Friday, January 17, 2014

More Embarrassments For The U.S. Air Force



Cheating Scandal Only Latest Embarrassment For U.S. Nuclear Force -- NBC

Safety lapses, binge drinking, drug use — the list of embarrassments plaguing the military’s nuclear force continues to grow, raising worries that the nation’s arsenal is not in good hands.

In the latest blow, 34 U.S. Air Force officers in Montana are accused of cheating on a monthly exam that tests their knowledge of missile launch systems — perhaps the biggest scandal of its kind for the force. The officers were suspended and stripped of their security clearances, officials said Wednesday.

This string of setbacks for the Air Force — centering on a department responsible for the country’s classified and sensitive nuclear arsenal — is the product of a shift in priorities, says one military historian.

“The guys and gals sitting in the missile silos think that nobody cares about them,” Robert L. Goldich, a former defense analyst for the Congressional Research Service for more than 30 years, told NBC News. “It’s a program starved of resources.”

Read more ....

My Comment: I expect problem officers and soldiers in all services .... there is always a few rotten apples in the barrel. But this long list of troubled officers in the nuclear wing .... from the top down .... is deeply disturbing.

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