Adm. Cecil Haney, head of US Strategic Command, visited Barksdale AFB, La., to get an up-close look at the 2nd Bomb Wing, which operates nuclear-capable B-52 bombers, and to thank airmen for their contributions to the nation’s deterrence force. “The capability of the 2nd Bomb Wing is a very flexible leg of the [nuclear] triad,” said Haney during his Jan. 23 visit, according to a base release. Haney said he counted on Barksdale’s airmen to demonstrate the United States’ deterrent abilities in a “very visible way.” He emphasized the importance of Barksdale’s role in maintaining a safe, secure, and effective deterrent to advance US interests and assure allies. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Patrick Alston, STRATCOM’s senior enlisted leader, accompanied Haney on the visit, Haney’s first to Barksdale since becoming STRATCOM’s boss in November. Haney said he scheduled the trip because he thought it was important to see first-hand the work of airmen who contribute daily to STRATCOM’s mission. (Barksdale report by SSgt. Sean Martin)
The U.K. and the U.S. will continue to enjoy access to the ports, airfield, and workshops at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for at least another century, under a deal inked between the U.K. and Mauritius May 22.