by Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton, 5th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. (AFNS) -- Six B-52H Stratofortresses and nearly 350 Airmen here left June 1 for Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to start a six-month deployment.
The 5th Bomb Wing's role in U.S. Pacific Command's continuous bomber presence mission "is vital to national security," said Col. Charles Patnaude, the 5th Operations Group commander. "Our mission is to deter and assure."
Colonel Patnaude said Minot's Airmen will be there to deter and dissuade potential regional aggressors and to assure U.S. allies of the commitment to the Pacific region.
"This is a great mission for Minot's B-52s because it enables us to demonstrate our broad range of capabilities," he said.
The 5th BW's two B-52 squadrons, the 23rd and 69th Bomb Squadrons, will share the six-month deployment. The 23rd BS will serve the first half of the deployment.
The mission to the island had Airmen's spirits high and eager to get underway.
"I know many of them are excited about this deployment," Colonel Patnaude said. "The training environment is fantastic and basing out of Andersen (AFB) will offer up great opportunities. Our personnel will get to interact with folks from other weapon systems and other services."
Colonel Patnaude said PACOM's continuous bomber presence mission has been ongoing since March 2004 when 5th BW officials first established the operation.
"B-52s, B-1 (Lancers) and B-2 (Spirits) have each taken turns as a continuous sentinel for the Pacific theater," he added. "The 5th BW has been to Guam several times since 2004 and I suspect will continue deploying there until Pacific Command no longer needs us."
PACOM officials said they routinely evaluate the command's readiness and reposition forces as needed to ensure they maintain both the operational and support capabilities necessary to meet the obligations of national defense.
Officials added the bombers serve in a continuous role that is not tied to any specific events in the Pacific.
Maybe the mission of this deployment is significant to send a message to a rogue neighbor in the Pacific neigborhood - North Korea - LVH.