Nuke handlers not ready for inspection

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Minot inspections delayed
What’s holding up 5th Bomb Wing?


Nuke handlers not ready for inspection
By Michael Hoffman - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Jan 5, 2008 7:01:12 EST

The new 5th Bomb Wing commander at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., isn’t mincing words. Col. Joel Westa described his wing’s looming nuclear surety inspection as “the most scrutinized inspection in the history of time.” He understands his airmen have something to prove to the rest of the Air Force and the nation.

So it’s not surprising that a recently announced delay of the inspection, which had been planned for Jan. 23, has many observers wondering what’s going on.

It’s been a little more than four months since airmen at Minot made the unprecedented mistake of unknowingly loading a B-52 with six nuclear warheads and flying them from North Dakota to Barksdale Air Force Base, La.

After a six-week investigation into the incident, Maj. Gen. Richard “Dick” Newton, deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements, said an “erosion of adherence to weapons-handling standards” led to five major procedural errors at Minot. Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne called it an “unacceptable mistake.” The “Bent Spear” incident resulted in the firing of Westa’s predecessor, Col. Bruce Emig. Two group commanders and a squadron commander also got sacked, and 65 airmen were decertified from working with nuclear weapons, basically unable to do their jobs until they were recertified.

Still, with all that pressure and all that time, the 5th Bomb Wing isn’t ready to get back to work. When Air Combat Command inspectors visited Minot on Dec. 16 for its initial nuclear surety inspection — held before the NSI can start — they decided to push back the scheduled Jan. 23 inspection, consequently delaying the process to recertify the wing to handle nuclear weapons.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/01/airforce_minot_inspection_080105w/