Air Force Airman 1st Class David McCool, son of David McCool of Harleysville and Sandra Heyward of Roslyn, is a security forces specialist at this intercontinental ballistic missileb ase, one of only three remaining in the U.S.
The 341st Missile Wing isoneof the largest units in the Air Force, with 150 Minuteman III missilesspread out over 13,800 square miles within 15 missile alert facilities,andmore than 4,000 military and civilians, making it the largest complex ofitskind in the western hemisphere. McCool is assigned to the 341st Security Forces Squadron with theresponsibility of providing security at the missile base.
"I patrol thebasewith another airman," said McCool, a 2007 graduate of Souderton AreaSchoolDistrict.
"I am responsible for guarding and protecting the people andassets on Malmstrom Air Force Base." To support such a large operation requires help from just aboutevery corner of the Air Force career specialties. Everything from admintochefs, missile crewman, missile alert officers, security forces,helicopterpilots and maintenance, communications, services, medical and dental -itall adds up to one of the biggest support operations in the military.
"The mission at Malmstrom is one of the more important in the AirForce," said McCool. "Without me, and the others that perform my job,thenation and ultimately the world would be at risk of great devastation."
For McCool and other airmen stationed here, Montana is either one ofthe best places to be stationed or one of the worst. Montana can be ahavenfor the outdoorsman and traveler with major national parks like GlacierandYellowstone just a few hours away.
For others, being in an out-of-thewayplace like Malmstrom, with no major metropolis or urban centers nearby,canmake a tour seem isolated. "In my off-duty time, I have been hiking and camping in the nearbyLewis and Clark National Park," said McCool. McCool has been in the Air Force for two years.