Base's START inspection another sucess

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Amanda Callahan
  • 319th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Today's Warrior of the North may not be familiar with the "frozen chosen" who came before him and may not know phrases like "SAC" or "Oscar Zero." However, there are still members of Team Grand Forks who vividly remember those and other terms brought about by the Cold War and fear of nuclear attack. And at least one member of the Grand Forks Air Force Base family still sees the Grand Forks Air Force Base through Cold War eyes. 

On Dec. 1, Mr. James Bolton, the 319th Air Refueling Wing's treaty compliance officer, began making notifications to various organizations and agencies on base. The message - "The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty Inspection Team has selected Grand Forks for a second time this year." Due to this message, supporting Mr. Bolton and the inspection team became each agency's primary mission. 

The START inspection stems from the agreement signed by President George H.W. Bush and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev on July 31, 1991. The treaty allowed for both countries to conduct short notice inspections of military installations.
Mr. Bolton and Capt. Alejandro Breceda, assistant treaty compliance officer, started preparing for the team calling for escorts, baggage details, and protocol assistance and made numerous notifications to base leadership. Ten Russian inspectors, paired with 10 U.S. inspectors from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, arrived here later that day. 

The team inspected four sites on the base that were used during the Cold War for storage and maintenance of Minuteman III missiles. The sites have long been forgotten by many as historical monuments to the nuclear era - some are now small fields, some are used as storage for squadrons and some have been converted to offices and administrative facilities. 

After the inspection was completed, and the reports were written by both inspection teams, Russian team leader, Col. Sergey Petrov, said to a small crowd "I think we've conducted our inspection in a very professional way, thanks to your experience and professionalism." 

He noted that Team Grand Forks' level of readiness is unparalleled. "I think the next inspection will have the same good results." 

To show his appreciation for the base's hospitality and appreciation, Colonel Petrov presented small tokens of Russian appreciation to members of the escort team and base leadership. 

"Myself, and more importantly, my team appreciate the opportunity to share these two days with you," said Col. John Michel, 319th Air Refueling Wing commander. "Although this ceremony has been done several times, and will be done again, I feel that each one is important. To commemorate this visit, I'd like to present a series of small gifts." 

Colonel Michel proceeded to describe the small, pink box containing chocolate-covered potato chips as "the food of choice by Warriors of the North ... the wilderness sustenance." 

The team, and their chocolate covered potato chips, departed Dec. 4. "The START Inspection team completed their 41st inspection at Grand Forks," Mr. Bolton said. "Both the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency team chiefs applauded the efforts of [team Grand Forks]."