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AIRMAIL COMMENTS Got something to say about Airman? Write us at airman@dma.mil, or visit www.AIRMANonline.af.mil, to share views with fellow readers. I really enjoyed your article on the WASP Nest [March-April 2009]. It made me appre- ciate what Jackie Cochran, and her team did to support not only the war effort but also to prove that women can fly and meet the chal- lenges just like their male counterparts. It’s sad that these ladies were not given the rank, or benefits that they deserved years ago, but it’s nice to know that the mistakes that were made were later corrected. I was privileged to know a Women Airforce Service Pilot here in Washington State. Her name is Rose Sloan. She was a member of the Civil Air Patrol and rose to the rank of lieutenant wasp nest missing missileers however, I am proud of the time I did in missiles and the people I worked with (officer, enlisted, operator, maintainer, security forces and support troops alike). Next time, please don’t forget them. Capt. Joseph T. Page, II National Air & Space Intelligence Center I appreciate the efforts to emphasize the importance of the Air Force nuclear enterprise and the article written on it [March-April 2009]. It does a nice job explaining the mission of 8th Air Force and big picture Air Force ef- forts; however, it leaves out 20th Air Force. The magazine also profiles an Airman from Barksdale Air Force Base, La. and the article on Global Strike command is centered on another photo of bombers. The magazine does not include any photos of missileers, missile maintainers or missile cops, noth- ing from 20th AF. I believe this piece is as important and shouldn’t be ignored in the total nuclear enterprise. 1st Lt. Korry W. Leverett 341st Missile Wing Editor’s note: Our most recent issue of Airman [March-April 2009] covered a range of topics from “Re-invigorat- ing the Nuclear Enterprise” to the Air Force’s new UFC course to stand ups of the new Global Strike Command and Cyber NAF. With such a diverse and challenging set of stories to cover, we regret that we were unable to give the missileers the coverage they most certainly deserve. Time, budget and ongoing exercises and inspec- tions were our obstacles this time around, but we will look for opportunities to include the 20th AF in the pages of Airman. Rest as- sured that this is not the last issue of Airman that will deal with the nuclear enterprise and that we plan to feature missile personnel more prominently in the future. To say I am disappointed in the “Re-Invigorating the Nuclear Enter- prise” [March-April 2009] article is an understatement to say the least. During my missile combat crew training, I was taught the “old” strategic (nuclear) triad consisted of bombers, missiles, and submarines. While the Air Force has no control over the submarines, we control 2/3 of the triad. Yet your article seemed to cover only the air-breathing leg (i.e. the bombers). For the record, missile crews do not receive any special duty pay (vs. flight pay), nor do they receive bonuses for their career field (vs. aviator incentive bonus). They also have very few applicable skills to transfer to civilian life (vs. airline piloting skills). While aircrews can trans- fer airframes, as of 2005, there was only one model of ICBM available (LGM-30G Minuteman IIIs). The deterioration of the nuclear enterprise is a large scale problem that had symptoms showing from within the nuclear career fields themselves, if only someone noticed a few years back. It is no wonder that keeping morale high in the missile field is challenging. To add insult to injury, our own Airman magazine ignored the missiles, and the people who support the ICBM mission. I am no longer working in the missile field; colonel in this program. She was the commander of the Sandpoint NAS Composite Squadron. She wore her wings on her uniform, and I inquired what kind of wings these were, and she began to share her experiences with not only the adult members but the cadets as well. It’s women like her who paved the way for our first and second female Thunderbird pilots, and women flying period. These ladies who flew for Jackie Cochran are a part of our history I’ll always enjoy. I am proud to say that these ladies will always be a part of the U.S. Air Force and the Air Force history. Tech. Sgt. Dean R. Martinez 92nd Force Support Squadron www.AIRMANonline.af.mil 2
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