Inspection of USAF unit blamed for nuclear missile foul-up comes up short

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The US Air Force wing blamed for a foul-up in which a bomber mistakenly flew across America armed with nuclear missiles will have to be retested after coming up short in an inspection. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the Air Force conducted a weeklong inspection of the Minot Air Force Base's 5th Bomb Wing beginning May 16, said a base spokeswoman, Maj. Elizabeth Ortiz. "It was a very thorough and important inspection that highlighted areas for improvement, especially in areas of training and discipline," Ortiz said. "That's what we're working on and that's where we're focusing on." The Air Force said it would not release the inspection findings, saying the report was classified. The Air Force Times, citing a copy of the report, said the base received an unsatisfactory grade and inspectors found security breakdowns during mock attacks at the base. The Air Force Times said inspectors saw a security forces airman playing video games on his cell phone while standing guard at a restricted area. Another airman nearby was "unaware of her duties and responsibilities" during the exercise, the newspaper said.