VOL. 64 NO. 30
T H U R S DAY, J U LY 23, 2020
SPACE OBSERVER P E T E R S O N
A I R
F O R C E
B A S E
Thank you, Knights By Col. Sam Johnson | 21ST SPACE WING COMMANDER
(21st Space Wing Public Affairs Photo by A1C Andrew Bertain)
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. — It doesn’t seem fair that I’m the one writing this. On May 12th our wing, and the Air Force at large, lost a great leader, mentor, and friend. Colonel Falzarano’s impeccable service as your commander over the last year speaks for itself, and if he were here I have little doubt that his words would fill us all with the closure we need: for not only these trying times during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but for the decommissioning of the 21st Space Wing, and for the immense loss we continue to feel at the mention of his name. With that said, as Melissa and I begin our transition out of the Air Force, allow me one final chance to offer a few thoughts of my own, and to thank you all again for your never ending excellence and commitment to the mission. When I stepped into the role of vice com-
mander back in June 2018, I had no idea the adventure that lay ahead. Our biggest concerns were still ISIS, tensions on the Korean peninsula, and the ever present threat of war looming in Iran. The name Space Force wasn’t yet set in stone. Simply put, the world we’re currently executing the mission in feels lightyears removed. But that’s exactly the point. Despite the changes, the countless ups and downs over the years and the numerous heartaches, the men and women of this great wing never once stopped executing the mission. Over the years, we’ve seen new world powers emerge and old world powers solidify their standing. Administratively, we’ve witnessed Air Force Space Command transform into the U.S. Space Force, and the torrent of reorganizations that accompanied such an under-
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taking. It’s true there’s been some inevitable confusion and frustration. Yet time and again, despite it all, I have been stunned by the innovation, resiliency, and sheer talent displayed by each and every one of you. And now we stand on the cusp of another great adventure. While we bid farewell to the 21st Space Wing in one breath, with the other we welcome a change on a scale the likes of which the U.S. military has rarely seen. When the creation of the U.S. Space Force was announced, Vice President Mike Pence said, “the Space Force will not be built from scratch because the men and the women who run and protect our nation’s space programs today are already the best in the world.” He was referring to you. As with any change there have been some growing pains, but what we are gaining in return is so great, so momentous, that I’m
humbled to have been your commander for even a small part of it. Air and space professionals. What a ring that has. We haven’t come this far as individuals; we’ve done it as a team. From Thule Air Base in Greenland, where 24/7 missile warning and space situational awareness is accomplished alongside life-changing international scientific research at the top of the world—to the revolutionary deep space object tracking mission undertaken by the GEODSS system at Diego Garcia—the task of ensuring space dominance has always been a team effort. That mentality has proved invaluable now more than ever. When COVID-19 struck, our medical professionals were ready to respond. On March 20th the 21st MDG esSee Thank you page 6
NEWS 1-11 | CLASSIFIED 13 | CROSSWORD 15
THULE ABG WELCOMES NEW COMMANDER PAGE 4
SPACE VISIONARY, RETIRED GEN. MOORMAN PASSES AWAY PAGE 9
CSO VISITS SMC: “SPACE STARTS HERE” PAGE 10