The Air Force has found a new way to get visibility that does not require millions in advertising development and marketing campaigns: the Air Force nuclear follies. These include the mistaken shipment to Taiwan of four electrical fuses for ballistic missile warheads 2007, the transcontinental flight of a B-52 bomber accidentally armed with six nuclear-tipped missiles, a report of ballistic missile Air Force crew members falling asleep while holding classified launch code devices, and an overturned truck carrying an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) booster.
The fifth act of the nuclear follies was unveiled last night when the AP released a story that a fire broke out at a Wyoming missile silo a few months ago.
A few hours later the US Navy announced that its U.S. Navy Blue Angels stunt-flying team will be down one jet the rest of its season after removing two members from duty for having an inappropriate relationship. While the Navy would not identify the two members, they stated a military administrative hearing will be held to determine further disciplinary actions, which could include removal from the military.
Putting things in perspective
An appropriate image for the mismanagement of our nuclear arsenal might be Slim Pickens as B-52 pilot Major T. J. "King" Kong in Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove," riding a dropped H-bomb to a certain death, as if the bomb were a rodeo bronco and waving his cowboy hat;
and the Blue Angels situation can be illustrated by the inappropriate relationship between Tom Cruise as LT Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, a young Naval aviator who aspires to be a top fighter pilot with his beautiful female civilian instructor in "Top Gun."
Which gets the most attention? Of course...the inappropriate relationship.
In a string of calamities involving the nation's nuclear arsenal, the Air Force's actions have resulted in little, if any, significant action for those responsible, except perhaps removal of position or early retirement for those generals in charge. However, the Navy is quick to act on the inappropriate relationship between an officer and enlisted member; this may include court martials.
So while the Navy is investigating their high risk relationship, the Air Force will be setting up a new Global Strike Command to better manage its nuclear-capable bombers and missiles, and those responsible will bear little accountability, at least not the same as a Blue Angel with poor judgment. Perhaps a quote from Major T. J. "King" Kong, sums it up:
"Well, boys, I reckon this is it - nuclear combat toe to toe with the Rooskies. Now look, boys, I ain't much of a hand at makin' speeches, but I got a pretty fair idea that something doggone important is goin' on back there. And I got a fair idea the kinda personal emotions that some of you fellas may be thinkin.' Heck, I reckon you wouldn't even be human bein's if you didn't have some pretty strong personal feelin's about nuclear combat. I want you to remember one thing, the folks back home is a-countin' on you and by golly, we ain't about to let 'em down. I tell you something else, if this thing turns out to be half as important as I figure it just might be, I'd say that you're all in line for some important promotions and personal citations when this thing's over with. That goes for ever' last one of you regardless of your race, color or your creed. Now let's get this thing on the hump - we got some flyin' to do."
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