F. E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- Since 2001, the Twentieth Air Force ICBM Center of Excellence was focused on developing highly skilled nuclear professionals to execute lethal, safe and sure nuclear strike operations. For the last eighteen years, the school graduated over 300 enlisted and officer professionals per year, who are tactical experts, instructors, evaluators, and leaders of Airmen.
The center closed its doors Feb. 22, 2019.
ICE traces its history to the ICBM Maintenance Schoolhouse, started in 1968 by the ICBM Logistics Division, 3901st Strategic Missile Evaluation Schoolhouse at Vandenberg AFB in California. The original purpose of the school was to teach standardized evaluation techniques. In 2001, the organization became the ICBM Center of Excellence, creating a strong cadre of evaluators to return the focus to Nuclear Standards and ICBM Fundamentals. They later added instructor training and expanded its cadre and students to include operations and security forces.
In 2004, the school was renamed the "Colonel Wayne E. DeRue ICBM Center of Excellence" to honor Colonel DeRue's commitment to standardizing Air Force ICBM training and evaluation.