By rssfeeds-admin 
In a one-on-one interview on Big
“It’s really great to be back in Abilene after a few years,” Nichols said. “Abilene and Dyess were formative in our family’s life. It really was. And we love it here, and we’re really happy to be back.”
Nichols brings 32 years of military service to his new civilian role, including command positions at both Dyess and Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. His background includes overseeing nuclear readiness as Director of Global Operations at U.S. Strategic Command.
“I was 32 years active duty Air Force, retired last summer. So I’ve been retired for about a year, and now back to Abilene,” he said. “My last job was the Director of Global Operations at U.S. Strategic Command… That’s the nuclear command. Think nuclear bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles, and ballistic missile submarines… making sure those forces were available at a moment’s notice, 24/7, 365.”
From San Angelo to Global Strike Operations
Originally from northern Ohio, Nichols said he and his wife first fell in love with West Texas while stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo.
“That was our first exposure to Texas, and we became Texas residents that year,” Nichols said. “We remember saying… we were going to retire here someday, and that’s exactly what we did.”
His military career included multiple tours at Dyess Air Force Base, flying the B-1 bomber.
“The B-1 is an incredible warfighting machine,” he said. “But the people that maintain it, that support it, that fly it… all of that is incredible.”
Nichols explained he came to pilot training late — eight years into his career — and joined the B-1 community just before 9/11.
“Just as fate would see it, I finished training there at Dyess… and that’s when 9/11 kicked off,” he said. “So I was fortunate enough to finish my training… and then there we were, fighting from Thumrait Air Base in Oman… A lot of deployments in those years, because the U.S., and really the world, was responding to the attacks on 9/11.”
Later, he returned to Dyess to command the 20th Bomb Squadron, the B-1’s formal training unit.
The Iran Mission
As commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB in Missouri — home of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber — Nichols oversaw preparations for what would become a historic global strike mission in June of 2025: a 37-hour round-trip operation to Iran.
“That’s the mothership for the B-2 mission,” Nichols said. “So, incredible mission with an incredible stealth bomber and an incredible weapon.”
He detailed the use of the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, known as the GBU-57 — a 30,000-pound precision-guided bomb.
“Think 50,000 feet hitting a refrigerator door with a 30,000-pound bomb,” Nichols said. “It’s built to dig deep… These weapons, this weapon system, and these operators… destroyed it.”
Nichols credited joint-force collaboration and operational security for the mission’s success.
“The President said, go strike very important targets in Iran, and the mission was pulled off flawlessly,” he said. “The Navy was shooting Tomahawk land-attack missiles… There were multiple support assets, intel, surveillance, reconnaissance, fighter escort — tons of stuff coming together.”
“This mission… has been in work for years. A decade and a half, kind of timeline,” he added. “Our adversaries are watching. You can rest assured the leaders, the dictators of these other countries, sat up real straight in their chair when they saw the United States of America pull this off.”
Eyes on Dyess
Nichols said the arrival of the nuclear-capable B-21 will bring significant changes.
“It’s a mindset change. It’s a procedural change. Things are a lot tighter… a lot more security,” he said. “It is going to have a huge impact at Dyess and in this community.”
He added, “Absolutely, Dyess could get the call. In addition to that strike portion, the 317th [Airlift Wing] continues to do incredible things at a very rapid rate.”
Now in a civilian role as vice president of military affairs for the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, Nichols said his goal is to advocate for airmen and families as Dyess navigates this transformative period.
“These are exciting times for Dyess,” he said. “The base’s nuclear mission will forever change its role in national security, and the community’s support is vital to making that a success.”
Strategic Impact and Deterrence
Nichols explained that the nuclear-capable B-21 Raider will enhance the United States’ ability to hold critical targets worldwide at risk. “The bomber carries a strategic message,” he said. “It can force project long distances and hold any target at risk 24/7.”
He cited recent operations involving nuclear-capable bombers that demonstrated this capability. “Just a few weeks ago, B-2 bombers conducted strikes against nuclear facilities in Iran with remarkable precision,” Nichols said. “These weapons and platforms play a key role in deterring conflict and assuring our allies.”
Nichols, who served as director of global operations at U.S. Strategic Command before retiring, oversaw the day-to-day readiness of the nation’s nuclear forces. He emphasized that Dyess’ new role will demand continuous, high-level operational readiness.
“The nuclear command and control mission means Dyess will have to maintain forces ready at a moment’s notice—24/7, 365,” Nichols said. “This isn’t just about projecting power; it’s about deterrence. Making sure adversaries understand the United States can and will respond decisively.”
Security and Infrastructure Upgrades
With the arrival of the B-21 and the nuclear mission, Nichols said Dyess must ramp up force protection. Federal funds recently secured by Congressman Jodey Arrington will upgrade key base entry points to meet heightened security standards.
“That $4.1 million deal is huge,” Nichols said. “Force protection is more important than ever. Our adversaries are constantly looking for vulnerabilities.”
He noted the challenge of integrating the new B-21 mission alongside existing operations. “Dyess will be simultaneously operating B-1 bombers, C-130s, and building up for the B-21. That takes planning and coordination.”
A Message for the Public
With increased security and strategic capability at Dyess, Nichols urged the public to remain vigilant.
“My message to anyone… is keep your head on a swivel,” he said. “If you hear something, see something, smell something that doesn’t seem right, then take aggressive action.”
Nichols also took time to acknowledge Texans affected by recent flooding.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the families and victims,” he said. “The incredible thing about Texas is people really come together… It’s happened before, it’ll happen again.”
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