Air Force Global Strike Command's departing chief said this week that the root causes of a well-publicized problematic inspection at a North Dakota missile wing are being addressed, and that the service's inspection procedures - which were revamped after two incidents several years ago - have led to major improvements in the Air Force's nuclear reliability. Lt. Gen. James Kowalski, AFGSC's commander since 2011, has been nominated for the position of deputy commander of U.S. Strategic Command. Speaking at a breakfast in Washington on July 31, Kowalski discussed how his command has responded to the May disclosure that more than a dozen intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) operators in the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, ND, had been decertified after performing poorly in a unit inspection. Held in March, that inspection called into question the Air Force's nuclear surety after several years of seemingly steady improvement. The Associated Press first reported the results.
展开▼
