Air Force nuclear unit fails security test

[unhappycamper]

http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2013/08/14/1276029?sac=fo.military

Air Force nuclear unit fails security test
By Robert Burns
The Associated Press
Published: 12:00 AM, Wed Aug 14, 2013

WASHINGTON - An Air Force unit that operates one-third of the nation's land-based nuclear missiles has failed a safety and security inspection, marking the second major setback this year for a force charged with the military's most sensitive mission, the general in charge of the nuclear air force told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Lt. Gen. James M. Kowalski, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, said a team of "relatively low-ranking" airmen failed one exercise as part of a broader inspection, which began last week and ended Tuesday. He said that for security reasons, he could not be specific about the team or the exercise.

"This unit fumbled on this exercise," Kowalski said by telephone from his headquarters at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., adding that this did not call into question the safety or control of nuclear weapons at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana.

"The team did not demonstrate the right procedures," he said, and as a result was rated a failure.

[NuclearDem]

1. I actually remember the Air Force Times front cover about the Barksdale incident

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot indeed.

Best solution at this point is to just cut back on the nuclear stockpile. We've no need of such an abhorrent number of them, and we can put funding where it's actually needed.