The commander of the Air Force Materiel Command declared full operational capability for the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center during the change of command ceremony Jan. 20 here. Gen. Donald Hoffman, the AFMC commander, spoke about the center’s growth and said the center was the “single bellybutton for the Air Force in sustainment and assurance that our nuclear weapons are safe, secure and effective.”
The criteria to reach full operational capability, established in Air Force Program Action Directive PAD 08-06, is to be able to provide focused nuclear-sustainment oversight and standardization in support of the warfighter. “I know this designation was based on the hard work of the past two years under Brig. Gen. Thomas to grow expertise, document processes, and conduct training.” said Brig. Gen. Garrett Harencak, the AFNWC commander.
The AFNWC staff members accomplished several major milestones prior to being declared FOC, including increasing and stabilizing weapon storage area production; completing several rounds of nuclear surety inspections; creating roadmaps and developing strong partnerships with nuclear stakeholders; and integrating the staff and unit into one focused team, fully embracing a culture of continuous improvement.
“General Hoffman has declared us (full operational capability), an incredible achievement across the nuclear enterprise, and I look forward to working with each and everyone of you as we continue to build on this success,” General Harencak said.
