The Associated Press has documented evidence of low morale and other troubles in the nation’s nuclear forces. On Friday the AP reported that a retired general chosen to review the overall nuclear force signed off one year ago on a report that described the nuclear Air Force as thoroughly professional and disciplined.
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—Key members of the Air Force’s nuclear missile force are feeling “burnout” from what they see as exhausting, unrewarding and stressful work. The finding, in an unpublished draft of a RAND Corp. study provided to the AP, also cites heightened levels of misconduct such as spousal abuse and says court-martial rates in the nuclear missile force in 2011 and 2012 were more than twice as high as in the overall Air Force. The courts-martial rate in 2013 declines but is still higher than the overall Air Force.
—The Air Force removes Maj. Gen. Michael Carey from command of the 20th Air Force, which is responsible for the entire Minuteman 3 missile force, for embarrassing, drunken behavior at meetings in Russia and spending time with “suspect” women. This happens two days after a Navy admiral, who was second in command at the military’s main nuclear war-fighting command, is relieved of duty amid a gambling-related investigation. Carey is allowed to remain in the Air Force as a staff officer at Air Force Space Command.
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