1,000 needed for new B-52 squadron at Minot

[unhappycamper]

1,000 needed for new B-52 squadron at Minot
By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Apr 11, 2008 6:43:46 EDT

Pack your bags for Minot Air Force Base. The Air Force is standing up a new B-52H Stratofortress squadron at the North Dakota base, a decision that will require about 1,000 additional airmen assigned to Minot.

The decision comes as part of an Air Force move to put a stronger emphasis on nuclear mission training for B-52H units and criticism that the service had let training for its nuclear bomber fleet fall to unacceptable levels.

North Dakota’s congressional delegation broke news of the Air Force move Tuesday and Air Combat Command confirmed the decision on Wednesday. Just two weeks ago, Air Force leaders would only go as far saying standing up a new squadron was under consideration.

“This is good news for our nation’s military capabilities, the mission at Minot Air Force Base, and the entire Minot community,” the North Dakota delegation said in a joint statement.

To stand up the new squadron, the Air Force will add 10 combat-ready B-52Hs to Minot’s existing fleet of 12 combat-coded BUFFs. The jets are already at Minot, however the Air Force hasn’t kept them combat-ready or manned .


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/04/airforce_minot_b52squadron_041008w/

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

1. One thousand more people

to potentially lose a B-52 wingload of armed nuclear weapons, like they did at Minot last August (no worries, the nukes were recovered 36 hours later, after being flown across country and then sitting on an unguarded, unsecured tarmac in Louisiana.

That's a pretty big WHOOPS.