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THULE AIR BASE, Greenland – Thule
Air Base lies approximately 750
miles north of the Arctic Circle
and 946 miles from the North Pole,
with temperatures typically ranging
from 30 to 40 degrees below zero in
the winter to 30 to 40 degrees in
the summer. With a population of
U.S., Canadian, Danish and
Greenlandic personnel, the base
provides security, communications,
civil engineering, personnel,
services, logistics and medical
services, supporting the missile
warning and space surveillance and
satellite command and control
operations missions. Operated by
the 821st Air Base Group, Thule AB
is one of the six installations
maintained by the 21st Space Wing.
(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior
Airman Tiffany DeNault) |
THULE
AIR BASE, Greenland -- Approximately
750 miles north of the Arctic Circle
and 946 miles from the North Pole,
with temperatures typically ranging
from 30 to 40 degrees below zero in
the winter to 30 to 40 degrees in the
summer, lies
Thule Air Base.
Upon arrival and getting hit in the
face with the frigid, cold air, a
welcoming committee made up of senior
leadership is on the flightline
waiting to shake your hand and
welcome you to Thule.
The area began as a Danish-American
radio and weather station in 1946.
Then in 1951 it became the Thule
Defense Area under Operation Blue
Jay. Today, Thule Air Base supports
the missile warning and space
surveillance and satellite command
and control operations missions. With
a population of approximately 700
people including U.S., Canadian,
Danish and Greenlandic personnel, the
base provides security,
communications, civil engineering,
personnel, services, logistics and
medical support.
In addition to support and
sustainment of the 12th Space Warning
Squadron and the 23rd Space
Operations Squadron Detachment 1,
Thule supports Danish and Canadian
resupply missions as well as
scientific research missions. The
Canadian resupply mission, Operation
BOXTOP I (spring) and II (fall),
Operation NORTHERN FALCON, a Danish
resupply mission, and the Greenland
Inland Transfer, where the National
Science Foundation drives supplies
inland in large tractors every two to
three years, are example of these
missions.
"Operating a base in an arctic
environment comes with many
challenges including extremely cold
temperatures and daylight extremes
from 24 hours of daylight for several
months to 24 hours of darkness for
several months," said Col. Todd Diel,
821st Air Base Group commander. "In
addition to the environmental
extremes, we also receive most of our
supplies through the seaport, which
is frozen over nine months out of the
year, which limits the availability
of some of our supplies."
Surprisingly there are several
entertainment opportunities even
though Thule AB is in a remote
location with the closest town being
about 75 miles away. In the summer
there are boat tours, a three-hole
golf course, a go-cart track and the
very popular climb up Mount Dundas.
"I love it out here, I really enjoy
getting to know everyone I work
with," said Tech. Sgt. Andrew
Krausfeldt, 23rd SOPS Detachment 1
NCO in charge. "When it's light
outside, it's great because you can
just hop in a truck and go on a Thule
trip at two in the morning and it's
still beautiful outside."
Even though the people are in an
arctic environment, the surrounding
sites are beautiful and look
different each day. The sunsets at
the pier, miles of frozen water, the
different sized icebergs, glaciers,
arctic foxes and hares, all change
daily.
"The year being here has been a great
experience, I can see icebergs
floating by the pier outside my
window," said Diel. "I am amazed by
the Airmen and all members of Team
Thule that come together to create a
really special place, to make such an
inviting place where everyone takes
care of each other and everyone
fulfills their role as part of the
team."
Thule, one of the six installations
operated by the 21st Space Wing, is
the northernmost Department of
Defense installation along with the
northernmost deep water seaport, and
operates the Air Force's
only tugboat.
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