No. 2 at Minot not named new commander

[unhappycamper]

No. 2 at Minot not named new commander
By James MacPherson - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Oct 24, 2007 5:59:50 EDT

BISMARCK, N.D. — An Air Force colonel who flew combat missions in B-52 bombers during Desert Storm and holds master’s degrees in music and military arts has been named the new commander at the embattled Minot Air Force Base.

Col. Joel Westa will take over as the commander of the 5th Bomb Wing this month, the Air Force announced Tuesday. He currently is the vice commander of the 36th Wing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.

Col. Bruce Emig, the former Minot commander, was ousted following an August flight of a B-52 bomber that mistakenly flew six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles from the North Dakota base to Barksdale Air Force Base La.

The military, after a six-week investigation, said it was an “unacceptable mistake.”

Emig had been in charge of the wing since June after serving as vice commander of the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. He has been reassigned but the military has not announced the location.

The Associated Press reported Sunday that vice commander Col. Paul G. “Greg” Bell had been promoted to replace Emig, according to Maj. Patricia Traynor, the base spokeswoman. Bell will remain vice commander of the Minot base, the Air Force said.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/10/ap_minotcommander_071023/



uhc comment: Previous post on the new Minot commander --> http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=259&topic_id=5691


According to his biography, Westa did not attend the Air Force Academy, a.k.a. Fundie High.

[TwilightGardener]

1. Yay! An OTS grad! My husband is OTS--prior-enlisted make the best officers.