Air Force, Global Strike Command taking aggressive action to address crew force challenges

by Airman 1st Class Joseph Raatz
Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs

1/30/2014 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Global Strike Command commander Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson held a press conference at the Pentagon, Jan. 30, to discuss the Air Force's response to the recent investigation within the ICBM crew force.

Brought to light by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, numerous ICBM crew force members at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., were implicated in an investigation centered on proficiency test cheating at the base. The monthly tests, which have a minimum passing score of 90 percent, are used as a validation of crew members' knowledge of the nuclear mission.

"We can now report that there are a total of 92 crew members who have been identified as having some level of involvement," James said. "That means either participating in the cheating, or knowing something about it and not standing up and reporting it."

"But what I want to reassure you of is that I remain confident, and having gone there to our bases last week, I am even more confident, in the safety, reliability and effectiveness of the nuclear mission," the secretary continued. "There are multiple checks and balances in this system, and there are a variety of ways we ensure reliability and safety, not the least of which are the fact that we have Department of Defense inspections and outside groups that come in to evaluate our nuclear teams to ensure they know how to perform and how to do their jobs."

In what Secretary James referred to as "an abundance of caution," the crew members currently involved in the investigation have been temporarily decertified.

"I'll tell you right up front, there is no operational impact in the mission at Malmstrom AFB," Wilson said. "We have contingency plans for an event like this."

"Those who have not been decertified are pulling additional alerts; they typically pull eight alerts per month, now they're pulling 10," Wilson explained. "Staff crew members are also augmenting the crew force to pull those extra alerts."

Crew members from 20th Air Force have been called in to backfill for the 341st Missile Wing instructors and evaluators who are pulling additional alerts, the general said.

"We'll look at options of other bases potentially augmenting Malmstrom AFB in the future," Wilson said. "We'll also look at, as we get the new people out of Vandenberg AFB, diverting some of those who would have gone to all the bases into Malmstrom."

This week, Wilson initiated a commander-directed investigation to look into the test compromise. Lt. Gen. Mike Holmes, vice commander of Air Education and Training Command, will lead the effort.

"He'll look at how we train and test, and closely examine the leadership environment and oversight," Wilson said. "This investigation will end by late February, and at that time, I'll review the results and make decisions on any necessary changes."

"We're going to take this wherever it goes," he continued. "With the information [Holmes] brings me, we're going to take swift and deliberate action."

Additionally, the command is kicking off a Force Improvement Program as a means for Airmen to have a voice in addressing issues that affect their mission.

Small working groups of junior officer and enlisted Airmen from operations, maintenance, security forces and mission support will be charged with pinpointing areas for improvement. These FIP working groups will visit all three missile bases in order to identify challenges and propose solutions.

"I can't stress this enough; this is a grass-roots-level effort," Wilson said. "From the bottom, up, that's where the solutions are going to come from."

The results from the working groups are due by the end of February. This feedback will be reviewed by Wilson, who said that he would act upon the things he could act upon and take the other suggestions to whatever level necessary to implement solutions.

"Our nation demands and deserves the highest standards and accountability from the force entrusted with the most powerful weapons in the world," Wilson said. "There's 25,000 people that make up the Airmen and civilians of Global Strike Command. If you got to meet them, you'd see that for the vast majority of them, they not only abide by, they live our Air Force core values of integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do. They make me really proud every single day."