Missileers from F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo., conducted an operational test launch of a Minuteman III ICBM from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., early Wednesday morning. The randomly selected missile pulled from an operational 90th Missile Wing launch facility successfully lofted an inert, instrumented re-entry vehicle some 4,200 miles to impact at the Kwajalein Atoll test range in the Marshall Islands. “We literally hold the keys to the most powerful weapons ever developed and we ensure the safety and reliability of these weapons,” 320th Missile Squadron combat crew commander 1st Lt. Daniel Uresti Jr said in an Oct. 21 release. Air Force Global Strike Command regularly draws missiles from each of the missile wings at F. E. Warren, Malmstrom AFB, Mont., and Minot AFB, N.D., to test the reliability of the fielded ICBM force. Crews from F. E.? Warren and Malmstrom fired Minuteman IIIs back-to-back in March, an E-6B Mercury Airborne Command Post crew directed a launch in May, and a Minot crew launched in August. Test launches are complemented by Simulated Electronic Launch-Minuteman (SELM), which test the function of the operational launch control systems.
Airman 1st Class Marcus White-Allen concocted a story to cover up that he fired his M18 9mm pistol into Airman Braden Lovan’s chest killing him on July 20, two Airmen from F.E. Warren Air Force Base, WY testified during separate courts martial proceedings on Oct. 30-31.
