[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 10510]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING THE 90TH MISSILE WING

  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, today I wish to honor the 50th 
anniversary of the 90th Missile Wing stationed at Frances E. Warren Air 
Force Base in Cheyenne, WY.
  For the past half century, the dedicated men and women of the 90th 
Missile Wing have served with unwavering dedication to the security of 
our Nation. Known to their fellow airmen as the ``Mighty Ninety,'' this 
wing, with its five groups, displays excellence and commitment to the 
mission.
  On July 1, 1963, the 90th Strategic Wing came into existence amid 
growing tensions with the Soviet Union. Protecting our national 
security throughout the Cold War and into present day, the 90th Missile 
Wing provides our Nation's best, most reliable, most accurate strategic 
deterrent. Tasked with deterring an attack, the missile wing has worked 
extensively with the Minuteman I and Minuteman III systems, as well as 
encompassing the full lifecycle of the Peacekeeper Missile. Today, 
these men and women maintain and protect our Minuteman III resources 24 
hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year--truly placing service to 
our country above all else.
  The 90th Missile Wing has been named the best Intercontinental 
Ballistic Missile Wing the past 2 years, earning the Blanchard Trophy 
in 2011 from U.S. Strategic Command and the Williams Trophy in 2010 and 
2012 from Air Force Global Strike Command. The men and women who serve 
in the Mighty Ninety are second to none. Airmen from the 90th have gone 
on to serve our Nation in the Pentagon and international conflict 
zones. Additionally, just this month, the wing was turned over to its 
first female commander, Col. Tracey Hayes. Colonel Hayes has committed 
to continuing the standard of excellence.
  At this very moment, there are crewmen out in the missile fields, 
security teams on patrol, and support personnel of the 90th Missile 
Wing standing watch, ready to execute. They focus exclusively on their 
mission to ``provide preeminent combat capability across the spectrum 
of conflict.'' The Mighty Ninety continue to be an integral part of 
America's national defense.
  Congratulations and a profound thank you to the members of the 90th 
Missile Wing and their families.

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