By JOHN REED
U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) took a concrete step toward fulfilling its mission of operating two-thirds of the Pentagon's nuclear triad when it took command Dec. 1 of 20th Air Force and its 450 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The new major command was stood up in August at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and will "serve as a single voice to maintain the high standards necessary for stewardship of our nation's most powerful weapons," said Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, AFGSC commander, in a statement released by the service Dec. 1.
Global Strike Command was established after numerous mistakes involving the Air Force's handling of nuclear weapons led many to believe the service had allowed the once-prestigious nuclear mission to atrophy since the end of the Cold War.
In February, the command is set to take over 8th Air Force, which operates the nation's nuclear-capable B-2 and B-52 heavy bombers.
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