Posted on 12/20/2007 4:33:49 PM PST by Racehorse
The 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base will be allowed more time to prepare for a major inspection that will help determine whether it will be recertified, base officials said Wednesday.
The bomb wing was decertified in a portion of its wartime mission after a late August incident when six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles were mistakenly loaded at the Minot base onto a B-52 bomber from Barksdale AFB, La. A Barksdale crew then flew the plane to the base in Louisiana.
Air Force officials at the Pentagon said the incident occurred because of airmen not following the proper procedures, along with a lack of leadership and supervision.
On Wednesday, a team of command-level inspectors completed an Initial Nuclear Surety Inspection of the bomb wing. The inspectors have been at the base since Sunday.
The inspectors at the base this week were here in advance of the official Nuclear Surety Inspection originally set to begin Jan. 23. The Nuclear Surety Inspection is a regularly scheduled inspection for the bomb wing. However, the successful completion of the Nuclear Surety Inspection and other inspections, as well as various high-level visits from Air Force officials, will determine whether the bomb wing will be recertified.
. . .
The bottom line is the command-level inspectors here this week determined more time is needed before the next inspection.
“The inspectors have determined we need more time to make the necessary changes and allow us to accomplish long-term solutions, including filling critical leadership billets that are currently vacant,” Arellano said. “We are thankful we can take the time needed rather than being forced into an artificial timeline, so the NSI will be postponed until the wing and the command are confident the right people and processes are in place.”
(Excerpt) Read more at minotdailynews.com ...
Things were going great until they noticed the oddly shaped kegerator in the officer's club.
Translation: More heads will roll and nobody's getting Christmas this year.
Been there, done that after a 1982 MSET fail at the 97 BMW.
I wonder how Minot did on their last NSI (and when was it?)
I was in a fighter wing that was in serious danger of failing an upcoming inspection. We flew on the evening of Dec 24...I told my family when I got home that night that I KNEW Santa was out, because we had nearly had a mid-air!
I was lucky enough in my flying days in the KC-135 to never be in a Wing that failed a SAC IG or any other type of inspection, but had a couple of buddies that ended up in the wrong Wing at the wrong time. It was hell on earth from what they told me. No freaking Christmas this year a why not Minot. For you non-SAC trained folks freezing is the reason.
Xactly.
***I wonder how Minot did on their last NSI (and when was it?)***
Is that what they now call the ORI (Operational Readiness Inspection)?
Why not Minot!
Can anyone explain?
***No freaking Christmas this year a why not Minot. For you non-SAC trained folks freezing is the reason.***
When the AF closed Walker AFB in Roswell, where I worked on the B-52(1966-1967), we used to joke about those being sent to Minot and Glasgow AFB. (Why not Minot! Beautiful summers, all two days of it!)
I ended up in Little Rock AFB working on the KC-135, 1967-1969.
I think ORI’s are general readiness inspections for all units, while NSI’s are only done for nuclear capable units. I went through both and they both sucked! (but we passed)
The USAF lost track of six thermonuclear devices for long enough to fly on a B52 from Minot ND to Barksdale LA, and sit parked UNGUARDED on the runway overnite, if I understand the situation correctly.
One of my ships in the early '90s failed the dreaded OPPE (Operational Propulsion Plant Examination) which meant we were decertified from lighting off our engines and getting underway. Multiple heads rolled in the Engineering Department, and the CO and the Command Master Chief were both relieved too. The next three months until we were reinspected were probably the most miserable of my naval career and I wasn't even an engineer. And my brand new bride got a real eye-opener on what she was getting into.
Why not Minot? Freezin’s the reason . . . it’s COLD, I’m told.
As a new arrival to a wing which had experienced an NSI bust, my crew commander and I had a chance to excel . . . and we did.
ICBMS — Delivery guaranteed in 30 minutes or less or your next one is free . . .
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