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The Air Force is planning to fire at least five officers for an incident in which nuclear-armed missiles were mistakenly loaded on a B-52 bomber and flown across the U.S. the worst known violation of nuclear security rules in decades.</p>
<p>Defense Secretary Robert Gates is scheduled to be briefed Friday on the plan to fire the officers and other results of a six-week Air Force probe into the Aug. 30 incident. No one noticed for hours that the weapons were on the bomber, several Defense Department officials said....
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The Air Force has decided to relieve at least five of its officers of command and is considering filing criminal charges in connection with the Aug. 29 "Bent Spear" incident in which nuclear-armed cruise missiles were mistakenly flown from North Dakota to Louisiana, two senior Air Force officials said yesterday. </p>
<p>Although senior Defense Department officials have not been fully briefed on the results of an Air Force probe of the incident, the sources said that at least one colonel is expected to lose his position and that several enlisted personnel will also be punished as part disciplinary actions that could be among the toughest meted out by the Air Force in years....
<p>While I don't know if these officers deserve what happens, I sure wish our citizens and media had similar desire for accountability in other non-military service groups within our government.</p>
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The widespread disregard for nuclear weapons safety standards by airmen at Minot and Barksdale Air Force bases led to the unprecedented Bent Spear incident in which six nuclear warheads were mistakenly loaded onto a B-52 and flown from North Dakota to Louisiana on Aug. 29-30, Air Force officials said Friday after an intensive six-week investigation.</p>
<p>The Air Force relieved the 5th Munitions Squadron commander at Minot immediately after the incident. On Friday, it announced that three more commanders have been sacked. They are:...
<p>oops--reading the article more closely I see that the navigator was supposed to check weaponry installed on the wing pylons also. what a mess all around.</p>
<p>How in the world could the initial mistake have occurred, if, in fact, the nuclear-tipped cruise missiles are stored in a separate facility, as stated in the article?</p>
<p>Talking to people who used to work in SAC, they somtimes mixed the storage. There is a window on the missile that the verifier is supposed to look into and check what color the warhead is (live or training). Obviously, multiple people failed to do this.</p>
<p>This whole situation has turned into a scape goat situation. Too many people trying to cover their A$$ and blame it on someone else. First of all, I don't even see what the problem is. Even if the plane crashed, it's not like the weapon could detonate or anything. But other than that, it should be the responsibility of the HIGHEST ranking person who knew what was going on. No one else. That is why we get paid the big bucks. Take all the people who knew ahead of time that it was going to transport from Minot to Barksdale. The highest ranking person is the one responsible. End of discussion. They shouldn't be going head hunting for 5,7,10, etc... people. </p>
<p>Military works off of the concept of the chain of command. Soldiers/sailors/airmen/etc... are authorized to disobey an order based on moral reasons. This was strictly an administrative decision. Whoever authorized it is responsible. NO ONE ELSE. Only because of politics and covering their a$$ are they making it political. I'm sure it's some 2-3 star general in D.C. trying to cover his a$$.</p>
<p>I cannot imagine long term concurrent storage. It is a waste of space but more importantly a waste of procedures. Why impose the very stringent accountability of nukes with non-nukes which would be necessary if they were stored together? It would undoubtedly lead to compromise. </p>
<p>I have read recently in relation to this incident conflicting statements that both the AF did and did not store nukes and conventionals together. Maybe in ready storage areas but I highly doubt elsewhere. If they did store them concurrently, the continuing career of the person who made that decision should, in my opinion, be questioned.<br>
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<p>Surely you cannot be serious. This is probably the most serious breach of nuclear security in the history of the military. Accountability of nuclear weapons must be flawless. Anything less results in lost, or even more critical, stolen weapons. All it would require would be a warhead in a location that only a single unscrupulous airman with financial problems knew about. The rest could literally be history. </p>
<p>Senior to the highest ranking person who knew what was going on, is the person responsible for his training and knowledge and execution of proper procedures. That person is perhaps more accountable than the lazy individual who skipped a step. And even the next level above this, not recognizing that proper procedures were not being implemented. It is called accountability. The Chairman of the JCS will definitely recognize the need for it. Heads should roll. </p>
<p>My question is did the ensuing inventory turn up any more missing or misplaced warheads? Was this a lone incident?</p>
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The military has named a new commander at Minot Air Force Base in the wake of a cross-country flight of a B-52 bomber armed with six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles.</p>
<p>The former commander, Col. Bruce Emig, who also served as the 5th Bomb Wing commander, was relieved of command in the wake of the bomber flight from the base to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.</p>
<p>Vice commander Col. Paul G. Greg Bell has been promoted to replace Emig, said Maj. Patricia Traynor, the base spokeswoman....
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An Air Force colonel who flew combat missions in B-52 bombers during Desert Storm and holds masters degrees in music and military arts has been named the new commander at the embattled Minot Air Force Base.</p>
<p>Col. Joel Westa will take over as the commander of the 5th Bomb Wing this month, the Air Force announced Tuesday. He currently is the vice commander of the 36th Wing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam....
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The unit that was at the center of the nuclear weapons debacle in August gets its new commander Thursday.</p>
<p>Col. Joel Westa is taking the reins of the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., two months after six nuclear warheads were mistakenly loaded onto a B-52 and flown from Minot to Barksdale Air Force Base, La. the most embarrassing and alarming screw-up in recent Air Force history.</p>
<p>Westa, a B-52 pilot, most recently served as vice commander of the 36th Wing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam....
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I sure wish our citizens and media had similar desire for accountability in other non-military service groups within our government.
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<p>LOL! :D</p>
<p>Can you imagine what would happen if we applied that standard to Congress, the Social Security Administration, whoever the hell runs Medicare and Medicaid, etc., etc., etc.? Washington would be a ghost town! </p>
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The new commander of Minot Air Force Base says airmen there have something to prove and a reputation to reclaim.</p>
<p>Weve got to prove, first of all, that we are capable, and I believe we are, Col. Joel Westa said as he officially took command of the base Thursday. Once we do that, then I want to get back to business as usual as much as possible.</p>
<p>Westas appointment, announced in October, came in the wake of a cross-country flight of a nuclear-armed B-52 bomber from the base to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana in late August....
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The unit and airmen at the center of the nuclear weapons debacle in August could get recertified to handle the weapons as soon as mid-February, the wings new commander said Monday.</p>
<p>Col. Joel Westa, who took command of the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., on Nov. 1, said airmen at the base are conducting extra training and working weekends to prepare for a series of upcoming inspections that could allow the wing to resume its nuclear mission....