USSTRATCOM Commander shares vision with Team Malmstrom

  • Published
  • By Valerie Mullett
  • 341st Space Wing Public Affairs Office
Gen. James Cartwright, U.S. Strategic Command commander, visited Malmstrom July 12 to tour a missile alert facility and then speak to Wing One members. 

Shortly after arriving in Great Falls, Gen. Cartwright and Col. Sandy Finan, 341st Space Wing commander, along with other Malmstrom leadership, flew to MAF S-0 where the general got a first-hand look at Wing One's mission of strategic deterrence. In doing so, he toured the launch control center and met with the missile operators before following one of Malmstrom's oldest traditions of adding his name to the "last final alert wall of fame." 

Topside, the group met with security forces members and enjoyed lunch with MAF personnel. 

"I'm one of the newer facility managers, so this is the first time I've had a distinguished visitor come to my MAF," said Staff Sgt. William Hoffmeister, 564th Missile Squadron facility manger. "It's really rewarding to have the general come out and see all the hard work we've put into making a showcase MAF." 

Following lunch, the group returned to Malmstrom where the 3-Bay Hangar was filled to capacity with base personnel waiting to listen to the general who briefed on the future of USSTRATCOM. 

"I am here today to talk to you about where USSTRATCOM is headed," the general said. "I'll also talk about change that is coming and why." 

He gave a brief synopsis of what things were like in the mid 1970's to early 1990's, citing "the strategic capabilities had their shortfalls but served us well." 

"But the reality of 9/11 made it apparent that this is a pretty narrow way to look at the world," he said. "And this is when 'global' came into the lexicon."

Over the course of his briefing, Gen. Cartwright discussed command and control, his vision for the future, the changes he would like to see and how he hopes to get there, and he especially emphasized listening to ideas from all levels of the military. 

"The value of a contribution is not what you wear on your collar," he said. "Right now, we are casting out and leaving on the floor some of the best information." 

He discussed the future of communications, encouraged leadership to be open to ideas and then pass them along. 

The general's vision is to be able to target  any place "in the space of the earth" and reach it in zero seconds to one hour, a vision he referred to often as "0-to-one hour." 

He then explained changes coming to  the intercontinental ballistic missile world before taking questions and giving answers to people in the crowd. 

The commander's message was clear to all in the end. 

"If we can't move forward, we loose our credibility and others will continue to take cheap shots at us," he said. "We have to get there ... that 0-to-one-hour ... we have to get there."