"Mishap last year in which a B-52 bomber unknowingly carried 6 nuclear warheads across the country"

[kpete]

"A mishap last year in which a B-52 bomber unknowingly carried six nuclear warheads across the country"

can you BELIEVE the crap we're expected to swallow...?

mishap...?

lost focus...?

unknowingly...?

nuclear warheads...?

across the country...?

and we're supposed to sit here, read the story on the "official" report, solemnly nod, cluck our tongues, and mutter under our breath, "well, shit happens...?"

are they FUCKING KIDDING ME...??

do they think we're COMPLETE IDIOTS...??
http://takeitpersonally.blogspot.com/2008/02/mishap-last-year-in-which-b-52-bomber.html

Air Force's nuclear focus has dimmed, studies find

The two independent reviews were ordered after a B-52 bomber unknowingly carried nuclear warheads across the country last year.

By Peter Spiegel, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
February 13, 2008

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. military has lost focus on its nuclear-weapons mission and has suffered a sharp decline in nuclear expertise, factors that may have contributed to a mishap last year in which a B-52 bomber unknowingly carried six nuclear warheads across the country, according to two new independent reviews.

Both studies found that levels of nuclear training and alertness at the Air Force slipped after the end of the Cold War. But one of the reports was much more critical, saying accidents far worse than the errant B-52 flight could occur without immediate changes in nuclear procedures.

"The task force and several of the senior people interviewed believe that the decline in focus has been more pronounced than realized and too extreme to be acceptable," said the report compiled by an outside panel chaired by retired Air Force Gen. Larry D. Welch.

Both reviews were ordered after the August bomber flight, in which Air Force weapons officers accidentally loaded the B-52 in North Dakota with nuclear weapons.

more at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-b52s13feb13,0,4821120.story?track=ntothtml

[Solly Mack]

1. "mishap" "mistakes were made" "policy failure"

Lot of shit to swallow

[tekisui]

2. Damn, the Air Force has lost it's focus?

I thought that was the Military's Key: Focus.

[unhappycamper]

3. I've been posting 'stuff' in the Veterans forum for a while now.

Minot is still not certified to handle nuclear weapons. I saw a report today that 237 nuke handling deficiencies cited since 2001.

Do a search in the Veterans forum using 'minot' to see the rest of the stuff.

[Thothmes]

4. I can understand this happening

When a lot of navy ships carried nuclear weapons we were required to maintain very well trained handling crews and security forces on board the ships. When the special weapons were finally off loaded from most navy ships, the requirement for handling crews and security forces remained in effect. This was in case we had to at some future time ships had to reload these weapons. What actually happened was that the amount of command attention to the training and qualifications decreased drastically as there were wolves closer to the sleds to be dealt with. In come cases it was reduced to a pro forma paperwork drill for the weapons officers except for an annual exercise or so. I could easily see this happening in the Air Force. There are probably a lot of Air Force weapons people that have never actually handled a live nuclear weapon in their careers. This breeds laxity and so what approach to the requirements. JMO

[Vickers]

5. "levels of nuclear training and alertness at the Air Force slipped after the end of the Cold War"

That is a lie.

[lynnertic]

6. but then there were 5

I remember that the news reported the B52 carried FIVE live nukes. The air force must have found the other one since then.