55 National Guardsmen from the 190th Air Refueling Wing in Shawnee County, Kansas deployed to Guam combat the threats coming from North Korea's missile tests.
Members of the Air National Guard spend hours in the sky above the Pacific to send a stern message.
“It is a show of force, saying 'hey, we’re here and if you do anything wrong we will be here to stop it,'” said Wing Commander Col. Jarrod Frantz.
The military has been building up its presence in Guam for years, preparing for present day.
Over the weekend, North Korea carried out another missile test. With each one, the country gets a little closer to creating a missile capable of reaching the U.S.
In 2015, 41 Action News traveled to Guam with the Air Guard to get an in-depth look at the mission.
Col. Frantz said the goal remains the same, but operations have intensified.
"The pace of operations has definitely picked up," he said. "With every one, North Korea gets a bit more successful, gains more knowledge and improves and builds on that. So the pace at which those tests are accelerating and advancing is what’s raised a lot of concern.”
Members from the 190th Air Refueling Wing will return from Guam next month.
Plans are already in place for a return in 2018.
