It took a failed nuclear inspection, two missile trucks crashing, and junior officers literally dozing off with launch codes. But finally, the Air Force has canned Col. Christopher Ayres, the leader of the bumbling 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, N.D.
During the Cold War, Strategic Air Command (SAC) had a reputation for a draconian, "zero defects" culture. As an old humor patch put it, "To err is human, to forgive is not SAC policy."
Now it looks as if the Air Force is restoring that sort of rigor to its nuclear command*. *Michael Hoffman at Air Force Times has the scoop:
The truck crash was particularly bizarre. The vehicle swerved off the road after a “large insect” landed on the driver’s back, according to the accident report.
As Noah has reported here before, the Air Force’s nuclear handling inspections have become much more rigorous. But Minot seemed to have had trouble getting its act together: Last year, the Wing flunked a nuclear surety inspection after the Defense Threat Reduction Agency discovered security lapses.
Given the destructive power of thermonuclear weapons, it's easy to understand why there's no room for errors. While some in the nuclear force may have grumbled about minor errors being blown out of proportion, it's clear that Minot was overdue for a change.
[PHOTO: Wikimedia]
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