BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- The Eighth Air Force professional development team is a newer organization within the Mighty Eighth, but they’re already offering major opportunities to the Airmen who call this command “home”. This time by hosting the Joint Integrated Lifecycle Surety (JILS) team here at the Joint–Global Strike Operations Center on Barksdale AFB.
The JILS team is a joint Department of Defense and Department of Energy capability whose members are from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, National Nuclear Surety Administration Physical Security, and Sandia National Laboratories. They are experts in the fields of weapon engineering, physical security, weapon security, intelligence, cyber security, systems analysis and risk analysis.
“Ultimately, we looked at this as an opportunity to deepen everyone’s understanding of our mission and operations while tapping into the insights of experts who play key roles in nuclear safety,” said Master Sgt. Blake Campbell, Joint-Nuclear Operations Center intercontinental ballistic missile division superintendent and organizer for the event. “I wanted Airmen to understand why nuclear surety is so important for national defense and see the ongoing work to keep our nation’s nuclear weapons reliable and safe.”
While this event was designed to provide Airmen a behind-the-scenes look into nuclear surety, they weren’t the only ones that benefited. The JILS team also gained valuable insight on what it takes to make a mission of this magnitude happen.
“It is often difficult for Department of Energy staff to understand Air Force operations,” said Michael Port, JILS engagements coordinator. “Simply put, something that may seem innocuous in a briefing or a video, can have a much different impact when witnessed in-person. One example is the austere locations and sometimes harsh weather conditions required to maintain, protect, and operate Air Force Global Strike Command weapons systems.”
In addition to briefings on the JILS mission, the engagement also opened dialogue between the J-GSOC Airmen and the nuclear surety experts, reinforcing the importance of professional development opportunities.
“The one lesson that repeatedly comes to mind is that relationships matter,” said Port. “Communicating via email is one thing, but getting to know someone and seeing their mission space builds better understanding and enhances future collaboration. I encourage as many Airmen as possible to avail themselves to as many professional developments as possible.”
For some of the Airmen of the Mighty Eighth and J-GSOC, this event just scratched the surface on professional development; aiming to remotivate and reinspire Airmen on the importance of their mission in the profession of arms.
“This provided an opportunity for deeper understanding of the historical context, ongoing efforts, and challenges associated with nuclear surety,” said Campbell. “I hope this event encourages Airmen to understand the gravity of their mission and the significance of their contributions, inspiring them to approach their duties with renewed dedication, in turn improving the effectiveness is protecting our nation.”