Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      First Lt. Victoria Fort dons the very first Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal  Nov. 5, 2014, during Air Force Global Strike Command’s 2014 Global Strike Challenge at the Bossier Civic Center, Bossier City, La.  Fort is a missile combat crew instructor from the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, N.D. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Christopher Mesnard)141105-F-DT859-001
                        
                        
                        First Lt. Victoria Fort dons the very first Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal  Nov. 5, 2014, during Air Force Global Strike Command’s 2014 Global Strike Challenge at the Bossier Civic Center, Bossier City, La.  Fort is a missile combat crew instructor from the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, N.D. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Christopher Mesnard)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James presents the very first Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal to 1st Lt. Victoria Fort Nov. 5, 2014, during Air Force Global Strike Command’s 2014 Global Strike Challenge in Bossier City, La. This milestone recognizes the importance and unique demands of the nuclear deterrence mission and the dedication of the Airmen who perform it.  Fort is a missile combat crew instructor from the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, N.D. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Gonsier)141105-F-VO743-465
                        
                        
                        Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James presents the very first Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal to 1st Lt. Victoria Fort Nov. 5, 2014, during Air Force Global Strike Command’s 2014 Global Strike Challenge in Bossier City, La. This milestone recognizes the importance and unique demands of the nuclear deterrence mission and the dedication of the Airmen who perform it.  Fort is a missile combat crew instructor from the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, N.D. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Gonsier)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

SecAF presents first Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service MedalsPublished Nov. 6, 2014
                    
                    By Kate Blais
                    
                    
                    Air Force Global Strike Command
            **BOSSIER CITY, La. (AFNS) --**Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James presented the Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal (NDOSM) for the first time to 25 Airmen during Air Force Global Strike Command's 2014 Global Strike Challenge, Nov. 5.
James approved the award in May with the intent of recognizing Airmen for their contributions to the nation's strategic objectives in nuclear deterrence. She presented the medals after her speech during day two of the symposium, held at the Bossier Civic Center, Bossier City, Louisiana.
During her speech, James said she has visited 49 bases around the world in her first 10 months as secretary, but there are a few specific locations that stick with her.
"I've had a special place in my heart and in my travel plans for our Air Force Global Strike bases since almost my first day on the job," James said. "This week's challenge demonstrates your dedication, skill, and passion for the mission ... the same passion and skill I saw when I visited your bases earlier this year. There is no mission more important to our nation's security than the nuclear mission."
Addressing a crowd of 800 command competitors, Airmen and symposium attendees, James talked about perseverance and facing adversity. Like in any endeavor, success doesn't come easy -- it's what comes after that's important, she said.
"The example you've set over the last year shows Airmen across the service -- in the Combat Air Forces, the Mobility Air Forces, in space and cyberspace -- that overcoming adversity really is a step on the path to success," James continued.
In recognition of AFGSC Airmen and their exceptional contributions to national defense, 25 medals were awarded, with the remainder to follow in the spring.
"I am very honored and feel privileged to receive this award because I really love being in missiles," said Staff Sgt. Amber Moore, a missile chef in the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB, Montana. "It's been nothing but an honor serving with maintenance teams, missileers and the cops as well. This is a huge deal for me."
In the mind of one Airman, the new medal is part of a larger effort to affect change within the nuclear enterprise culture.
"It's exciting. It's one of the steps in creating a new culture among missileers and anyone associated with missiles, reinvigorating our mission and what we do for America," said 1st Lt. Carolyn Hockaday, a missile combat crew commander with the 490th Missile Squadron, also at Malmstrom AFB. "Without us and the rest of the triad, America wouldn't be as safe."
Medal recipients represented a variety of career fields eligible to receive the decoration.
The following Airmen, who represent the active-duty, Air National Guard and Reserve forces, received the first medals:**From Minot AFB, North Dakota**
• 1st Lt. Victoria Fort, an combat crewinstructor, representing nuclear and missile operations, 91st Missile Wing
• Staff Sgt. Brett Jordan, a B-52 dedicated crew chief, representing bomber crew chiefs, 5th Bomb Wing
• Airman 1st Class Robert Cook, a maps technician, representing missile and space system maintenance, 91st Missile Wing
• Staff Sgt. Kamuela Kalilikane, a facility maintenance team training instructor, representing missile and space facilities, 91st Missile Wing
• Tech. Sgt. Matthew Westad, a group facility maintenance instructor, representing facility managers, 91st Missile Wing
• Capt. Clyde Vickery, the chief of standardization and evaluation, representing rescue pilots, 91st Missile Wing**From F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming**
• Capt. Dan Cook, an intercontinental ballistic missile launch combat crew commander, nuclear and missile operations, 90th  Missile Wing
• Capt. David Skelly, an aircraft commander, representing rescue pilots, 90th Missile Wing
• Airman Riley Borges, a response force member, representing security forces, 90th Missile Wing
• Airman 1st Class Joseph Tucker, a maps technician, representing missile and space system maintenance, 90th Missile Wing**From Malmstrom AFB, Montana**
• 1st Lt. Carolyn Hockaday, an OSS instructor, representing nuclear and missile operations, 341st Missile Wing
• Tech. Sgt. Christopher Zachary, an electrical maintenance technician quality assurance evaluator, representing missile and space systems electronic maintenance, 341st Missile Wing
• Staff Sgt. Amber Moore, representing missile chefs, 341st Missile Wing
• Airman 1st Class Andrew Matthews, a nuclear weapons technician, representing nuclear weapons career field, 341st Missile Wing
• Staff Sgt. Bob Kohlenberg, an instructor flight engineer/scheduling non-commissioned officer, representing special mission aviation, 341st Missile Wing**From Whiteman AFB, Missouri**
• Airman 1st Class Jeremiah Neer, a weapons maintenance team member, representing nuclear weapons career field, 509th Bomb Wing
• Staff Sgt. Cole Miller, a command post controller, representing command post controllers, 131st Bomb Wing, Air National Guard**From Barksdale AFB, Louisiana**
• Capt. Mehul Brahmbhatt, an executive officer, representing bomber navigators, 2nd Bomb Wing
• Tech. Sgt. Erin Bernik, a squadron lead crew member, 2 man, representing aircraft armament, 307th Bomb Wing, Air Force Reserves
• Staff Sgt. Nicole Cowles, a Personnel Reliability Program medical records technician, representing medical support staff, 2nd Bomb Wing
• Tech. Sgt. Jessica Chebaro, a strategic logistics planner, representing logistic planners, 608th Strategic Operations Squadron, 8th Air Force
• Master Sgt. Janie Rodriguez, an NCO in charge, security forces training, standardsandevaluation, representing security forces, Air Force Global Strike Command
• Tech. Sgt. Crystal Velez-Greenhill, a quality assurance manager, representing financial management and comptrollers, Air Force Global Strike Command
• Staff Sgt. Giavonia Fields, an NCO in charge, headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command commander support staff, representing personnel
• Maj. Raymundo Vann, a nuclear and missile operations lead, representing nuclear and missile operations, Air Force Global Strike Command
This medal is awarded in recognition of the special trust and responsibility placed upon AFGSC Airmen as they perform nuclear deterrence operations, providing safe, secure and effective deterrence for our nation, with the most powerful weapons in the nation's arsenal.SecAF 



Deborah Lee James 



AFGSC 



Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal 



NDOSM 



nuclear deterrence

Related Links
        DEBORAH LEE JAMES
                                June 18, 2015
                                23rd Secretary of the Air Force Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF, CSAF, CMSAF begin Indo-Pacific trip focused on ACE
                    
                    DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fightInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalistsMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil