This is an exercise and their supervisors are watching every move...it's not a timed event but if you miss a step in the checklist, ANY STEP IN THE CHECKLIST, you flunk. Speed is not a concern ..if they get the launch order they have as much as 30 minutes to turn those keys. If you watch the entire film (this is just a clip) it covers the entire training program including the ethics of nuclear war, the physical security training, the tampering protocols, and the physical hardware safeguards to prevent an unauthorized launch. It also frankly discusses the people who have flunked out of the program for NOT following the procedures (like not verifying the order is valid) . These two people are actually already qualified on the Titan II system, which was retired from service, and are learning the new system and they're doing it BY THE BOOK
I love the last words from the Commander " That's it, that's all she wrote" truer words have never been spoken.Thank God they never had to actually turn those keys (yet)
My old Wyoming home and Back Yard fishing 🎣 wHoooo Weeeeee Red Alert 🚨 Spin uP Cowboy 🤠 Joe and on my Mark home Eeeeeee EVRAZ Russia 🇷🇺 launch 🚀 EVRAZ Pueblo Colorado USA 🇺🇸 and Facts EVRAZ Claymont Steeel DeLaWaRe USA 🇺🇸 is a wHooooo Weeeee
@@jamesevans22 Let’s go Fishing 🎣 And catch a wHoppeR EVRAZ Russia 🇷🇺 sLaB SteeLheaDs EVRAZ Portland Oregon USA 🇺🇸 sLip Bob or ? EVRAZ Pueblo Colorado USA 🇺🇸 trout fishing 🎣 fly Fishing 🎣 and Facts EVRAZ Russia 🇷🇺 claims con In sult Lady Liberty 🗽 insults to mankind EVRAZ Russia 🇷🇺 and Facts EVRAZ Plc London United Kingdom 🇬🇧 anti eye 👁 eye 👁 CCTV EVRAZ Israel 🇮🇱 anti ant 🐜 anti ant 🐜 Stop 🛑 Human Trafficking anti coRe RupT PoliticiaL Science 🧬
I did this in 1980. 44SMW 68SMS. By the time you graduate, you are better than this, but the missile wing will make sure you are much, much better before you are certified to pull your first alert as a Deputy Missile Combat Crew Commander. Believe me, this is not a low stress fun job. The system was built in the 60s. Things break. Goofy unpredictable things happen with people, weather and the remote isolated area, and you alone are responsible for it all. That was a simulator those ladies were in. We spent four to six hours at least once a month in that simulator and were tested monthly on launch procedures, code handling and the weapon system. Passing was 90%. Three 90%s in a row earned you a diminished effectiveness report, promotion chances a threatened career and remedial training. Honestly, the job sucked, but it is the job I’m proudest of having done
I am curious about the P7 sequence set on the authenticator. In your opinion did it mean Practice session number 7? Also thank you for your service to the nation.
Thank you for your service. Out of curiosity, did you wear regular air force blues or fatigues, or was there a special uniform/flight suit?it just seems odd that the training film showed these ladies in regulation skirts, pumps, and pantyhose while training to launch a nuclear missile...
I was on a MMT RON'ing at a LCF in SAC in the 1970's . We were downstairs when a EAM came over the box. I saw the locks opened and authentication. This is not funny, this is not a drill . this is real .
4:28 Its comforting to know that in at least 1 universe, Barb wasnt killed by the Demogorgon and went on to become a launch specialist for the US's nuclear arsenal.
As a retired Optician of over 40 years I always get a kick out of remembering back based on Frame-Fads ! These gals are sporting the latest styles....and had the crew been males they would no doubt had been wearing Rayban pilots(POS) or the A/O FG-58 Skymaster with paddle temples! What comes around goes around!
Ah, you have a good eye. 😄 Yes, i recall that era, well. Those glasses were optically excellent for every situation, being milled from fine glass. But they were heavy! ..no slim frames to limit vision at all, though. & none of the wide temples to inhibit peripheral visiion..idk how ppl can drive with those on..at least not safely, jeepers. The old Bausch & Lomb Ray-Bans were amazing eye glasses! I had 2 pair of Baloramas & miss them dearly. I have a mint pair of B&L Wayfarere 2's though, tortoise shell frames, ofc! 😎🤓
@@stolasburrito74656 Especially since turning the keys primes the onboard batteries and at which point the missiles no longer relies on the silo for anything. No stopping it. At all.
At this phase in their training (this was at the MM2 schoolhouse at Vandenberg), the important part is doing it right first time, every time, no missed steps, no procedural errors (such as breaking the launch message out incorrectly). The speed comes with repetition.
Very interesting, I always draw the zero character with a slash crossing diagonally to differentiate it from the letter O; the girl draws a $ sign for an S to differentiate it from the number 5 !!
I've used the $ for the S for a long time now. Thought I was the only one. Also have put a horizonal line (-) through the 7 so not to be confused w/ the # 1
Jaun the instructors at Vandenberg specifically trained us to draw characters a particular way. Zeros get crossed, 'S' becomes a dollar sign, the 'U' always gets a downstroke on the backside (so it is not confused with a 'V'). Those habits have largely stayed with me over the years (except for the S->$). Speed and accuracy are important when seconds count.
Having served four years as a Missile Combat Crewmember in the early 1970's, I recognize this video as having taken place at Vandenberg AFB, CA in the Missile Procedures Trainer (MPT). The crew were obviously not experienced in the Minuteman System, and I suspect this was their first familiarization session in the MPT (note that they were not wearing the uniforms issued to Missile Combat Crewmembers and the Instructor is observing their actions). They were also following the unclassified Missile Launch Procedure as published in their Tech Orders. As a side note: the MPT as shown was an excellent representation of the actual Minuteman 2 and 3 Launch Control Centers before the major modifications made after my years of service. In the current Minuteman 3 System the Commander and Deputy sit next to each other; there are fewer switches and indicator lights being replaced by flat plane displays and keyboard entry of coding.
@@lukeskywalker1702 If they're launching missiles, then others (adversaries) likely are, too. If a missile hits near them, it's going to cause a shockwave that could knock them out of their seats or knock them unconscious if they hit something. They strap in so that even if a missile impacts the ground near them, they can likely still finish doing their jobs.
Ya, that was painful watching them with the keys and seatbelts. Like fuck....your first time honey? I think you need a fuck of a lot more training or those missiles are going to get hit in the silos. Otherwise an interesting video that I've never seen before.
the MOST chilling part for me was watching one of the crew running a wax pen down the status and saying '6's gone...11's gone........3's gone.. they're all gone' C H I L L I N G to have heard those words and what they would have meant. As for their issues with the keys etc..That's what training is for...and consider WHAT they're training for. Would you be freaked out?
That was interesting to see/watch. Erie. As far as actually doing it, I imagine that's what the training is for, doing it enough times that it becomes automatic. Like firing your weapon at the enemy. Not everyone has it in them to end the life of another human being as soon as they join the military, but that's what the training is for, create muscle memory so by the time they're in that situation they don't have to think about the ethics and morals of snuffing out another living soul. I don't know, maybe afterwards they might actually start processing it, but I think when the the time comes their training has already conditioned them to complete their duty. Crazy.
@@dsandoval9396 By the time you make it to Missileer school they know you'll turn the key when asked. You've been poked and prodded by psychologists and you've spent months learning about the whys and hows of US nuclear policy so that you know turning that key may save millions of lives. It might take millions of lives. What's important is that you understand that that decision was made by rational people who above you who have a very good reason to believe it's a good idea.
@@misterguts First off, Trump is not the president, and secondly, POTUS cannot generate launch orders, only select and authorize them. Those are the military's weapons, and while they are subject to civilian authorization for use, the president no more directs their use than he can tell the Air Force which houses of reporters he doesn't like to bomb.
@@MillionFoul President: "General, I want you to nuclear-bomb China" General: "That doesn't sound like a good idea, sir" President: "I'm giving you an order. Use a nuclear bomb on China" General: "Nah, I'm good"
Was on crew at Malmstrom AFB from 87' to 91' This is a small part of a longer film about MM School House at Vandenberg AFB. As some others on here have stated..there were times that the job and the pressure were horrible. But there were also moments that were sparkling "once in a lifetime events". The men and women who I worked with in Minuteman II were 100% professionals and very serious business when the time called for that. It is the job and gave me the most stress, responsibility, humbleness, and pride of any job I have ever had and ever will. God bless you all my Brothers and Sisters. "Lest We Forget"....... D.W.
The clock in the thumbnail (3:51) is what got my attention, my dad bought a clock that looked EXACTLY like that one at a garage sale some years back, we thought it was really cool and he had it in his office for many years, had no idea they were using those exactly clocks at Minuteman bases, blows my mind.
There was an old Titan II missile silo 20 miles from where I am right now. It was decommissioned and there for a time you could go down and check it out. Most of the equipment had been removed and the door leading to the missile silo had been welded shut. The Command room was round and the floor was supported by huge coil springs. My guess is that in the event of an nuclear attack, the people in the chairs would have been bouncing around, thus the need for seatbelts. The whole thing was filling with water and there was about 2 feet at the bottom already.
Very interesting! Curious as to what site this was? Very cool that they let people see what was hidden beneath the surface before demolished occurred. What state are you in?
NORAD was similar back in the 80s - all these trailer buildings sitting on big springs. I presume that is true today as well. I think they moved a bunch of personnel outside the tunnel, to make room for more electronics.
@@silopedia You can still visit a Titan II silo complex. 571-7 in Tucson is dedicated as a museum and they offer guided tours of the complex, which is in more or less the same condition it was in during its operation.
Been there twice…very amazing place….the gift shop is a Cold War collectors paradise! My dad worked at all 18 missile silos installing the electrical systems…we lived with the knowledge of being a primary attack target in the event of a conflict w the Russians…the nuns at our school made us pray every noon to request that “Mary” ask “Jesus” to spare us from nuclear conflict….I guess our prayers were answered back then ❤.
As a veteran of the 321 SMW / 446 SMS, this brings back a flood of memories from training at Vandenberg. Early in training, the students are put through a keyturn exercise to determine whether they could do it, if asked. In my 16 weeks at VAFB, we had one guy who, after going thru the exercise, determined he couldn't do it for real. No idea what happened to him,
hamad5885 Only we are as good as are being the enemys at who are started to shooted at us! Ifed do they wished to ceased to exist and shoot to at us withed a atomic of bomb thened we do shooted one right to backed at them. IT IS CALLED AS MUTUALS ASSURED OF DESTRUCTIONS AND IT DOES WORKED! IT HAVES KEEPT REAL OFED WAR AWAY EVER FOR SINCED WORLD WARS 2 !!!! And unless do we leted milquetoaster pantys waist losers as Obama or losers withed thinkings as Canadas Trudeau to weakened it so thened the threating of it no longer is valid!!
Our old Minuteman & Peacekeeper business cards say ‘No country too big, no target too small. We specialize in parking lots, pyrotechnic displays, and for those who deal in volume, 10 for 1 specials in certain locations.’ (10 for 1 references the 10 reentry vehicles Peacekeeper carried). I’d post a photo of my card here if it was possible.
Minuteman III? God, when I heard the warble tone go off, I was looking for my pen to write down the message...Old habits are hard to break. MCCC on Titan II with the 381SMW/532SMS from 1979 to 1983. These two were going through Initial Qualification Training at Vandenburg AFB
@@finmueller7827I worked Minuteman III from 1972 - 1976 down in the Launch Control Centers as well as in the Launch Facility silos for 4 years at Minot AFB, ND. They definitely had to physically turn the keys. BTW, there was a lot of classified procedures left out of this video for obvious reasons.
That's deterrence. All those nobodies with nukes can watch it as part of their own RU-vid benders and see how credibly the US can destroy their entire civilization in about 4 minutes; presumably it makes the idea of attacking the US less of a good idea than it might otherwise be. But this was also very clearly a 1980s production given the style of glasses and hair, so the Air Force didn't exactly put it up on RU-vid themselves.
Actually, the targets are already loaded in the guidance sets on the missiles. The launch codes are already in the computer and sent when the keys are turned. What is required and received in the message are the enable codes. These are what “unlocks” the missiles and allow them to accept the launch codes. Also, this is not the actual launch checklist and procedure...this is the unclassified version.
as someone who's been a contractor at the Armée, clearly, we don't have this transparency. Neither britains, russians, germans or china. Hell even if this missile system is old, you don't unveil the plans of anything and the procedure there, just, is not like this.
I should maybe mention that this was painted on the entrance door of at least one Minuteman launch facility. There are pictures of this. Just in case anyone did not know this. EDIT: Found a video on RU-vid showing that. Your search term is "Minuteman Missile Tour in South Dakota FULL", and the door in question can be seen around the 24 minute mark.
Of course this the unclassified checklist from the T.O. which is a little shorter. I have taken and given hundred or so missile procedures training rides and can assure you many have the case of the nerves when doing the emergency war order portion for missile launch. You have to understand even a bad evaluation in training ride can limit or even eliminate your career especially under the Strategic Air Command. I have witnessed deputies turning the key so hard they have broken the key and cut their fingers. I also have seen shoulders dislocated when they have dropped something while strapped in with the belts. The scariest alarm for the missiler is called alarm #2 you heard when the enable was initiated. If I remember correctly you get the same alarm when an intruder breaks the inner security alarm at a launch facility. To say in a go to war scenario your nervous is a real understatement even in training, but that is precisely why constant training is required so your reactions are precise, correct and automatic.
Spot on Jerry ... that Alarm #2 could always get the adrenaline flowing as you tried to figure out why it was sounding. (MCCC/FC 510SMS 351SMW INDIA Flight)
@@tombohon6280 - I am a 510th man myself, started in November flight then Oscar. There from 1982 -1986 before moving to GLCM, I think we may had some overlap.
@@justdad53 Thanks so much for the information, Jerry! Do you mind explaining what the purpose of the seatbelts is? Is it in case there's an enemy strike while the procedure is occurring so the crew doesn't get knocked unconscious? That was my guess.
@@justdad53 Hey there from a fellow Missileer 508th 88-92, although I pulled a few alerts in the 510th when I was an instructor, nothing like an Oscar alert home right after changeover but the constant tours were a pain...nobody was going to Hotel for a tour...lol
Working for FAA NAS/ATC facility sys ops, I think some of those analog electronics are still in service today. DIP switches and Toggle sequence programming. Standby tape decks for flight/ATC recording. If it’s reliable, it’s good even if it costs 100x alternative solutions. It all still works, mostly. Although FAA ATC ops is high stress, we don’t change the Earth for a 1000 years when called to do our duty. Much respect to everyone who supported these systems…on both sides of the planet. ✊
MMII/CDB ICBM Missile Combat Crew Commander Instructor, 321st SMW/DOTI, GFAFB, ND. 4 years on crew when SAC was running the show. 5 HQs, 15th AF Crewmember Excellence, Olympic Arena Primary Competitor. Completed IQT at what was then the 4315th CCTS, Vandenberg AFB, CA. Damn proud to have done it but damn glad when it was over and I was on my way to a new USAF assignment South of ND.
@@JamieVegas, far more involved (and classified). Why train for a fake one? Like anything else, training makes you better, and it has to be “fake,” otherwise it would be war. We don’t want that, right? ;-)
Being in the US Navy, there is one secret to this (practice, practice, practice) And then when you got it right MORE PRACTICE to keep it that way. Being a radioman, I also had to learn those similar type of procedure for voice radio.
That red box they were opening; I welded several dozen of them together when I was assigned to the 28th FMS welding shop, Ellsworth AFB, SD. From August 1976 to December 1979
P7 was the training enable code that was inserted with the thumbwheels during the enable portion of the launch sequence. If anyone is going through South Dakota, there is a museum at Ellsworth AFB outside Rapid City on I 90. The 44SMW MPT (Missile Procedures Trainer) is in this museum. Continuing eastward towards Wall, SD Delta LCC (Launch Control Center) is open for tours given by, I believe, the National Park Service. As I recall the tours are free, but due to space limitations, reservations are recommended. Tours of the LF (Launch Facility) trainer on base and a Delta Flight LF near Wall are also available. Thank you all for your interest. It means a lot.
William, I'm the guy who was responsible for creating the site as you know it. I worked hand in hand with the park service to make the facilities accessible to the general public. I got the job by virtue of being the only person in civil engineering that knew the procedure for accessing both the launcher and alert facility. It came at the end of my 20 year career on active duty. I loved preserving this part of our cold war history. Thanks for your service in the capsule!
The Delta LCC was the squadron command post. Had additional comm systems over non-command post LCCs. Spent almost three years at Delta as the Senior Crew Member for the 66ths. It got real dicey at Easter when the "Sword to Plowshare" protesters would climb the perimeter fence at one of Delta's LFs to protest. We always had two mobile fire teams and a helicopter at LCF for this day.
And then there was no point into doing anything else. With that, the war is over. The surface is no longer habitable. Likely the entire planet would be that way in a matter of days. I think the only thing to do would be to pull your sidearm and check out since you just helped make all of Human history irrelevant and doomed the only planet we know with life on it to extinction.
My old junior high school had an underground wrestling room, which was a decommissioned Nike missile site. The huge metal doors on the ceiling were still there and the control room didn't have equipment in it anymore, but it was both cool and terrifying. Wish I could see it again.
The old SAC form 1800! Papa 7's for enable code (only in the simulator)! Shoot the works for the launch sequence! Good job! It was also nice to see the old EWO building at Vandenberg!
When I was at Minot, a PBS team came onto the base to do a documentary called "Nuclear Outpost". I happened to be in the MPT for a trainer ride while people from that team were observing. The instructors actually let them on the floor with the crew. One of the reporters asked me if I had nightmares about nuclear war. I told her "No. I have nightmares about Two Officer Policy violations". And I did, too. I was dead serious. She just stared at me like I was crazy.
The thing that really brings the situation home for me is that the watch have to wear the restraint belts...in an underground hardened silo complex. God forbid it ever comes to a real nuclear exchange.
My youngest daughter was in the class behind these two. I asked her if she knew either of them? She said she sits alert with the one fumbling with the keys.
"Hello this is the lockpickinglawyer and today we will be launching some ICBMs". Seriously... those keys, did nobody think about something more secure?
Keys are just a glorified switch. The idea is that both crew members must authenticate an Emergency War Order to get the keys out of the safe, they must enter valid codes and so forth to get the system to actually register a key turn, and if there isn't a valid message then it will be clear that the crews attempted to tamper with the system. It's not like starting your car. There are layers upon layers of contingencies at play.
When I was on crew in the 1980s, we were issued “Crew Blues”. Essentially, they were the same uniform as worn by the Thunderbird ground crews. A dark blue fatigue shirt and pants with a neck scarf or ascot that was colored according to the assigned squadron. At the 44SMW 66 SMS blue, 67 SMS yellow, 68 SMS red, Instructors white, Standardization Evaluation black, Flight Commanders and Flight Commander’s Deputy gray. I understand that sometime in the 90s, perhaps, the Crew Blues were phased out for flight suits. When Minuteman first went on line, the crew uniform was white coveralls and a construction type hard hat.
@@williampeterson5554 Call me dumbo but why the seat belts, is there a movement underground or is it for when the missile takes off and the resultant vibration. Also what are you trained to do after the missile is launched?
The area the ladies are sitting in was called an Acoustic Enclosure. This was hung from the ceiling of the reinforced concrete capsule by huge chains and four shock isolators. In the event of a near miss, it was expected that the Acoustic Enclosure would be violently shaken, hence the need to strap in before launch. If we survived the attack, we were told we had done our job and were on our own. I planned to try to find my family or what their fate was, if possible. However, I didn’t think it was too healthy to dwell on these matters while on alert
These officers make me feel secure about our LCC procedures and proficiency. Our enemies will watch this and see our level of readiness with TRAINEES .God willing they are the deterrence that keeps the peace forever. The missileers are the unsung heroes of the peace we have kept; their heroism is of an unsung type. Their stunning display of commitment and resolve during these test launched here and other videos lends hope against ever having to take launch action.
I was Army '83-'86. Ready to meet the Soviet Army puring through the Fulda Gap. Wish I'd known they were a shambles just as we were getting our act together after the mess we were in during the early to mid '70's.
Honeywell manufactures a lot of that panel hardware along with Allen Bradley for the pilot lights, indicators and switches. Remember that the next time you change your thermostat. Or should I say thermonuclear-stat.
1:23 Improved and perfected version is three-way handshake insert protocol which currently inherited by USB This version of the protocol ensures that at least three attempts are required to properly insert the device and complete the transmission connection, which must be done intentionally by the operator and almost impossible by any unintentional accident.
LOL Though in fairness, unless there was a catastrophic security leak, no one was gonna try and drop a nuke right on top of you in the middle of a launch evolution.
Yes and it was a major stress and bullshit. No wonder all our generation are ruined either physically or mentally. Too much stress for a young kid to worry about.
I was on crew from 1980 to 1984, and yes we never did 35 on those gravel roads. Those old clapped out Suburbans were good for at least 90. The For Fairmonts were pitiful.
I hear you. We radioed Transportation Control at least five minutes prior to leaving the LCF and didn't report on base arrival until we turned in our logs and tapes and was heading to the vehicle turn in. That way they couldn't use time catch up speeding. Oh, and you're right the about the old gas powered Suburbans were way safer than the front heavy diesel suburbans. When you hit gravel washboards in the diesels they would veer all over the place.
I served on a launch crew at Ellsworth from 1963 to 1966. We never had any women on launch crews in those days. Retired in '81 and don't think they were on crews even then. No problem on them serving on launch crews. Fully capable for women.
Not true, women began serving in Titan II on crew and maintenance in 1978. These ladies were Titan crew making the transition to Minuteman. Maj Mark Clark, USAFR (Ret), former senior DMCCC in Titan, and a Minuteman deputy, MCCC, codes officer and instructor at GFAFB.
@@markclark1654, you're right, I should have been more clear: women didn't serve on Minuteman missile crews until the late 80s--they had already been serving on Titan crews.
We used to take our codes down to the combat crew when we arrived at an LCF. We would have Texas cage matches in the elevator on the way down. I rarely saw combat crews in uniform.
Imagine what would be going through your mind if it was you that just launched those missiles knowing the world as we know it was soon to end. And most likely the fact you were never going to leave the underground firing module alive!
I get the feeling that half of the steps and timed urgency in the procedure is to keep personal busy from having such thoughts. All they really need to do is confirm order authenticity, input required target, input required yield and fire.
That thought crossed my mind. I can't imagine doing a job that you pray that is never necessary but, once done they had to know that no one would be coming to get them out of there. They were to await further instructions but face it, even if there were survivors, they probably can't rescue them. In a way, it was almost cruel that they would survive only to eventually starve to death or suffer radioactive fallout trying to go somewhere else.
Both persons tried inserting their keys backwards, because the long "lever" of the key is pointing opposite the way it normally extends on keys used to open doors and start cars. Poor design.
That's actually probably good design as it forces you to pay attention to the key that launches a freaking nuclear missile. Also the long part of the key points to the direction the key is selected to. Which helps also. Removes ambiguity. And since this was a training on the new launch system, it makes sense they hadn't yet committed that to rote memory.
As an American citizen and taxpayer. I am proud of the men and women that sacrifice their life to do this job. God bless you all.. Remember this thought.. God forbid. Such an act will happen. But, I know taking my last breath that the men and women under ground will do their job and be proud....
William Write "unsettling". It was interesting to see, in a clinical, detached sort of way, but, dear Christ in heaven, what if these officers, or any others, had ever had to do it for real?
William Write Or if they ever have to do it for real? And I'm not talking about the difficulties they had with the keys or their seat belts, I mean what if some stupid, trigger-happy bastard out there actually pushes The Button?
FS2K4Pilot I don’t spend my days worried about if they had to do it for real. As a former service member I did it “for real”. Those days are past for me and I find seeing equipment from a bygone era that I had connection to a neat reminder of my past.
Should take less than a minute for the entire launch sequence. My Father designed the electrical system for the minuteman silos, which is what helped the structure pass inspection to put into service. Months of grueling design and test work, exploding the mockup silos with C4 to locate the weak spots in the concrete walls and the electrical conduit. All those hours and weeks and months he worked to save a missile design that was about to be scrapped because they couldn't build a silo strong enough to contain it, that actually once built, seriously improved the U.S. firepower and persuaded other countries to Back Off. He gave them the best design and it passed the explosion tests and they went into production, and What did they reward him with????A Stupid $2 Wooden clock with and engraved plate that said "Thank you for your dedication", and a sticker on the bottom that says "Made in China" .... I know many gave their lives in these Pathetic wars, but just ironic that the one Thank You gift, for helping defend the U.S. in a Major way, was a product of China...........
@@whiteknightcat Yeah the thing is the actual sequence is a little different and most of the things would have been done earlier in prep messages and the actual times are still classified I think but yeah things happen a lot faster and minuteman isn't far from the truth...obviously for classification reason you can't see the real thing but this is not a bad representation.
