Jason Young was the first of over 50 graduates of the Air Force Nuclear College’s Air Force nuclear concepts and insights course to achieve a perfect score on all course assessments. The course provides a survey of concepts and insights about the nuclear enterprise, its mission, and the importance of Air Force nuclear operations. (Official AF Photo)

By Mr. Eric Meiers, Air Force Nuclear College

The Air Force Nuclear College located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, one of four departments within the Air Force Institute of Technology’s School of Strategic Force Studies, recently graduated its first exceptional performer in the College’s Nuclear 250 Air Force Nuclear Concepts and Insights Course.

General Manager of the 583rd Missile Maintenance Squadron Depot Field Team providing field maintenance and sustainment support for Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles assigned to Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, Jason Young earned the distinction of being the first of over 50 graduated Nuclear 250 students to achieve a perfect score on all course assessments.

Colonel Craig Narasaki, SoSFS dean, praised Young’s efforts, saying, “Your superior performance in this new and academically demanding course is a testament to your diligence as a student and nuclear practitioner. You have set a high bar for our future students, and you have every right to be proud of your performance.”

Nuclear 250 is a 5-week, 40-hour nuclear professional continuing education web-based course providing lower to mid-level experienced nuclear mission professionals with a survey of concepts and insights about the nuclear enterprise, its mission, and the importance of Air Force nuclear operations and its role in providing strategic deterrence of adversaries and assurance to allies and partners. Students such as Young gain an upper-intermediate level of proficiency and broad understanding of strategic nuclear operations at the tactical to strategic levels, deterrence theory, policy, and the impact of nuclear modernization efforts.

Nuclear 250 was conceptualized in the spring of 2020 in direct response to COVID-19 restrictions, which negatively affected in-residence and mobile education team course attendance and college throughput production. The entire team of AFNC instructors developed the course curriculum, a majority of which was culled from in-residence Nuclear 200 and Nuclear 300 instruction blocks, using organic resources. The college launched the inaugural Nuclear 250 beta class on 1 February 2021 and is in the process of completing its third production class, which began 23 August 2021.

Not only is Young the first outstanding performer in Nuclear 250, for the past 11 years he has successfully led the 583rd Missile Maintenance Squadron Depot Field Team in providing sustainment support for 150 launch facilities and 15 missile alert facilities in the region. His team consists of 60 to 75 employees, who collectively execute requirements prioritized by a broad range of stakeholders. The maintenance and sustainment services provided by the 583rd Missile Maintenance Squadron keep Minuteman III missiles operationally capable and enable the Air Force to extend the life of the weapon system.

Airmen can learn more about the Air Force Nuclear College’s Nuclear 250 offering by visiting https://www.afit.edu/ex/page.cfm?page=1827.