Gates: Military must accept outside criticismBy Robert Burns - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Jun 10, 2008 18:18:13 EDT
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. — The entire military — not just the newly reoriented Air Force — must learn to accept criticism from outside its ranks, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday.
Speaking to about 500 airmen at this base just east of St. Louis, Gates said it is well known that the military services make good use of internal reviews of their performance in order to improve and to correct problems.
“However, I have noticed that none of the services easily accept honest criticism from outside their branch, or scrutiny that exposes institutional shortcomings,” Gates said. “This is something that must change across the military.”
Gates offered no specific examples of other branches of the military resisting outside criticism, but his remark followed his decision last week to fire Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and the Air Force chief of staff, Gen. T. Michael Moseley. Gates told his subdued audience at Scott that the shake-up was a regrettable but necessary response to Air Force failures in the performance of its nuclear mission.
The firings were prompted by the findings of an investigation by Adm. Kirkland Donald, a nuclear weapons expert, who concluded that the Air Force had allowed its nuclear expertise, performance and stewardship to erode over a period of years — despite warnings signs that were not heeded by Air Force leaders.
Rest of article at:
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/06/ap_gates_criticism_060908/