Defense Sec. Fires Top Two Air Force Officials for Nuclear Errors.

[arnisador]

2 Leaders Ousted From Air Force in Atomic Errors

The Air Force’s senior civilian official and its highest-ranking general were ousted by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates on Thursday after an inquiry into the mishandling of nuclear weapons and components found systemic problems in the Air Force
[...]
“Mistakes are not acceptable when shipping and controlling sensitive, classified parts” of the United States’ nuclear arsenal, Mr. Gates said. “Our policy is clear. We will ensure the complete physical control of nuclear weapons, and we will properly handle the associated components at all times. It is a tremendous responsibility, and one we must not, and will never, take lightly.”

I know there's more to this--that Mr. Gates and others have been unhappy with the Air Force's activities related to the current wars--but I am very, very glad to see a high standard of accountability in such an important area as the care of nuclear materials. These errors were outrageous, and inattention to detail was the main reason. If you're going to care for nuclear weapons...come to work every day with the same focused mindset you expect of a surgeon.

 

[arnisador]

Gates Names Picks for Top 2 Replacements at Air Force

Defense Secretary Robert Gates launched the Air Force in a new direction Monday by announcing an unusual choice as the service's next uniformed chief and by declaring an immediate halt to personnel reductions that he said had put the Air Force under too much wartime strain.

Before flying here to explain his moves to airmen and their commanders, Gates recommended that President Bush nominate Gen. Norton Schwartz, a 35-year veteran with a background in Air Force special operations, as the new Air Force chief of staff, replacing Gen. Michael Moseley, who has been sacked.


In a sweeping shake up, Gates also formally sent former Air Force official Michael Donley's name to the White House to be the next secretary of the beleaguered service. Bush quickly announced he would nominate Donley, and designated him as acting secretary until he is confirmed by the Senate.

 

[elder999]

This was peripherally discussed here .

 

[arnisador]

Air Force missile launch crew fell asleep

Three ballistic missile crew members in North Dakota fell asleep while holding classified launch code devices this month, triggering an investigation by military and National Security Agency experts, the Air Force said Thursday.

The probe found that the missile launch codes were outdated and remained secure at all times. But the July 12 incident comes on the heels of a series of missteps by the Air Force that had already put the service under intense scrutiny.

"This was just a procedural violation that we investigated," said Air Force Col. Dewey Ford, a spokesman at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo. "We determined that there was no compromise."