Minot nuke handlers pass re-inspection

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Minot nuke handlers pass re-inspection

By Michael Hoffman - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Aug 16, 2008 9:25:24 EDT

The 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., passed its defense nuclear surety re-inspection Aug. 15, Air Combat Command officials said.

“Minot went through a very tough re-inspection over the past few days,” ACC Inspector General Brig. Gen. Joseph Reynes said. “I can tell you the 5th Bomb Wing performed in an exceptional manner during this re-inspection. Every airman met the demanding standards required by our Air Force and Air Combat Command.”

Inspectors failed the wing in May after multiple nuclear security and logistics movement errors. The May inspection was the first since last August, when airmen mistakenly loaded six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles on a B-52 that flew to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., where the plane sat on the flight line unattended for hours.

Defense Threat Reduction Agency inspectors gave the wing an “unsatisfactory” after the weeklong inspection concluded May 25. According to their report, inspectors found one security forces airman playing video games on his cell phone while standing guard at a “restricted area perimeter” and another airman who was unaware of her “duties and responsibilities,” among many other errors.

The DTRA inspectors specifically found wing security forces leadership at fault, describing them as “unengaged in the proper supervision of [security forces] airmen,” according to DTRA’s report.

May’s failed inspection cost the 5th’s security forces commander, Lt. Col. John Worley, his job. He was replaced by Lt. Col. Stephen Weaver on June 16.

Since then, wing leaders have addressed the nuclear security and logistics movement problems found by inspectors and spent the past three months preparing for the re-inspection with a robust series of exercises that have occurred about twice a week, Minot spokeswoman Maj. Elizabeth Ortiz said.

Thirty-five inspectors from national- and service-level agencies came to Minot on Aug. 10 to ensure the necessary changes had been made and “determined the 5th Bomb Wing can execute its strategic mission in a safe, secure and reliable manner,” ACC spokeswoman Maj. Kristi Beckman said.

The successful re-inspection comes weeks after two more, though less serious, nuclear incidents occurred at Minot.

On July 12, three missile officers at the 91st Missile Wing fell asleep while securing a portable computer hardware module containing the codes needed to activate the control system for Minot’s intercontinental ballistic missiles. Then, on July 30 a truck carrying an unarmed Minuteman III missile booster tipped over on an access road on its way to a 91st Missile Wing silo.

“I am incredibly proud of all the airmen in the 5th Bomb Wing who have persevered through a tough time over the past year, and can attest that we are better for it,” 5th commander Col. Joel Westa said.

“I can promise America the warbirds of the 5th Bomb Wing are ready for any task and will continue to strive for excellence daily.”