U.S. air force sacks commander for nuke mismanagement

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/16/content_1224279...

2009-10-16

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Air Force said on Thursday that it had sacked a commander for mismanagement of nuclear missiles under his charge.

A news release from U.S. Air Force Space Command said Colonel Christopher Ayres was relieved of duty as the 91st Missile Wing Commander due to "a loss of confidence in his ability to command."

Recent incidents during his command, including the crash of a 91st Missile Wing truck carrying nuclear missile parts in August, contributed to the loss of confidence, it said.

Also in July 2008, three officers at the wing fell asleep while possessing missile launch codes. The wing failed to pass a Pentagon inspection last year, too.

The 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota is in charge of 150 Minuteman III nuclear missiles, sunk in hardened silos.

The base is one of two B-52 bomber bases in the country and is home to about 4,800 active duty military personnel.

The sacking of Ayres was the latest incident of a Pentagon campaign to improve nuke management of the U.S. Air Force and to punish those who fail to do so.

The U.S. Air Force is in charge of some 4,000 of nearly 6,000 active-duty nuclear warheads in the whole U.S. nuclear arsenal.