News United States Air Force
 SecAF visits F.E. WarrenPublished Aug. 10, 2018
                        
                        By Airman 1st Class Abbigayle Wagner
                        
                        
                        90th Missile Wing Public Affairs
                **F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. (AFNS)  --**
                Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson visited with Airmen at the 90th Missile Wing and 20th Air Force, Aug. 7 through 8 at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.During her visit, Wilson engaged with local civic leaders including Wyoming Governor Matt Mead and asked for the community’s support in reciprocity for licensure and improving education for Air Force families.Wilson also spoke with some winners of the Warren Shootout, an innovative "Shark Tank" style competition, and held a press conference to speak on the readiness of the 90th Missile Wing within the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile mission."The Air Force is modernizing its ground base strategic deterrent, and we are now developing a replacement for the Minuteman III. This base will ultimately get the new system," Wilson said. "The United States has a new national defense strategy and a nuclear posture review which reaffirm the importance of the strategic triad, so there is a very long future for F.E. Warren (AFB)."From 1982 to 1989, Wilson continued her family legacy by serving in the Air Force. As a result of her service, Wilson has a unique understanding of the Air Force and what it takes to do the mission safely, securely and effectively, she said."Our focus right now is to restore the readiness of the force and modernize in a cost-effective way," Wilson said. "There is an agreement between the Congress and the administration, and I give (U.S. Defense) Secretary (Jim) Mattis a lot of credit for this, for a two-year budget deal that says that we have to restore readiness of the force. For example this budget year we are adding over 4,000 Airmen to the force. We lost 30,000 Airmen after sequestration, and we are gradually trying to grow back."Wilson also noted the importance of military readiness as a way of deterrence."If we are ready to do our missions any day, we are far less likely to be called upon to execute that mission because deterrence works, and no one knows that better than F.E. Warren Air Force Base," Wilson said. "This is America's nuclear deterrent force and it is important to the country. We want to be sure we are ready any day, anytime, anywhere."Being ready is not only important for the nuclear force, but it is also necessary across all other missions throughout the Air Force. If we are ready and strong, we are a deterrent, she added.Wilson said the Airmen at F.E. Warren do show a commitment to serve the Air Force.When Wilson was asked what message she wanted to leave with the 90th Missile Wing she said, “thank you for your service. I am really proud to be associated with all of you."F.E. Warren AFB 



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Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis