Fellow Missileers:
Here is your update on current events around the community including the latest happenings in DC on the Missile Cancer Study, a link to the Hall of Fame presentation video, the Sentinel dry stack and more. As always, please reach out to me with comments and items to share at Director@AFMissileers.org
Missile Cancer Study: The Torchlight Initiative team shared with us that the House FY27 NDAA includes Section 777, which calls for an independent National Academies review of Minuteman III occupational health and safety conditions, including the Air Force Missile Community Cancer Study, historical exposures, and cancer incidence. Rep. Don Bacon has also introduced H.R. 10485, the Minuteman III Health and Safety Act, as standalone legislation pursuing this independent review. The Torchlight team posted the following: “Earlier this year, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff reminded us of a fundamental principle: “Humans are always more important than hardware.” That principle should remain at the center of how we approach this issue. For over six decades, Airmen kept our ICBMs on alert. As we invest billions in the next generation of nuclear deterrence, we have an obligation to understand what happened to the people who carried this mission before us, care for those who are sick, and protect those serving today. Minuteman, Titan, Peacekeeper, Atlas—and the force that follows. Take care of the mission AND the people. You must do both.” Read H.R. 10485: Minuteman III Health and Safety Act — official bill text https://lnkd.in/gx9RQJK7. These initiatives need our attention—individual members should contact their representatives and voice your support! Not sure who to contact? Click this link and select your state to find contact information for your elected representatives: Congress: https://www.house.gov/representatives . Emails and phone calls are the quickest path to ensure we get this over the goal line and do right by our fellow Missileers. Specifically encourage your elected officials to support H.R. 10485 - Minuteman III Health and Safety Act.
2026 Hall of Fame Follow up: If you weren’t able to join us at the 2026 Air Force Missileer Hall of Fame banquet or if you just want to relive the moment, check out this YouTube video prepared by our Hall of Fame sponsor, Northrop Grumman: https://youtu.be/DjYR3fvNHbU. Caution, it’s over an hour start to finish!
ICBM display at the AF Museum is a mess: We received a few emails concerning the status of the ICBM display at our Air Force Museum. Our AAFM President, Mark Silliman who volunteers at the museum tells us: The National Museum of the Air Force in Dayton, Ohio is undergoing a major modernization project that includes the existing Missile Gallery. Visitors will notice that almost all the legacy missile/rocket related displays are removed leaving only the larger missile bodies in place in the gallery along with a pre-REACT Missile Ops trainer. Construction and new display installation will begin late 2026 and may take a long period of time (year(s)) to complete. The modernization project called, "Pathways to Space" includes "Life Underground" or the ICBM piece of the story. AAFM is working with museum representatives to help better tell the ICBM piece of the story and assist in any way possible. We may be looking for ICBM artifacts so stay connected with AAFM and watch for museum update articles. This museum project may take time so when you visit the museum, expect to be a little disappointed in the lack of missile artifacts during the construction but there is still a bigger Air Force being told at the museum. Thanks to those who have voiced concern to AAFM about the current condition of the Missile Gallery.
Sentinel Stack: The Sentinel program took a major step forward last month when Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force fully assembled the Sentinel missile in its operational orientation at Vandenberg Space Force Base. According to an Air Force release, “the vertical assembly demonstrates the design and integration of the missile and is a major step toward the Sentinel missile’s design and suitability evaluation for flight test in 2027”. Check out this YouTube video from Northrop Grumman!
AAFM National Meeting 2028: Mark your calendars for 17-21 May 2028--we will be meeting at Little America, in Cheyenne, WY! While it is too early to provide any details other than a planned day at Warren on Friday, our regular meeting on Saturday morning, and the Hall of Fame banquet on Saturday night, the dates are set.
AFA Missile Gathering 2028: The Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) General Charles A. Gabriel Chapter hosted the Tenth Annual Missileer Gathering at the AFA Air, Space, and Cyber (ASC) Conference on September 15, 2026. The Gabriel Chapter started the Missileer Gathering in 2017 to provide a way for Missileers (those who earned an Air Force Missile Operations Badge or Missile Maintenance Badge) to get together in order to recognize the General Thomas Power Missile Crew of the Year (awarded to First Lieutenant Jacob Jenkins and First Lieutenant Thales Santos from the 12th Missile Squadron) and our hard-working Missileers operating and maintaining the ICBM leg of the TRIAD providing Strategic Deterrence 24X7X365. Pictured below from left to right are General S L Davis, AFGSC/CC, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, the Honorable Richard Anderson, First Lieutenant Jenkins, Captain Nathan Barry (accepting the Power Award for Lt Santos), AFA Chair of the Board Kathleen Ferguson, and Colonel Aaron Baum, 341 MW/CD.
RMD Time: If you are over 70 ½ and are looking at the IRS requirements for your Required Mandatory Distribution, please remember that you can give any amount (up to a maximum of $111,000) this year from your IRA directly to a qualified charity such as the Association of Air Force Missileers without having to pay income taxes on the money. This popular gift option is commonly called the IRA charitable rollover, but you may also see it referred to as a qualified charitable distribution, or QCD for short. AAFM is a qualified 501 C 3 organization and could use your support. Your donation will help our scholarship fund and other heritage efforts. For more information contact me at Director@AFMissileers.org
YouTube Channel: Have you checked out our YouTube channel recently? We have loaded more than 793 videos to the channel with 9,316 subscribers and over 63,000 views last month! Oru latest additions were provided by Jon Claus from the 351 SMW Missile Competition in 1987 and 1989! Check these out: https://youtu.be/iDmDWVX0RQs https://youtu.be/HF8MkcFqiZY . If you have videos you want to share, even non digital, contact Monte Watts at mwatts@afmissileers.org
Sincerely,
Jim
James F. Warner
Executive Director
