Proficiency: Cornerstone of Deterrence Published April 24, 2015 By Col. Richard Pagliuco MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Each commander has an expectation regarding the manner in which you conduct all of your tasks at Minot Air Force Base. That expectation is expressed in many ways, but the bottom line is that all tasks need to be conducted in a safe, secure and effective manner. Ultimately, this rests and relies on the proficiency of each and every one of you. The Air Force needs you to be proficient! Proficiency is one of the cornerstones of nuclear deterrence. Just another esoteric statement, you say? Well let's look at it from a different perspective. What does it mean if we are not proficient in our disciplines? I usually answer this question by borrowing from the wisdom of a mentor. We support the nuclear deterrent that provides assurance to our allies for their national survival; dissuades our competitors; deters our foes and defeats our enemies if necessary. Therefore, and without going into the attributes of Team Minot's forces, we need this mission to ensure our collective national survival - the nation's top-cover. If we are not proficient, we introduce two unacceptable outcomes: our nuclear-capable forces become either unavailable to our combatant commander or we become insupportable by the public at large. No commander wants a weapon in his order of battle if he cannot rely on it to do the mission. If our maintainers do not turn wrenches to the proper torques and a weapon fails to reach its target, our forces become unreliable. If our operators do not ensure they are proficient in their procedures and fail to execute when required, our nuclear forces become unprepared. If our security forces fail to follow tactics or treat each security situation with vigilance, our highest-priority defense capability becomes vulnerable. If our operators and maintainers, through lack of proficiency, introduce safety rule violations or fail to proficiently handle any portion of the weapons system, our nuclear-capable forces become susceptible. Proficiency ensures that our nuclear-capable forces are ready when called upon and reassures those we have sworn to defend that we are worthy of the immense responsibility they have entrusted upon us. Nuclear weapons are ultimately the guarantor of national survival, and we are entrusted to operate, maintain and secure them. Without day-to-day proven proficiency, our systems would become unavailable, limiting the options our combatant commander can present to the President.