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Gates Ousts Air Force Leaders

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By THOM SHANKER

The New York Times

Published: June 6, 2008

WASHINGTON - The Air Force's senior civilian official and its highest-ranking general were ousted by Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday after an inquiry into the mishandling of nuclear weapons and components found systemic problems in the Air Force.
Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley were forced to resign after the inquiry found that the latest in a series of incidents reflected "a pattern of poor performance" in securing sensitive military components, Gates said at a Pentagon briefing.

So deep and serious are the problems, Gates said, that he has asked former secretary of defense and energy James Schlesinger to head "a senior-level task force" to recommend improvements in the safekeeping of nuclear weapons, delivery vehicles and other sensitive items.

Never before has a defense secretary simultaneously ousted a service secretary and a service chief. Gates said he had taken the action because the investigation identified "a lack of effective Air Force leadership oversight" and found that "the Air Force has not been sufficiently critical of its past performance."

"Mistakes are not acceptable when shipping and controlling sensitive, classified parts" of America's nuclear arsenal, Gates said. "Our policy is clear. We will ensure the complete physical control of nuclear weapons, and we will properly handle the associated components at all times. It is a tremendous responsibility, and one we must not, and will never, take lightly."

In a resignation letter to Gates, Wynne wrote, "I have read with regret the recent report concerning the control of nuclear-related assets," adding, "I have to live up to the same standards I expect from my Airmen."

The inquiry involving the Air Force was an effort to determine how four high-tech electrical nose cone fuses for Minuteman nuclear warheads were sent to Taiwan in place of helicopter batteries. The error was discovered in March - a year and a half after the mistaken shipment.

Prior Error Did Not Prompt Changes

Gates made clear that most troubling was that the inquiry showed how little had been done by the Air Force to improve the security of the nuclear weapons infrastructure even after it was disclosed last year that a B-52 bomber had flown across the United States without anyone realizing it was carrying six armed nuclear cruise missiles.

Gates emphasized that neither incident posed a danger of a nuclear mishap.

Nevertheless, he said, the inquiry made it clear that the Air Force had suffered for years from a loss of expertise in handling nuclear materials. He acknowledged that the Air Force had taken steps to improve the situation, but he said that more must be done to fix "structural, procedural and cultural problems."

The errors in handling nuclear weapons components constituted more than just an indication that the Cold-War-era focus on these powerful weapons had become fuzzy.

They have also put the Bush administration in a difficult position, as the United States is struggling to prevent nuclear technology from spreading to nations that do not have it and has criticized North Korea and Iran for their nuclear ambitions. American officials have even spoken harshly to Russia for not sufficiently safeguarding its stockpile.

After the incident with the nose cone fuses was discovered, Gates told the Air Force and Navy secretaries to conduct a comprehensive review and a physical site inventory of all nuclear and nuclear-associated equipment across their respective programs. Adm. Kirkland Donald, director of Navy Nuclear Propulsion, led the investigation, and gave his report to Gates last week.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., who heads the Senate Armed Services Committee, applauded Gates' move. "Secretary Gates' focus on accountability is essential and had been absent from the office of the secretary of defense for too long," Levin said in a statement. "The safety and security of America's nuclear weapons must receive the highest priority, just as it must in other countries."

Air Force Has Had Other Troubles

Gates said that his actions Thursday had been wholly driven by Donald's inquiry, and were not related to other embarrassments that have recently plagued the Air Force.

Among the troubles have been an inquiry into contracts for the Air Force's flying stunt team, the Thunderbirds, which found that a $50 million contract to promote the Thunderbirds was tainted by improper influence and preferential treatment. No criminal conduct was found, but three officials were subjected to administrative penalties.

Gates has also expressed frustration about some Air Force actions on weapons procurement, budgets and execution of the mission in Iraq and Afghanistan, aides said.

The Air Force has more than doubled the number of armed Predator and Reaper hunter-killer aircraft over Iraq and Afghanistan since early last year, but aides to Gates say he is still not satisfied with the number of surveillance aircraft in the war zone.

The ouster of the top Air Force officials is similar to Gates' moves in March 2007 after disclosures of shoddy conditions at Walter Reed, when he forced Francis J. Harvey to resign as Army secretary, a day after a decision that the two-star general in charge of Walter Reed would be relieved of command.

Among other actions, Gates decided last year not to recommend either the reappointment of Gen. Peter Pace as chairman of the Joint Chiefs or that of Gen. John P. Abizaid as commander of American forces in the Middle East. Both were closely associated with early military policy for Iraq.

Information from The Washington Post was used in this report.

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