“Bent Spear” Briefing Breaks Precedent:

Speaking with Pentagon reporters Friday, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne said he was "making an exception, a one-time exception" in the long-standing policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons in an incident because of how "upset" the Air Force is with itself and the need to "restore confidence" after the August "Bent Spear" incident. Wynne went on to say that the August "improper and unauthorized transfer of six weapons" was "an unacceptable mistake and a clear deviation from our exacting standards." However, he emphasized, before turning the briefing over to Maj. Gen. Richard Newton III, that "there was never an unsafe condition" with the nuclear weapons. Newton briefed the results of the investigation directed by then Air Combat Command boss Gen. Ron Keys, revealing that the Air Force had relieved four senior officers of their commands and has taken "four other specific actions to date" against officers at lower levels and numerous enlisted personnel. Read more below. (Press briefing transcript and sequence of events.)

Relieved of Command:

New Air Combat Command leader, Gen. John D.W. Corley has relieved of their commands at Minot AFB, N.D. the commanders of the 5th Bomb Wing and the 5th Maintenance Group and at Barksdale AFB, La. the commander of the 2nd...

Rectifying an “Isolated Incident”:

Maj. Gen. Richard Newton III, briefing Pentagon reporters Friday on the six-week Air Combat Command commander-directed investigation of the August “Bent Spear” incident, said that the CDI group believes this was an “isolated incident” due to an “erosion of adherence...

Not Over Yet:

There are other reviews brewing into the August “Bent Spear” incident in addition to the just concluded Air Combat Command commander-directed investigation (see above.) Maj. Gen. Douglas Raaberg, ACC director of air and space operations, led the CDI. Retired Air...

Major Ammo Drop Saves Troops:

The 774th Expeditionary Air Squadron’s C-130 crew dropped nearly 150 tons of food, water, and ammunition to coalition forces fighting in the Sangin Valley of Afghanistan last month. Capt. Michael Meridith reports that was one of the largest series of...

The Upside of Down:

The Air Force plans in January to begin reviewing line of the Air Force lieutenants four times each year for promotion to captain instead of only once a year as has been the process, according to an Air Force release....

Bronze Stars for EOD Techs:

Two Hurlburt Field, Fla. airmen from the 1st Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron’s explosive ordnance disposal flight received Bronze Stars last week for their work as team leaders while deployed to Iraq earlier this year. TSgt. Angela Shepherd reports that...

Bronze Star for Intel Analyst:

TSgt. Michael Soucy, an intelligence analyst with the 81st Training Wing, Keesler AFB, Miss., received a Bronze Star for his actions while deployed to Balad AB, Iraq, reports Amn. David Salanitri. Assigned to a US Army team, Soucy served as...

Large Tapped for NRO:

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has named the current principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office, Scott Large, to become the new NRO director. He would replace Donald Kerr who recently received Senate confirmation to become the second in command...

Air Guard Building Legal Complex:

Ten Air National Guardsmen from six states have come together at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to construct a 6,000-square-foot Expeditionary Legal Complex for military commissions, reports Army Sgt. Michael Owens. The $10 million project will include mobile offices around the complex....

Missing Vietnam War Airman Identified:

The Pentagon has identified remains of Maj. Robert G. Lapham, who was listed as missing in action from the Vietnam War. Lapham of Marshall, Mich., on Feb. 8, 1968, was flying the lead of two A-1 Skyraiders over Quang Tri...

DLA Activated at Robins:

The Warner Robins Air Logistics Center at Robins AFB, Ga., has joined with the Defense Logistics Agency to create DLA-Warner Robins, comprising some 240 former ALC employees. It is the first effort by an Air Force Materiel Command ALC to...

Air Sorties in the Global War on Terrorism

Oct. 17, 2007 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 21 9 30 CAS/Armed Recon 49 25 74 Airlift 158 158 Air refueling 39 39 Total 70 34 197 301 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance Airlift includes Horn...