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Malmstrom airmen close out missile silos

For the past four decades, members of the 564th Missile Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., have been watching over 50 Minuteman III nuclear missiles in underground silos across the state.

All that remains at those silos today is some furniture. Soon that will be gone, as well, and the 564th will be deactivated.

The yearlong project to take the massive missiles out of commission was finished earlier this week, Col. Michael Fortney announced Thursday in a press conference.

Top military officials decided in 2006 it was no longer necessary for the country to have 500 intercontinental ballistic missiles on alert. They chose to deactivate the 564th — nicknamed “The Odd Squad” — because its missiles used a different communications system than the nation’s nine other squadrons.

The missiles are unlikely to come back, Fortney said.

“This is somewhat of a sad day in some respects,” said Lt. Col. Wayne Shaw, commander of the 564th. “On the other hand, I am extremely proud.”

Members of the 564th will transfer to other jobs on other bases, Fortney said. Malmstrom will lose 492 of its approximately 3,600 military personnel as a result of the deactivation.

A ceremony later this month will make the deactivation official.

“We’re rolling up the flag in the middle of August, and we’re going to put it in a black sleeve,” Fortney said.

Malmstrom used its own missile maintenance crews to remove the 50 missiles in three stages, and the wing commander said he was pleased with how safely and professionally they did the job.

“At the same time, it’s a sad affair,” he said.

The missileers and silo security personnel will miss the café owners and other small town residents they’ve come to know over the years, he said.

Fortney’s announcement came on the same day Montana Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester asked Air Force Secretary nominee Michael Donley to keep Malmstrom in the forefront of the country’s future military operations.

“Montana has a proud history with the Air Force, and we want to continue that relationship,” Tester said in a press release. “Max and I told Mr. Donley how proud we are of our Air Guard and Malmstrom’s airmen and how the base is ripe for growth.”