Barksdale Airmen help maintain operations around the world

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Alyssa C. Wallace
  • 2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  The 2d Maintenance Group and 2d Operations Support Squadron recently took part in the execution of several missions simultaneously to demonstrate the true nature of Barksdale's global reach and power.

The Airmen participated in a Nuclear Operational Readiness Exercise and other missions to include generating seven aircraft in support of a parallel nuclear generation. They also successfully processed a redeployment from Guam while completing a global power sortie in support of an exercise from Feb. 23-25.

Global Power
"The exercise was designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships with allies in the Arabian Gulf region," said Lt. Col. James Denton, 2d Operations Support Squadron commander. "During the course of this mission, a B-52 flew a 36.1 hour sortie to Southwest Asia airspace and back. En route, the crew had planned to air refuel six times -- three to get to the Southwest Asia range and three to return to Barksdale. While over the region, the B-52 flew with U.S. and allied aircraft in a training mission with other allied aircraft to deliver 27 500-pound bombs on a training range in Southwest Asia.

"A mission of this magnitude required the entire 2d OSS to execute," Colonel Denton continued. "Additionally, the 96th Bomb Squadron provided the aircrew for the mission, the 2d Munitions Squadron built the bombs and the 2d MXG maintained the planes used to execute this and the other simultaneous missions."

Joint Effort
The joint effort between the maintenance group and operations squadron is crucial for mission execution, as the 2d MXG's focus is to keep its Airmen, aircraft, munitions and equipment ready at all times, while the 2d OSS provides devastating B-52 combat capability and ensures the execution of safe air operations.

"The Airmen of the 2d Maintenance Group work closely each day with the other agencies assigned to the 2d Bomb Wing to support the various missions of the wing," said Lt. Col. David Foote, 2d MXG deputy commander. "While our Airmen are largely responsible for directly generating the bombers, and thus the combat power of the wing, it is not possible to accomplish the wing missions without our other 2d BW teammates."

The success of these missions and the day-to-day base operations is a reflection of the dedication and drive of Barksdale Airmen.

"Our Airmen are elite professionals who constantly rise to the many challenges presented by dual nuclear and conventional operations, exercises and inspections," said Colonel Foote. "As an elite force, they train hard and make regular sacrifices to achieve high levels of combat readiness. In addition to working constantly to provide our Airmen with the resources they need to do the missions we ask them to do, we work hard to help them understand how important their work is and how much we appreciate what they do.

"We ask so much of our Airmen, so we have to find ways to support them and their families. Our Airmen are amazing people who will exhaust themselves to do what we ask," he continued. "We have to provide good plans, give them the tools they need and turn them loose to execute. If we do those things, our folks will get the missions done."

With the stand-up of Air Force Global Strike Command, the first new command in 30 years, Airmen can expect to play a big role in continuing to strengthen the nuclear enterprise.

"Barksdale Airmen may find themselves planning and executing missions in support of combatant commanders on all parts of the globe," Colonel Denton said. "We are all part of Air Force Global Strike command as of Feb.1, but we have been operating with a global mindset since the first B-52 prototype flew in the 1950s. Barksdale Airmen are groomed from the start to think globally and it is important to have folks that understand how to operate effectively anywhere, at any time."