HILARIOUS: US Air Force sacks nuclear commander after blunders

[Screaming Skull]

US Air Force sacks nuclear commander after blunders​

WASHINGTON — The US Air Force said on Thursday the commander of a nuclear wing had been sacked after his unit failed a safety inspection, trucks carrying missile parts crashed and officers under him fell asleep with launch codes in hand.

Colonel Christopher Ayres, commander of the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, was removed Wednesday "due to loss of confidence in his ability to command," Air Force Space Command said in a statement.

The Air Force has tried to improve its handling of the country's nuclear arsenal after a series of mishaps and blunders led to the sacking of the service's top civilian and military leaders last year.

"We must uphold the highest standards within the nuclear enterprise," said General Robert Kehler, head of Air Force Space Command, who approved the firing.

The removal of the wing commander came days after an Air Force investigation blamed "driver error" for an August accident in which a truck carrying parts for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) went off the road and tipped on its side.

In the bizarre accident, the driver had become distracted by "a large insect" that landed on his back, the Air Force said.

Another truck carrying an ICBM rocket booster crashed last year, the Air Force Times reported.

The 91st Missile Wing, which oversees 150 Minuteman II ballistic missiles, also failed an inspection by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency in 2008, Captain Toni Tones, a spokeswoman for Air Force Space Command, told AFP.

The wing passed a second inspection this year, she said.

In another embarrassing incident, three Air Force officers at the wing fell asleep in July 2008 while in possession of classified components containing missile launch codes for ICBMs. The three officers were disciplined over the incident, Tones said.

Colonel Ferdinand Stoss, vice commander of the 90th Missile Wing in Wyoming, has been named to take over at the 91st wing.

In January, an outside panel headed by former defense secretary James Schlesinger concluded that the Air Force had for years given the nuclear forces a lower priority and failed to manage the mission with rigor.

AFP: US Air Force sacks nuclear commander after blunders

 

[duhastmish]

oh =

but what i cant understand is :

what does united states means - when they say - weapons of mass destruction are in irresponsible hands ????


lool - some time back i read a news - that they sent a nuclear bomb parts by mistake to hongkong and lost worth millions of nuclear weapons equipments .

 

[Screaming Skull]

oh =

but what i cant understand is :

what does united states means - when they say - weapons of mass destruction are in irresponsible hands ????

After reading the above article I too feel the same way. 'Irresponsible hands' indeed!

lool - some time back i read a news - that they sent a nuclear bomb parts by mistake to hongkong and lost worth millions of nuclear weapons equipments .

Those could be 'deliberate' mistakes too. No?

 

[S-2]

How did you learn this?

"The US Air Force said on Thursday..."

So everything is just fine in the PRC, Russia, Great Britain, France, Israel, India, and Pakistan?

Maybe.

I hope others are as forthcoming about issues as we are. Don't you?

 

[duhastmish]

How did you learn this?

"The US Air Force said on Thursday..."

So everything is just fine in the PRC, Russia, Great Britain, France, Israel, India, and Pakistan?

Maybe.

I hope others are as forthcoming about issues as we are. Don't you?

Absolutly right - s-2 atleast united states let everybody know about it.

but that doesnt take away the fact that - nuclear weapons were mishandled here.

and no - i personally dont buy that - other nuclear operator are handling worst or better than Americans.

but its not really funny when u hear about such - news coming out- that by mistake they lost a nuclear weapon. ( or parts )

when united states point finger at other nation - i certainly think onemust take the fingers back when their time comes.

Realise nobody is perfect. even if united states cant handle their weapon as perfect as some wish, how can other countries with less infrastructure.

----------------- I still think its more about over confidence and negligence which must be rectified and its happening a lot from united states ( aswell ) now a days ------------------============================

-======================================xxxxxxxxxxx=====

Those could be 'deliberate' mistakes too. No?

lool nah mate i dont buy those conspiracy theories much. lol but yes it was crazy to hear such kind of negligence happening - with state of art , equipments and stretagies and people gaurding them.

but - it might give some Hollywood director an idea to make an anti Chinese movie -loool . a bunch of hippie Chinese with a Georgie armani suited chinese gang leader. trying to steal the weapons of mass destruction.

loooool

 

[Screaming Skull]

How did you learn this?

"The US Air Force said on Thursday..."

So everything is just fine in the PRC, Russia, Great Britain, France, Israel, India, and Pakistan?

Maybe.

I hope others are as forthcoming about issues as we are. Don't you?

Well I appreciate the openness of the USAF and their policy of open self-introspection. Not taking anything away from them. In fact they are leading from the front and showing the way for others to follow. Transparency and openness pay more dividends in the long run. However, it is the sheer incompetence of the gents involved in this fiasco that tickled me here. Obviously, the USAF as an institution is not to be blamed when soldiers doze off with security codes of ICBMS or when a driver finds a large insect more threatening than a MT yield nuclear bomb. But their callous attitude isn’t showing the institution in good light either, especially, when you are touted as the lone superpower of the world and your president gets a Nobel for being a self proclaimed nuclear watchdog of the world!

 

[S-2]

"...I still think its more about over confidence and negligence which must be rectified and its happening a lot from united states"

You base your thought upon what, duhastmish? Only the United States of all these nuclear-armed countries has informed you of its mistakes.

How, then, can it be America that's overconfident?

We disclose. That's my point.

I guarantee you that others don't so your faith is poorly placed in those about whom you neither know nor won't so long as they maintain their silence.

 

[third eye]

Well, I'd be happier if there is a Nuke Power around who keeps things in the open as against another who keeps things in wraps till a Chernobyl blows up in our face.

 

[duhastmish]

"...I still think its more about over confidence and negligence which must be rectified and its happening a lot from united states"

You base your thought upon what, duhastmish? Only the United States of all these nuclear-armed countries has informed you of its mistakes.

How, then, can it be America that's overconfident?

We disclose. That's my point.

I guarantee you that others don't so your faith is poorly placed in those about whom you neither know nor won't so long as they maintain their silence.

no - s-2 over confident not united states but - those who were given responsibility , to safe guard them.

they should be given a wake up call , and well done - that this moron is sacked.

------ and mate i am not confident atall about , 100% safty of nuke anywhere - i think we are all sitting on our death bed. with these nuke which must be somehow eliminated from earth. ----- i am sure if united states have negligent buggers - so does china , india , russia ,Pakistan or france.

 

[S-2]

"...a driver finds a large insect more threatening than a MT yield nuclear bomb."

First, Screaming skull can you show me where the following mentions a MT yield nuclear bomb-

"...an August accident in which a truck carrying parts for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) went off the road and tipped on its side."

It doesn't even mention an assembled missile-just parts, much less a missile with a mated warhead. I'm sure I've read this accurately. Have you?

"...your president gets a Nobel for being a self proclaimed nuclear watchdog of the world!"

Is that the reason? I'm beginning to think you've an agenda that exceeds the events as we know them.

If so, you've lost me because it might appear it's you that's callous about the events or, perhaps, even intentionally distortional?

 

[Screaming Skull]

"...a driver finds a large insect more threatening than a MT yield nuclear bomb."

First, Screaming skull can you show me where the following mentions a MT yield nuclear bomb-

"...an August accident in which a truck carrying parts for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) went off the road and tipped on its side."

It doesn't even mention an assembled missile-just parts, much less a missile with a mated warhead. I'm sure I've read this accurately. Have you?

A nuclear warhead is also ‘a part’ of an ICBM. Isn’t it? So, ‘a truck carrying parts for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs)’ could be a truck carrying a nuclear warhead. Couldn’t it? So, am I not as just in assuming that it was carrying a nuclear warhead as you are in assuming that it wasn’t? It s just a matter of perspective!

"...your president gets a Nobel for being a self proclaimed nuclear watchdog of the world!"

Is that the reason? I'm beginning to think you've an agenda that exceeds the events as we know them.

If so, you've lost me because it might appear it's you that's callous about the events or, perhaps, even intentionally distortional?

See now you are shooting the messenger. Didn’t I post the news article as it is without distorting the facts and peppering it with my own views? You are the one who got overly defensive and brought in other countries along with India in the picture just to cover up the incompetence of your men.
Moreover, you have misunderstood me. From the outset I wanted this thread to be a light hearted one. Notice my use of the word ‘hilarious’ in the title and the funny emoticons in the first post. I did it deliberately so that the members see the funny side of it and laugh off the matter without bringing in all the garbage that usually accompanies such news.

 

[S-2]

"So, am I not as just in assuming that it was carrying a nuclear warhead as you are in assuming that it wasn’t? It s just a matter of perspective!"

The article makes clear that these were "parts for an intercontinental ballistic missile..."

Warheads are maintained and transported separately. They are mated at the silos. I know this and you do not.

There is no "perspective" at play if you've the knowledge of our procedures. As such, I sense you tap-dancing in dissemblance.

"Didn’t I post the news article as it is without distorting the facts and peppering it with my own views?"

Really? And your first comments were another joke?

"After reading the above article I too feel the same way... 'Irresponsible hands' indeed. Those could be 'deliberate' mistakes too. No?"

You're engaged in distortionism right now by conflating the reason for President Obama's award-

"...your president gets a Nobel for being a self proclaimed nuclear watchdog of the world!"

Please read...

IN DETAIL lest your dissembling and distortionist behavior continue-

Nobel Peace Prize 2009-The Norwegian Nobel Committee

I challenge you to find ANYWHERE in their description of the rationale behind the award a reference to being a nuclear watchdog of the world much less SELF PROCLAIMED.

"Moreover, you have misunderstood me. From the outset I wanted this thread to be a light hearted one."

I'm not laughing and you're not very accurate, are you?

Nor funny.

Henceforth don't confuse yourself for a comedian as you evidently lack the talent. Your choice of material was over your head and your delivery sucked.

Thanks.

 

[Xeric]

i love the yanks when they discipline their faulters ASAP!

 

[S-2]

"...i love the yanks when they discipline their faulters ASAP!"

I hope it was ASAP. It's a serious issue, to be sure, and demands immediate attention.

His career is done. Those at fault beneath him won't do much better, if any at all.

That's worse as he's likely got his retirement and I doubt that they'll take that from the colonel in question.

They might, though. I've seen retirements reduced or eliminated for cause before.

 

[Xeric]

Powerful media, perfect accountability and ruthless trials, no doubts they dictate whom ever they want.

But on a lighter note, i bet they cant 'hide' much even if they want to with so many crooks nourishing both inside and outside their establishments!