The academic year 2024-2025 Air Force Global Strike Command National Security Fellowship Program is underway. A total of 15 students representing Louisiana Tech, Grambling State and LSU-Shreveport have worked through the summer getting familiar with their research projects and the Airmen who will support their efforts.
The Fellows are primarily conducting research, analyzing data, and putting their technical studies into practice, but they are also exposed to national security issues and airpower history. As the Fellows are engaged with Air Force Global Strike Command, they learn concepts of strategic deterrence and long-range strike capability. To expand their knowledge, on July 12th, Louisiana Tech’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 305 Commander, Lt Col James Sprys, provided the Fellows an overview of Rapid Global Mobility. Lt Col Sprys is a C-17 Globemaster II pilot and has flown world-wide in support of U.S. and allied operations. Our nation’s airlift, sealift and rapid surface mobility infrastructure is designed to support both combat and humanitarian relief operations anytime and anywhere. The Fellows were intrigued learning several examples of disaster relief operations at home and abroad.
On July 18th Colonel (retired) Russ Mathers, Director of StrikeWerx, provided the Fellows an overview of Nuclear 101 bridging a history from 1945 to the present. The linkages to Air Force Global Strike Command and its associated bomber, intercontinental ballistic missiles, command and control systems and the dedicated Airmen who perform the mission were the focus of the discussion. Aspects of the U.S. Navy’s ballistic missile submarines and command and control platforms were also covered to provide a broad overview of the nation’s strategic nuclear Triad.
Also in July, the Fellows heard from a panel of four veterans who were the first to takeoff enroute to targets in Iraq for the opening of Operation DESERT STORM. The Fellows dialoged with the panel as they shared perspectives from the 16-17 January 1991 mission. Known to the airmen who flew mission as Secret Squirrel, Colonels (retired) Russ Mathers and Warren Ward, Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Rick Holt, and former Captain John Romano, discussed the 35.4-hour non-stop flight to the Middle East and back to Barksdale nearly 34 years ago. The top secret (at the time) mission was the first time the AGM-86C, Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missile was used to strike enemy targets. The Fellows marveled at spending literally a day and a half airborne.
On August 2, 2024, several Fellows attended a special ceremony at the Barksdale Global Power Museum. The occasion was the 30th anniversary reunion for the Airmen who flew a bold 47.2-hour non-stop flight around the world on 1-3 August 1994. The Fellows heard from 12 of the 16 men who flew the mission. The Fellows also witnessed a special tradition in which Airmen toast their comrades who have “Gone West” or have taken their final flight in this moral life. The veterans toasted Brigadier General (retired) Peyton Cole who took that final flight on April 30, 2024. General Cole was the mission commander on the historic flight and knew of the coming reunion. He had planned to attend, but God called him home. All gathered recognized Mrs. Kay Cole who took her late husband’s place to lift a glass in his honor. The event was very special for the veterans and their families, the current members of the 96th Bomb Squadron and for the Cole family. The Fellows witnessed something very rare to civilian eyes and to interacted with these notable veterans and their families.
As the 2024-2025 academic year progresses, the Tech, Grambling and LSUS Fellows will diligently work their research and analysis projects for Air Force Global Strike Command, and they will have opportunity to learn more about national defense and airpower.
Warren G. Ward, Colonel, USAF (retired)
Chief of Staff, Louisiana Tech Research Institute
LA Tech graduate 1985 and commissioned by AFROTC Det 305