[R-G] Air Force: Nuclear missile crew fell asleep on duty

[tchilds at resist.ca]

http://rawstory.com//news/2008/Air_Force_Nuclear_missile_crew_fell_0724.html

Air Force: Nuclear missile crew fell asleep on duty

07/24/2008 @ 5:35 pm

Filed by David Edwards and Stephen C. Webster


The Air Force said Thursday that it plans to punish three officers   who
fell asleep on July 12 while guarding a classified nuclear launch   codes
device.

The device contained codes that had been deactivated, but
nevertheless their lapse of unconsciousness constituted a 'procedural
violation' -- and one which the Air Force wishes to avoid in the wake   of
Minot Air Force Base's 5th Bomb Wing accidentally flying six
warheads over the United States last August. The sleeping officers on
July 12 were also from Minot.

"While waiting for permission to bring the device back to base, the
three officers with the code component in their possession fell
asleep," reported the Air Force Times. "The fourth officer was not   present.

"When they woke up, the officers reported the incident to their
command, said Col. Dewey Ford, a Space Command spokesman.
Representatives from U.S. Strategic Command, Space Command, the 91st
Missile Wing at Minot, the 20th Air Force — headquartered at F.E.
Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., and the National Security Agency
investigated the incident. They found that the missile launch codes   were
not compromised."

"This does bring a new meaning to the phrase, 'Asleep at the
switch,'" said Barbara Starr, a CNN Pentagon correspondent.

This video is from CNN's Situation Room, broadcast July 24, 2008.
Go to:
http://rawstory.com//news/2008/Air_Force_Nuclear_missile_crew_fell_0724.html
to view.
[2-mn. video]