tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post5036546388238092530..comments2023-08-27T06:53:36.768-06:00Comments on LANL: The Rest of the Story: Frank Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02134775226991383924noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-9240464824457719932008-08-13T16:56:00.000-06:002008-08-13T16:56:00.000-06:00Touche 11:13, well played.signed, 7:00Touche 11:13, well played.<BR/><BR/>signed, 7:00Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-7576403250929638662008-08-13T16:24:00.000-06:002008-08-13T16:24:00.000-06:00There is a previous baseline for Gen. Norton Schwa...There is a previous baseline for Gen. Norton Schwartz´critique of the Air Force:<BR/><BR/>(1) U.S. Department of Defense<BR/><BR/>American Forces Press Service<BR/>News Articles<BR/><BR/>U.S. Regains Missile Parts; Gates Orders Investigation<BR/><BR/>By Jim Garamone<BR/>American Forces Press Service<BR/><BR/>WASHINGTON, March 25, 2008 - The U.S. military has regained control of four non-nuclear nose cone assemblies for a Minuteman missile mistakenly sent to Taiwan in 2006, Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne said during a news conference here today.<BR/><BR/>Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates learned of the situation on March 21 and immediately ordered that the United States regain "positive control" of the systems, Wynne said. He also notified the president of the situation.<BR/><BR/>It was the second incident with a strategic weapon in the past year. In August, an Air Force B-52 flew from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., to Barksdale Air Force Base, La, carrying atomic weapons. The crew did not realize they were carrying nuclear weapons until they landed.<BR/><BR/>Today, Gates signed a memorandum directing Adm. Kirkland Donald, director of Navy Nuclear Propulsion, to conduct a comprehensive investigation "to determine the facts into how this error occured and who is accountable throughout the chain of command," said Christopher R. "Ryan" Henry, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy.<BR/><BR/>The admiral will work with the undersecreatary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics and the Naval Criminal Investigation Service. The intelligence community also will help with the investigation.<BR/><BR/>Henry said the secretary feels very strongly about this error.<BR/><BR/>"In an organization as large as DoD ... there will be mistakes, but they cannot be tolerated in the arena of strategic systems -- whether nuclear or only associated equipment," he said during the news conference.<BR/><BR/>DoD has notified the appropriate congressional committees and the Peoples´Republic of China, he said.<BR/><BR/>The nose cone assemblies and associated electrical parts are proximity fuses for the missiles. While not technically "triggers," a nuclear warhead atop a Minuteman would not detonate without the signal from these devices.<BR/><BR/>Preliminary information indicates that a shipment took place in response to a foreign military sales order from Taiwan for helicopter batteries, Wynne said. The Defense Logistics Agency depot at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, mistakenly shipped the fuses -- a classified system -- rather than the batteries.<BR/><BR/>The Taiwanese receiving the shipment placed it in storage upon receipt, Wynne said. "The investigation will determine the integrity of the shipping containers and their contents during the (foreign military sales) process."<BR/><BR/>The department has initiated a complete physical inventory of all of these devices, Henry said.<BR/><BR/>"The secretary is further directing the secretaries of the Air Force and Navy to conduct a comprehensive review of all the policies, procedures as well as a physical site inventory of all nuclear and nuclear-associated materiel and equipment across their respective programs," he said.<BR/><BR/>The original helicopter battery order was consistent with the U.S. "One-China" policy, the three joint U.S.-China communiqués and the Taiwan Relations Act.<BR/><BR/>"Our policy on Taiwan arms sales has not changed," Henry said. "This specific incident was an error in process only and is not indicative of our policies, which remain unchanged."<BR/><BR/>Henry said it´s unclear whether the erroneous shipment violated the Missile Technology Control Regime -- an informal, voluntary association of countries seeking to stop proliferation of weapons of mass destruction -- or other treaties.<BR/><BR/>(www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49362)<BR/><BR/>(2) The so-called Donald report (classified), by Adm. Kirkland H. Donald, that has its offspring of Secretary Gates orders of investigations of US nukes within the Air Force, March 25, 2008.<BR/><BR/>(3) Mullen Says Panel Could Recommend Revived Nuclear Command<BR/><BR/>The U.S. military´s top officer acknowledged this week that an ongoing Pentagon review might mull re-establishing a command to oversee Air Force nuclear weapons, but he avoided endorsing the concept or speculating on its fate.<BR/><BR/>Story length: 663 words.<BR/><BR/>(Inside the Pentagon<BR/>June 26, 2008 - Vol. 24, No.26)<BR/><BR/>(//defensenewsstand.com/cs_newsletters.asp?NLN=PENTAGON=RECENT)<BR/><BR/>(4) The forced resignations June 5, 2008 of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael "Buzz" Mosely, and Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne.<BR/><BR/>(Gen. Schwartz can be seen here:<BR/><BR/>Gen. Norton Schwartz<BR/><BR/>Acting Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen Norton Schwartz speak with reporters at the Pentagon, August 12; 21:13.<BR/><BR/>(www.dodvclips.mil)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-22690250981108710372008-08-13T11:13:00.000-06:002008-08-13T11:13:00.000-06:00"The air force recognizes there is a problem. Do y..."The air force recognizes there is a problem. Do you?<BR/><BR/>8/13/08 7:00 AM"<BR/><BR/>Ya, I also recognize that the air force has a problem.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-31927748850471329112008-08-13T10:58:00.000-06:002008-08-13T10:58:00.000-06:00from Bingaman: "He called for the laboratory to pu...from Bingaman: "He called for the laboratory to put its best talents forward to compete for funds that have been added to DOE's Office of Science budget,..."<BR/><BR/>OK, but LANS is doing everything in its power to run off the best people and turn the place into a "work-free safe and secure place."<BR/><BR/>LANL ceased making any attempt at being a scientific laboratory when Admiral Butthead was put in charge. However, things under LANS have gotten so bad that we now often speak of the riegn of Admiral Butthead as "the good old days!"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-64184255639042355412008-08-13T07:00:00.000-06:002008-08-13T07:00:00.000-06:00The air force recognizes there is a problem. Do yo...The air force recognizes there is a problem. Do you?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-54251599326123249132008-08-12T21:07:00.000-06:002008-08-12T21:07:00.000-06:00Below is an article that might sound familiar...ww...Below is an article that might sound familiar...<BR/><BR/>www.washingtonpost.com/<BR/>wp-dyn/content/article/<BR/>2008/08/12/<BR/>AR2008081202864.html?hpid=moreheadlines<BR/><BR/>--------------------------------------------<BR/> 'Stop the Slide,' Says New Air Force Chief <BR/>--------------------------------------------<BR/><BR/>Schwartz Is Blunt About Service's Failings<BR/><BR/>By Josh White<BR/>Washington Post Staff Writer<BR/>Wednesday, August 13, 2008<BR/><BR/>Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, who began his tenure as the 19th Air Force chief of staff yesterday, has taken a frank view of the service's need to address recent failures concerning the security of the U.S. nuclear arsenal and acquisitions practices, telling senior leaders in briefings that they need to "stop the slide."<BR/><BR/>In two PowerPoint documents used in recent briefings, Schwartz emphasized the need for the Air Force to recapture "top-to-bottom excellence in the nuclear mission," restore "credibility on Capitol Hill one member (and staff) at a time," and instill "a compliance culture in key disciplines" such as nuclear, aircraft and missile maintenance and acquisition. Drafts of the internal documents were obtained by The Washington Post and were verified by the Air Force yesterday.<BR/><BR/>Schwartz has set his sights on restoring the service's credibility after a series of security and corruption problems that have marred its reputation in the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-33199127451721415152008-08-12T20:50:00.000-06:002008-08-12T20:50:00.000-06:00How will these local politicians be able to contin...How will these local politicians be able to continuing the practice of getting high paying jobs for all their unqualified wives, sons, daughters, and cousins at LANL if the lab suffers a funding drought?<BR/><BR/>Red Alert! Red Alert! We have a crisis brewing! Northern New Mexico cronyism is at risk!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-68978134076698867132008-08-12T19:38:00.000-06:002008-08-12T19:38:00.000-06:00Don't worry Speaker Ben Lujan won't read the comme...Don't worry Speaker Ben Lujan won't read the comments on this blog because he can't read much less speak.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-77139193064594176442008-08-12T19:36:00.000-06:002008-08-12T19:36:00.000-06:00The Los Alamos National Laboratory Legislative Ove...The Los Alamos National Laboratory Legislative Oversight Committee is a joke and as the members of this committee are!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com