Backtalk: Minot and Barksdale: Crack or chasm?

[unhappycamper]

Crack or chasm?
By Charles D. Sutherland - [e-mail]

Following an intense six-week investigation into the “Bent Spear” incident involving airmen at Minot and Barksdale Air Force bases, Maj. Gen. Richard “Dick” Newton, deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements, and a former 5th Bomb Wing commander, briefed the press on the findings.

Newton carefully followed his prepared script in his opening statement.

“Nothing like this has ever happened before,” he said. “This was a failure to follow procedures that have proven to be sound. ... In addition, our investigation found that there has been an erosion in adherence to weapons handling standards at Minot Air Force Base and at Barksdale Air Force Base. We have acted quickly and decisively to rectify this.”

~snip~

Those are the basic who, what, when, where and how questions that, if answered candidly, probably would reveal an embarrassing stain that could haunt the service for years. As bad as that would be, however, it would be even worse to conceal the information and do nothing about it.

Something has happened to the Air Force. It used to be good at adhering to tech orders, checklists and procedures. The serious incident at Minot is only a symptom of the erosion. The people fired and punished were, at the very most, just part of that erosion — not the cause of it. The cause must be identified, targeted and reversed, or other serious incidents are likely to happen.

Perhaps the Air Force is planning to deal with the erosion and its catalyst at another date — discreetly and away from public scrutiny. I want to believe that, but my 32 years of service in the Air Force suggests that’s not likely. I hope I’m wrong.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/community/opinion/airforce_backtalk_minotbarksdale_071119/