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By Senior Airman Melody Howley, 319th Reconnaissance Wing Pubic Affairs / Published January 23, 2020
General Jay Raymond, U.S. Space Force chief of space operations, signs the United States Space Command sign inside of the Perimeter Acquisition Radar building Jan. 10, 2020, on Cavalier Air Force Station, North Dakota. Raymond toured inside the PAR building, where he learned first-hand how operations work inside the facility and listened to Airmen’s suggestions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Melody Howley)
Base leaders greet General Jay Raymond, U.S. Space Force chief of space operations, on their helicopter pad Jan. 10, 2020, on Cavalier Air Force Station, North Dakota. Raymond arrived to Cavalier after visiting the University of North Dakota, where he toured the new Walking Space Studies facility and spoke with Reserve Officer Training Corps and Space Studies students. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Melody Howley)
General Jay Raymond, U.S. Space Force chief of space operations, sits down for a conference discussing base functionality and Airmen readiness Jan. 10, 2020, on Cavalier Air Force Station, North Dakota. Cavalier commanders expressed their appreciation for Raymond’s visit, and gave him insight on the current status of the station in functionality and readiness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Melody Howley)
General Jay Raymond, U.S. Space Force chief of space operations (left), the Honorable Kevin Cramer, U.S. North Dakota senator (middle), and Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Durand, 10th Space Warning Squadron commander (right), cut a ribbon during a ceremony for the opening of the improved 10th SWS Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility Jan. 10, 2020, on Cavalier Air Force Station, North Dakota. The SCIF allows crewmembers to access timely intelligence on space and missile threat systems and adversary capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Melody Howley)
Gen. Jay Raymond, U.S. Space Force chief of space operations, visited here, Jan. 10, for his first in-depth look at the Cavalier mission and to provide Spartan Airmen insight into the future of Space Force. Cavalier AFS is the only isolated stateside installation in the Air Force. Located 15 miles west of the city of Cavalier, North Dakota, and 15 miles south of the Canadian border, Cavalier is home to the 10th Space Warning Squadron, which operates the Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization System. During his visit Raymond visited the PARCS, the only operational ground-based phased-array radar remaining from the 1970’s era “Safeguard” anti-ballistic missile program. In addition, he made history as the first commander to put a signature on the U.S. Space Command banner inside the facility. He toured through the community activity center and took part in a lunch hosted by Spartan Airmen and their spouses, where he was able to take time to get to talk with them and their families. Raymond also took the opportunity to speak with Airmen during an all-call where he announced a new $700 a month assignment incentive pay that will be given to those assigned to Cavalier. The AIP will provide financial relief for Cavalier airmen who pay on average 49% more for groceries due to their remote duty location. “It is an exciting time to be in the space business”, Raymond said. Following the all-call, Raymond participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony that recognized the official activation and full operational capability of the 10 SWS Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility. The SCIF will serve as the primary catalyst for enabling intel-driven operations for Cavalier. Raymond was stationed at nearby Grand Forks Air Force Base from August 1985 to October 1989, where he was a second lieutenant assigned to the 321st Strategic Missile Wing. Today, he is the principal military adviser to the Secretary of the Air Force for Space Operations and supervises Space Force units and organizations as the designee of the SECAF.