• Distinguished honors: Historian speaks of 509th Legacy

    Unknown to me at the time, my journey into the annals of the 509th Bomb Wing legacy began in mid-1991. I was leaving Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, for my new assignment as the historian for the 351st Strategic Missile Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. I was no stranger to the base, or wing, as

  • 509th Medical Group goes "nuclear"

    Dec. 18, 2015, was a historic day for the 509th Medical Group (MDG), when its new emblem was approved and unveiled by Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets IV, the 509th Bomb Wing commander. If you were stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base (AFB), Mo., before this date, you may have noticed the medical group's

  • Whiteman Wreath Laying Ceremony: an annual heritage connection

    The heritage of Whiteman Air Force Base (WAFB) runs deep in west-central Missouri. Each year, the Whiteman Wreath Laying Ceremony in Sedalia, Mo., serves as a reminder of the connection between the base and the neighboring community.2nd Lt. George Allison Whiteman, a Sedalia native and the base's

  • More than surviving

    "Other people get cancer, not me," said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Lauren Palmer, a 509th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS) commander support staff (CSS) personnel craftsman. "That will never happen to me."That's exactly what Palmer thought¬--even after she noticed a lump on the bottom of her neck

  • More than surviving

    "Other people get cancer, not me," said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Lauren Palmer, a 509th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS) commander support staff (CSS) personnel craftsman. "That will never happen to me."That's exactly what Palmer thought--even after she noticed a lump on the bottom of her neck

  • Strategic deterrence: 70 years with SAC

    March 21, 2016, marked the 70th anniversary of the Strategic Air Command (SAC), the forefather of what is now Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC).In 1946, SAC was activated as one of the three combat commands of the U.S. Army Air Forces. Shortly after, SAC would transition into a command under

  • You can make a difference in a flash

    It only takes a moment to make a difference: one choice to step up, one choice to stand up, and one choice to speak up.This man's identity may be known by some, but to most, the man behind the mask is a mystery. No one knew he was going to show up at the 5K Race for Respect. He was the winner of the