The Secretary of the Air Force, Michael Wynne resigned today. Also asked to resign was Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley, after disagreements erupted over the handling of nuclear weapons. The resignations were called for as a result of policy decisions made during the 'mistakenly' loaded and 'lost,' missiles aboard a B-52 flight from Minot AFB N. Dakota to Barksdale AFB Louisiana last August.
The stunning development follows a series of high-profile scandals and disagreements between Air Force leadership and Defense Secretary Robert Gates in the past year, during which both the Pentagon and congressional leadership have increasingly expressed frustration about the Air Force’s top bosses.The disagreements between Moseley and Wynne with the Pentagon and Sec. of Defense Gates, bring into question if the resignees will become whistle blowers. What I glean from several reports, it's hard to tell whether the firings are over incompetence by Moseley and Wynne, or their dissension from Pentagon plans. Former Secretary James Roche also resigned under a cloud of controversy over leasing contracts 3 years ago. Good to know the boys with their toys have things so well in hand.
The last straw appears to be a report on nuclear weapons handling by Navy Adm. Kirkland Donald, director of naval nuclear propulsion. The critical report convinced Gates that changes must be made.
