Sources tell POGO that the DoD IG is investigating alleged improper communications between Air Force senior officials, Members of Congress, and Boeing on how to keep the C-17 production lines open, even though the additional C-17s are not needed for national security. Isn't this exactly what President Eisenhower warned us about?
In the meantime, it looks like Defense Secretary Gates is cleaning house before the Air Force embarrasses him once again. As reported today in the New York Times and Air Force Times, the top two officials at the Air Force--Secretary Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael "Buzz" Mosley--are being asked to resign following a series of highly publicized mishaps. It's about time the Air Force grows up--they have been acting immaturely for far too long.
The dramatic shake-up in leadership comes after months of public squabbling between Secretary Gates and Air Force officials. Mosley and Wynne have been under particularly intense pressure in recent months after it was revealed that the Air Force accidentally sent nuclear weapons parts to Taiwan. Last year, the Air Force also admitted that it had somehow allowed a B-52 bomber to carry six armed nuclear cruise missiles from a base in North Dakota all the way to Louisiana.
But the mishandling of nuclear materials is only the beginning. We wrote on this blog a few months ago about a scandal surrounding a $50 million Thunderbirds contract tainted by improper influence. In addition, the Air Force has been accused of making a childish power grab for more control over the military's unmanned aerial vehicles, and for more F-22 fighter jets, which have no role in the war on terror according to Secretary Gates.
Stay tuned for more.
-- Michael Smallberg
I believe this is a much larger problem in the Air Force then we realize. To say Secretary Wynne and Gen Moseley are at fault is not completely true and to say it is just in the involvement of nuclear weapons is not completely true; what is true is that they did the honorable thing. I understand leadership is from the top and yes they are responsible, but this is a larger problem as a whole which is why I say it is not completely true. Here is what I mean; a former Squadron I was in a few individuals have tried to physically hurt other people, lied, forged documents and committed fraternization. When I tried to stop this and could not, I brought this to the attention of my Squadron Commander who told me to turn my head. I in turn told him I would not and he has held this against me and taken every action he can against me.
What am I trying to say? The Air Force teaches us we must all get along in a professional environment, which I completely agree with but it is often interpreted we are to turn our heads on everything and if we do not we are hurting the team or individuals which is what led to the problems that the investigative report by Adm Donald revealed. People in the Air Force know they will be attacked for being a whistle blower and instead choose to turn their heads. SECDEF Gates said it best” Embrace accountability in all that you do - for everything in your area of responsibility. When you see failures or growing problems in other areas - outside your lane, as it is often described - throw a flag: bring them to the attention to people who can do something about it” I hope the SECDEF is right as I believe this is the root cause of the Air Force problem.
Posted by: Bob Bob | Jun 15, 2008 at 07:51 PM
The IG does not have airplanes of its own to fly, yet it considers itself qualified to have a word above the heads of USAF pilots who know the facts. Much like an airplane trying to fly without engines and wings!
190 C-17's are funded to be built. If we get 15 more approved in t he war supplemental, the total will go to 205. When we aer talking about wartime flying, we are talking about flying hours above the average on the airframes which traslates into an inordinate amount of flight hours on a overstressed airframe and therefore, a shorter service life. We need the additional C-17's not to give jobs, but to redistribute the airframe hours among the other planes in order to prolong their service life. remember wehad 280 C-141's before the C-17's came on aboard.
Don't forget that a large number of C-130's are nearing retirement age as they are being flown at higher flight hours which will lead to the wearing out of airframe components and thus consignment to the bone yard. We are not funding enough C-130J's to replace the retired C-130E's and the additonal C-17's help make the shortfall in lift capacity due to the high level of C-130 retirements.
Right now, it is cheaper to continue building C-17's than to have to reactivate the line once the need becomes apparent. If we shut down the line, what happens when wwe need new airframes and have to do with current C-17's and C-5's?
Posted by: James Goodwin | Jun 06, 2008 at 10:15 PM
OK, POGO ... you've spent all this time telling us about the issues with C-17s and F-35s and all sorts of other winged instruments. When are you going to dig into the real rats nest. The Space and Missile Systems Center. Contractor welfare feeding station number 1. Kickback central. Home of Bill Maikish, Aerospace Corp, and the world records for Nunn-McCurdy breaches and revolving doors.
Start asking why it is Lockheed Martin was given over 800 million dollars for the Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) program then only delivered about 200 million dollars worth of mostly unmaintainable equipment? How about the hundreds of millions of dollars Honeywell Tech Systems Inc has been given for the AFSCN Remote Tracking Station Block Change (RBC) program that is now hugely over budget and five-seven years behind schedule. I could go on and on and on, but why? I'd just have to start talking about Advance Extremely High Frequency satellite program, Satellite Based Infrared Detection, Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle etc, etc, etc.
But I never see anything from POGO challenging AT&L, SecAF or Air Force Space Command to explain why they aren't holding the civilian and military managers at SMC accountable for their egregious waste. Why is that?????
Posted by: I M Nottellin | Jun 05, 2008 at 05:35 PM