Our Shield in the Heartland: The Sentinel Program

— May 14, 2025 —

Many Montanans and Americans across the country are losing trust in government, especially as essential federal services are dismantled under the current administration.

Last night in Lewistown, I witnessed something that restored my faith in our republic.

At a packed public meeting, U.S. Air Force and Army Corps of Engineers officials briefed community members on the rollout of the Sentinel Program, a once-in-a-generation modernization of the land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system that forms a critical pillar of America’s nuclear deterrent.

The professionalism, transparency, and humility of the officers and representatives present were a reminder that public service, when done right, still inspires trust.

Led by General Colin Connor, Director of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Modernization, Site Activation Task Force, along with Colonels and staff from Malmstrom Air Force Base, the message was clear: this program is real, it’s underway, and it’s essential to our long-term national and global security.

“Once the Air Force stands up a program, it’s for real,” Gen. Connor told the audience.

Montana has played a key role in strategic deterrence since the Cold War. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, the first ICBM went online in the Little Belt Mountains. President John F. Kennedy called it his “Ace in the Hole.” Since then, Montanans have hosted missile sites and command centers spanning 13,800 square miles, an area the size of New Jersey. These installations are manned around the clock, every day of the year, by highly trained men and women who keep watch in some of the most remote parts of the country.

The Sentinel Program will replace the aging Minuteman III system while ensuring there’s no lapse in readiness. As Colonel Daniel Voorhies, commander of the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB emphasized, “We will be maintaining the Minutemen while installing Sentinel.”

This is no minor upgrade. It's a full-scale replacement of a weapons system that hasn’t seen this level of modernization in 60 years.

Every detail is being evaluated, from missile silo design and utility corridors to local construction needs and environmental impact. What stood out to me was the deliberate care and respect the military is showing for local communities throughout this process.

Community input is not only welcomed, it’s essential. The Air Force has established a dedicated hotline and website for feedback and named Lt. Col. John Mayer as the local point of contact for Montana. Public meetings will continue to be held in the area as the new defense system is installed.

This program will only succeed if it's built on transparency, dialogue, and mutual respect and I strongly encourage Montanans to ask questions, share concerns, and stay engaged throughout the process.

At the same time, safety and vigilance are paramount. With national security at stake, the Air Force is urging community members to remain alert. Through programs like Eagle Eyes, residents are encouraged to speak up if they see anything suspicious.

“There are people, here and abroad, who don’t want this project to succeed,” Lt. Col. Mayer warned. Even a hunch is worth reporting and residents should not hesitate to contact local law enforcement. Every Montanan has a role to play in keeping this project, and our country, safe.

Montana union representatives spoke powerfully at the meeting in Lewistown. Their message was simple: “Montanans need to build this project.”

I couldn’t agree more. Our workers must be front and center.

Air Force representatives made it clear that this project will require skilled workers in four key trades: concrete, plumbing, HVAC, and electrical. These are good-paying jobs that should go to Montanans first. Our union halls in Billings, Great Falls, and across the state are already stepping up, recruiting and training tradespeople to be ready for this project.

I will fight to ensure Montana labor is prioritized, not sidelined, at every stage.

The military assured us that local labor will be critical, and I intend to hold them to it. Strategic defense cannot be outsourced. Neither can our responsibility to communities like Lewistown and others across the missile field.

Yes, this project will be complex. Yes, it will take time, possibly a decade. But this kind of long-term investment can strengthen our national security and our local economies.

Construction is already underway at Malmstrom and future infrastructure, like a 190,000-square-foot maintenance facility, will require sustained commitment, oversight, and collaboration.

One resident raised a tough but fair question: in an era of drones, cyberwarfare, and AI, are long-range missiles still the future? The military’s answer was firm: 13 consecutive administrations, Republican and Democrat, have affirmed the ICBM mission.

I also believe this question deserves continued discussion. As a U.S. Senator, I will always press for oversight, accountability, and adaptability in our national defense strategy.

Last night’s meeting in Lewistown reminded me what service looks like when it’s grounded in humility, competence, and community partnership. I will be a champion for the Sentinel Program. I will also be a watchdog. The public deserves transparency, and Montana deserves respect.

This is our home, these are our workers, and this is our shared future to defend. 🇺🇸