News United States Air Force
 All-women crew controls Montana missile alert facilityPublished April 2, 2023
                        
                        By Staff Sgt. Elora J. McCutcheon
                        
                        
                        341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
                **MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. (AFNS) --**
                To an outsider passing by, the missile alert facility tucked into the grassy hillside of central Montana’s U.S. Highway 87 could easily be mistaken for a long-abandoned military fortress originally used during the Cold War.Three women in military uniform and black berets stand for a portrait against blue sky.Airman 1st Class Emilee Pearce, 341st Missile Security Forces Squadron missile security operator, Tech. Sgt. Stacey Link, 341st MSFS flight security controller, and Airman 1st Class Bailey Edwards, 341st MSFS missile security operator, display their Women’s History Month morale patches at Alpha-01 missile alert facility March 23, 2023, near Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. The three women were part of an all-female crew who posted to Alpha-01 MAF in honor of WHM. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Elora J. McCutcheon)
            
            
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    A woman in a green flight suit, blue flight cap and black sunglasses stands in the center of the photo with snow in the background.First Lt. Hannah Deaver, 12th Missile Squadron missile combat crew commander, stands near the perimeter of Alpha-01 missile alert facility March 23, 2023, near Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. Deaver works primarily in an underground launch control center beneath Alpha-01 MAF, and is responsible for operating the intercontinental ballistic missile weapon system belonging to the 341st Missile Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Elora J. McCutcheon)
            
            
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    A group of five women in military uniform walk alongside each other.Airman 1st Class Emilee Pearce, 341st Missile Security Forces Squadron missile security operator, right, walks beside other women who were part of an all-female crew to post at Alpha-01 missile alert facility March 23, 2023, near Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. The crew, along with other unpictured Airmen, was made up of missileers, defenders, a facility manager and chef. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Elora J. McCutcheon)
            
            
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The few pale-colored buildings sitting atop Alpha 01-Missile Alert Facility are surrounded by chain-link fencing, simply identified by one small brown entry sign and serve as the only visible portion of a fortress that functions to operate, maintain and secure the **Minuteman III** intercontinental ballistic missile.
On March 23, it happened that the only personnel who manned Alpha 01-MAF were women from the **341st Missile Wing**, **Malmstrom Air Force Base**.
The group was comprised of missileers, security forces members, one facility manager and one chef; they executed a typical weeklong posting which consisted of 24-hour operations above and below ground.
Their posting was an annual event in honor of Women’s History Month and served as a testament on how far women in the military have come since 1948, when they were first allowed to enlist in the Air Force.
According to 1st Lt. Hannah Deaver, 12th Missile Squadron missile combat crew commander, the typical demographics of a MAF on any given alert cycle is entirely male.A woman in military uniform smiles towards the upper right hand corner of the image.Senior Airman Lillian Gray, 341st Force Support Squadron missile chef, laughs with coworkers at Alpha-01 missile alert facility March 23, 2023, near Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. Missile chefs post one at a time to missile alert facilities and launch facilities and are solely responsible for feeding all personnel for a weeklong alert cycle. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Elora J. McCutcheon)
            
            
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    A woman in military uniform and black sunglasses stands in the middle of frame.Second Lt. Emily Burgess, 12th Missile Squadron missile deputy combat crew commander, smiles for a portrait in honor of Women’s History Month at Alpha-01 missile alert facility March 23, 2023, near Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. Burgess represents the 22% of missileers in the Air Force who are women, which is a significant increase compared to 1978, when women were first allowed to enter the career field. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Elora J. McCutcheon)
            
            
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    A woman in military uniform and tactical vest stands with her weapon beside a military armored vehicle.Airman 1st Class Emilee Pearce, 341st Missile Security Forces Squadron missile security operator, stands beside a ballistic engineered armored response counterattack truck on Alpha-01 missile alert facility March 23, 2023, near Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. Pearce joined the Air Force in 2022 and is now part of the 341st Missile Wing, whose main job is to support, defend and operate the LGM-30G Minuteman III weapon system. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Elora J. McCutcheon)
            
            
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“It’s not terribly uncommon to not only be the only woman on alert but the only woman at the alert facility,” Deaver described of her job. “In doing the all-women’s alert, it is a testament to how far we have come not only as missileers but also in the other career fields that typically support the [intercontinental ballistic missile] mission.”
It was not long ago that certain jobs in the Air Force were still excluded for women. Before they were allowed to serve as missile combat crew members in 1978, Strategic Air Command had to first fund research studies which determined the American public believed women had the mental and physical attributes required to serve.
Fast-forward to 1985 and women were officially allowed to join the security forces career field. And still, it was only in 2021 that women were issued newly designed, proper fitting tactical vests.
In 1971, women made up just 1% of the military services. As of 2022, women made up about 18% of the Department of Defense active-duty force.
“[The all-women posting] is less about proving women can perform the mission, but rather the acknowledging the significance of those who paved the way for us to perform in a career field that demands nothing but excellence from us,” Deaver explained.
The ICBM mission, as mentioned by Deaver, is one that hungrily requires constant application by Airmen to support, defend and operate the world’s most dominant nuclear-capable weapon system.
“I am humbly reminded of the critical mission we carry out every single day,” she said bluntly. “We continue to deter our nation’s adversaries and provide assurance to our allies knowing that we stand on alert, ready at a moment’s notice, 24/7, 365 days a year.
As missileers, Deaver and her colleagues’ duties place them underground for 12 hours at a time in a launch control center no larger than a school bus. Their selfless service and attention to detail are the reason the LGM-30G Minuteman has continued to be relied upon since 1962.
“I am incredibly proud to be trusted with such an important mission and I do not take that responsibility lightly,” Deaver exclaimed.
Deaver is joined by every man and woman in the 341st MW to make up the backbone of continued safe, secure, reliable and effective deterrence.A military woman stands beside a large tactical vehicle.Tech. Sgt. Stacey Link, 341st MSFS flight security controller, stands beside a ballistic engineered armored response counterattack truck on Alpha-01 missile alert facility March 23, 2023, near Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. Link was part of an all-women crew who posted to Alpha-01 MAF in honor of Women’s History Month. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Elora J. McCutcheon)
            
            
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    A woman in military uniform smiles towards the sun.Tech. Sgt. Carla Lang, 341st Operations Group facility manager, walks towards the main building of Alpha-01 missile alert facility March 23, 2023, near Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. Lang was part of an all-women crew who posted to Alpha-01 MAF in honor of Women’s History Month. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Elora J. McCutcheon)
            
            
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    A smiling woman in military uniform stands beside a military armored vehicle.Airman 1st Class Bailey Edwards, 341st Missile Security Forces Squadron missile security operator, is posted at Alpha-01 missile alert facility March 23, 2023, near Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. Edwards was part of an all-female crew who posted to Alpha-01 MAF together in honor of Women’s History Month. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Elora J. McCutcheon)
            
            
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Thus far, the Minuteman system has endured changes in technology, mission and personnel to meet the challenge of a future fight.
Its surety, thanks to the Airmen who have stood watch for the last several decades, precedes the arrival of its replacement: the **LGM-35A Sentinel**.
As Airmen look to the next 75 years, they can be confident in the fact that our nation is ready to provide strategic deterrence for tomorrow.LR 



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