, 1 January 1963-2 July 1966
- 90th Strategic Missile Wing, 1 July 1963
- Redesignated 90th Missile Wing, 1 September 1991
- Redesignated 90th Space Wing90th Space WingThe 90th Missile Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command Twentieth Air Force. It is stationed at Francis E...
, 1 October 1992 - Redesignated 90th Missile Wing, 1 July 2008-Present
- 809th Combat Support Group, 21 February 1963-31 July 1972
- 4th Strategic Missile Division, 30 June 1971-23 August 1988
- Twentieth Air ForceTwentieth Air ForceThe Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
, 1 September 1991-Present
Intercontinental ballistic missile facilities
- 389th Strategic Missile Wing389th Strategic Missile WingThe 389th Strategic Missile Wing is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with the 13th Strategic Missile Division, being stationed at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It was inactivated on 25 March 1965...
- SM-65 AtlasD/E, 1960-1965
- 564th Strategic Missile Squadron (6 missiles)
- 564-A, 10.6 mi NW of Federal WY 41°22′44"N 104°58′25"W
- 564-B, 10.6 mi NW of Federal WY 41°22′43"N 104°58′07"W
- 565th Strategic Missile Squadron565th Strategic Missile SquadronThe 565th Strategic Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 389th Strategic Missile Wing, stationed at Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyoming. It was inactivated on 25 March 1965.-World War II:...
(9 missiles)- 565-A, 15.1 mi NW of Hillsdale WY 41°23′32"N 104°38′30"W
- 565-B, 8.2 mi WNW of Carpenter WY 41°05′22"N 104°30′42"W
- 565-C, 4.8 mi W of Granite Canon WY 41°05′08"N 105°08′45"W
- 566th Strategic Missile Squadron566th Strategic Missile SquadronThe 566th Strategic Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 389th Strategic Missile Wing, stationed at Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyoming. It was inactivated on 25 March 1965.-World War II:...
(9 missiles)- 566-1, 6.5 mi SSE of Chugwater, WY 41°40′07"N 104°46′37"W
- 566-2, 8.8 mi SW of LaGrange, WY 41°33′39"N 104°17′56"W
- 566-3, 2.5 mi N of Pine Bluffs, WY 41°13′05"N 104°03′56"W
- 566-4, 2.2 mi SW of Kimball, NE 41°12′36"N 103°41′09"W
- 566-5, 5.1 mi N of Grover, CO 40°56′44"N 104°12′57"W
- 566-6, 3.2 mi WNW of Briggsdale, CO 40°38′56"N 104°23′04"W
- 566-7, 6.7 mi NNE of Nunn, CO 40°47′17"N 104°43′10"W
- 566-8, 1.9 mi W of Greeley, CO 40°25′46"N 104°51′42"W
- 566-9, 8.8 mi NW of Fort Collins, CO 40°40′43"N 105°12′13"W
Due to the remoteness of the locations where they were constructed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Warren Atlas sites have not been redeveloped since their closure in 1965. The 564th SMS A/B Warren I site is completely abandoned. The public road "Atlas Road" ends at a fence with an "No Tresspassing" sign about 2 or 3 miles (4.8 km) from the actual site, and the road past the gate appears to be well cracked and vegetation is growing out of the unmaintained surface. The site itself, which is in private ownership, when viewed from aerial images looks as if it has been abandoned for decades, The above ground launchers and support structures left as they were when inactivated nearly 50 years ago. Roofs of some structures still exist, others do not. The access roads are very deteriorated as well, with large areas of vegetation growing though the cracks in the surface.
The other Atlas-D sites for the 565th SMS are all intact, sites A and C appear to be unused although both are in private hands. Site B has large numbers of abandoned vehicles on it, although again, all of the facilities appear to be still intact. The Atlas-E sites appear to be intact, all in private hands, and other than being overgrown, appear to have been left to the elements and time since 1965.
- 90th Missile Wing
- LGM-30B Minuteman I, 1964–1974
- LGM-30G Minuteman III, 1973–present
- Missile Alert Facilities (MAF) (each controlling 10 missiles) are located as follows:
-
- 319th Missile Squadron319th Missile SquadronThe 319th Missile Squadron is the flagship squadron of the 90th Missile Wing based at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It operates 50 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles through five Missile Alert Facilities.-History:...
- A-01 10.7 mi SW of Albin WY, 41°19′44"N 104°15′56"W
- B-01 12.2 mi SE of LaGrange WY, 41°30′41"N 103°59′41"W
- C-01 3.7 mi ExNE of Harrisburg NE, 41°34′50"N 103°40′25"W
- D-01 10.3 mi NxNE of Bushnell NE, 41°21′41"N 103°47′39"W
- E-01 7.1 mi SE of Pine Bluffs WY, 41°06′09"N 103°59′00"W
- 320th Missile Squadron320th Missile SquadronThe 320th Missile Squadron is part of the 90th Missile Wing based at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It operates LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles. Currently, the 320 MS is one of nine active United States ICBM squadrons.-History:Activated in spring 1942 as a B-26...
- F-01 8.9 mi N of Dix NE, 41°21′49"N 103°29′20"W
- G-01 7.7 mi NW of Sidney NE, 41°12′31"N 103°05′48"W
- H-01 7.3 mi E of Gurley NE, 41°19′30"N 102°49′46"W
- I-01 9.3 mi SW of Sunol NE, 41°02′44"N 102°51′57"W
- J-01 4.6 mi W of Peetz CO, 40°57′38"N 103°11′56"W
- 321st Missile Squadron321st Missile SquadronThe 321st Missile Squadron is part of the 90th Missile Wing based at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It operates Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.-History:...
- K-01 10.6 mi WxSW of Potter NE, 41°08′13"N 103°29′18"W
- L-01 21.9 mi N of Stoneham CO, 40°55′17"N 103°41′30"W
- M-01 15.1 mi WxNW of Sterling CO, 40°42′15"N 103°28′35"W
- N-01 1.7 mi N of Raymer CO, 40°37′54"N 103°50′11"W
- O-01 11.8 mi E of Grover CO, 40°53′05"N 104°00′01"W
- LGM-118A PeacekeeperLGM-118A PeacekeeperThe LGM-118A Peacekeeper, also known as the MX missile , was a land-based ICBM deployed by the United States starting in 1986. A total of 50 missiles were deployed. They have since been deactivated....
, 1987-2005.
- LGM-118A Peacekeeper
- 319th Missile Squadron
- With the deployment of the LGM-118A, 50 former Minuteman III silos were converted. 400th Strategic Missile Squadron Flights P through T were reassigned to to the Peacekeeper for operational duty.
- P-01, 18.0 mi N of Hillsdale WY, 41°28′20"N 104°28′04"W
- Q-01, 15.4 mi SxSW of Chugwater WY 41°32′35"N 104°54′10"W
- R-01, 16.4 mi NW of Meriden WY, 41°44′17"N 104°30′00"W
- S-01, 4.8 mi SE of Yoder WY, 41°52′23"N 104°13′20"W
- T-01, 9.1 mi ExSE of Wheatland WY, 41°59′51"N 104°47′30"W
- Complete list of 90th MW Minuteman/Peacekeeeper missile Sites90th Missile Wing LGM-30 Minuteman Missile Launch SitesThis is a list of the LGM-30 Minuteman missile Missile Alert Facilities and Launch Facilities of the 90th Missile Wing, 20th Air Force, assigned to Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyoming.-Overview:...
- Complete list of 90th MW Minuteman/Peacekeeeper missile Sites
Since their closure in the early 2000s, the Peacekeeper Missile Alert Facilities all have been turned over to the GSA for disposition. All appear to be intact and in government hands. The locked gates and fences surround abandoned buildings which appear in good condition. The 50 launch silos (Launch Facilities) have all been imploded, then graded. Other than a road leading to the former site, most of which are still fenced and are still government owned, nothing more than natural vegetation is there in aerial imagery.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the base has a total area of 5.0 square miles (13.1 km²), of which, 5.0 square miles (12.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it is water. The total area is 0.79% water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,440 people, 639 households, and 631 families residing on the base. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 888.3 people per square mile (342.9/km²). There were 735 housing units at an average density of 147.0/sq mi (56.8/km²). The racial makeup of the base was 79.6% White, 9.4% African American, 0.5% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 4.4% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.8% of the population.
There were 639 households out of which 82.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 92.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 1.1% were non-families. 1.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 3.59 and the average family size was 3.58.
On the base the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 26.7% from 18 to 24, 48.4% from 25 to 44, and 1.8% from 45 to 64. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 201.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 259.4 males.
The median income for a household on the base was $32,589, and the median income for a family was $32,946. Males had a median income of $25,247 versus $20,819 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the base was $18,426. About 2.2% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under the age of 18.
Other sources
- Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office 1961 (republished 1983, Office of Air Force History, ISBN 0-912799-02-1).
- Ravenstein, Charles A. Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell Air Force BaseMaxwell Air Force BaseMaxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force installation under the Air Education and Training Command . The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, US. It was named in honor of Second Lieutenant William C...
, AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
: Office of Air Force History 1984. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. - Mueller, Robert, Air Force Bases Volume I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982, Office of Air Force History, 1989
- Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC
External links
- F.E. Warren Air Force Base at GlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...