Page 8A
NATION/WORLD
East Oregonian
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Air Force: Human error damaged nuclear-armed missile
WASHINGTON (AP) —
Errors by three airmen trouble-
shooting a nuclear missile in its
launch silo in 2014 triggered
D ³PLVKDS´ WKDW GDPDJHG WKH
missile, prompting the Air
Force to strip the airmen of their
QXFOHDUFHUWL¿FDWLRQDQGTXLHWO\
launch an accident investiga-
WLRQRI¿FLDOVVDLG)ULGD\
In a statement released to
The Associated Press, the Air
)RUFH GHFOLQHG WR SURYLGH NH\
additional details or a copy
of the report produced last
November by the Accident
Investigation Board, saying the
LQIRUPDWLRQ ZDV FODVVL¿HG DQG
WRRVHQVLWLYHWREHPDGHSXEOLF
Under the Air Force’s own
regulations, Accident Investiga-
tion Board reports are supposed
WREHPDGHSXEOLF7KH$LU)RUFH
did release a brief summary
to the AP after it repeatedly
sought answers for more than a
\HDU7KHVXPPDU\VDLGWKHIXOO
UHSRUWZDVFODVVL¿HGRQ1RY
E\*HQ5RELQ5DQGZKR
WRRNRYHUDVFRPPDQGHURI$LU
)RUFH *OREDO 6WULNH &RPPDQG
LQ-XO\
The Air Force said the
accident caused no injuries and
SRVHG QR ULVN WR SXEOLF VDIHW\
,W VDLG WRS 3HQWDJRQ RI¿FLDOV
were briefed on the results of
the investigation in December,
DVZHUHPHPEHUVRI&RQJUHVV
The damaged missile was
removed from its underground
silo, which is designated
Juliet-07 and situated among
ZKHDW ¿HOGV DQG ZLQG WXUELQHV
about nine miles west of Peetz,
&RORUDGR7KHVLORRQHRILQ
DFOXVWHURUÀLJKWWKDWVWUDGGOHV
WKH &RORUDGR1HEUDVND ERUGHU
LVFRQWUROOHGE\ODXQFKRI¿FHUV
of the 320th Missile Squadron
DQG DGPLQLVWHUHG E\ WKH WK
0LVVLOH:LQJDW)(:DUUHQ$LU
)RUFH%DVHLQ:\RPLQJ
The accident follows a
period of turmoil inside the
nuclear missile corps that the
AP revealed in a series of
articles and amid an emerging
national debate about the
FRVWV DQG EHQH¿WV RI LQYHVWLQJ
hundreds of billions of dollars
to modernize the entire strategic
nuclear force at a time when
ZDUFUDIWLVFKDQJLQJ
The Minuteman 3 is the only
land-based
intercontinental
ballistic missile in the nuclear
IRUFH)LUVWGHSOR\HGLQLW
East Coast storm
will be deadly
WASHINGTON
(AP) — A storm that arrived
postcard-pretty in the
nation’s capital Friday was
morphing into a painful,
even paralyzing blizzard
with gale-force winds
pushing heavy snow and
FRDVWDOÀRRGLQJ2QHLQ
seven Americans could get
at least half a foot of snow
by Sunday, and Washington
could see snowdrifts more
WKDQIHHWKLJK
7KH¿UVWÀDNHVZHUH
lovely, but forecasters
warned that much, much
PRUHZDVRQLWVZD\
Not that anyone will see
the worst of it: Much heavier
snow and wind gusting to 50
mph should create blinding
whiteout conditions once
the storm joins up with a
low pressure system off the
coast, said Bruce Sullivan,
a forecaster at the National
Weather Service’s Weather
Prediction Center in College
3DUN0DU\ODQG
Two feet or more of
snowfall is forecast for
Washington and Baltimore,
and nearly as much for
3KLODGHOSKLD1HZ<RUN
City’s expected total was
upped Friday to a foot or
PRUH%XW6XOOLYDQVDLG³WKH
winds are going to be the
real problem; that’s when
we’ll see possible power
RXWDJHV´
The result could create
snowdrifts 4 to 5 feet high,
so even measuring it for
UHFRUGVFRXOGEHGLI¿FXOWKH
VDLG
By evening, wet, heavy
snow was falling in the
FDSLWDOPDNLQJGRZQHG
SRZHUOLQHVPRUHOLNHO\DQG
yet many people remained
on the roads, Washington
0D\RU0XULHO%RZVHUVDLG
³)LQGDVDIHSODFHDQGVWD\
WKHUH´VKHEHVHHFKHG
Anyone trying to travel in
WKLVPHVVULVNVJHWWLQJVWXFN
for hours, marooned in odd
SODFHVRUNLOOHGDXWKRULWLHV
ZDUQHG$WOHDVWVHYHQ
people died in storm-related
crashes before the worst
of the storm, including
Stacy Sherrill, whose car
plummeted off an icy road
Key ¿ndings in Associated
Press missile corps probe
Mozer O. Da Cunha/U.S. Air Force via AP
In this July 28 image provided by the U.S. Air Force, Gen. Robin Rand speaks after taking
command of Air Force Global Strike Command during a ceremony at Barksdale Air Force
Base, La.
long ago exceeded its planned
service life, and the Air Force is
developing plans for a replace-
PHQW
The Air Force’s brief
summary of the Juliet-07
mishap said the Minuteman
PLVVLOH ³EHFDPH QRQRSHU-
DWLRQDO´ GXULQJ D GLDJQRVWLF
test on the evening of May
7KH QH[W PRUQLQJ D
³PLVKDS FUHZ´ FKLHI ZKR ZDV
QRWLGHQWL¿HG³GLGQRWFRUUHFWO\
DGKHUH WR WHFKQLFDO JXLGDQFH´
during troubleshooting efforts,
³VXEVHTXHQWO\ GDPDJLQJ WKH
PLVVLOH´ 1R IXUWKHU GHWDLOV
about the damage or errors were
UHYHDOHG
The investigation report
summary said the actual cause
of the accident, established
E\ ³FOHDU DQG FRQYLQFLQJ
HYLGHQFH´ LV FODVVL¿HG ,W VDLG
there were four contributing
factors to the accident, of
ZKLFK LW LGHQWL¿HG WZR 2QH
was the mishap chief’s failure
WR IROORZ WHFKQLFDO JXLGDQFH
The other was that the mishap
FKLHI ³ODFNHG WKH QHFHVVDU\
SUR¿FLHQF\ OHYHO´ WR DQWLFLSDWH
the consequences of his actions
GXULQJWKHWURXEOHVKRRWLQJ
In seeming contradiction of
that second point, the Air Force
said in its separate statement
to the AP that the mishap team
chief was properly trained for
WKH WDVN KH ZDV SHUIRUPLQJ ,W
said he and two other airmen
on his team were immediately
VWULSSHG RI WKHLU FHUWL¿FDWLRQ
WRZRUNZLWKQXFOHDUZHDSRQV
7KH\ UHPDLQHG GHFHUWL¿HG
IRU ³RYHU D \HDU´ XQWLO WKH\
were retrained and returned to
QXFOHDUGXW\
/W &RO -RKQ 6KHHWV
VSRNHVPDQ IRU $LU )RUFH
*OREDO 6WULNH &RPPDQG VDLG
it is possible that some or all of
the three could still face disci-
SOLQDU\DFWLRQ
To prevent a recurrence of
WKHLU PLVWDNH DQG WKH DFFLGHQW
it caused, the Air Force said it
KDV ³VWUHQJWKHQHG´ WHFKQLFDO
JXLGDQFH PRGL¿HG WUDLQLQJ
curriculum and shared informa-
tion about the conditions that
led to the mishap with other
units that operate Minuteman 3
PLVVLOHV
/W*HQ-DFN:HLQVWHLQZDV
commander of the ICBM force
DWWKHWLPHRIWKHLQFLGHQW7KH
AP requested an interview with
him but the Air Force declined
WR PDNH KLP DYDLODEOH :HLQ-
VWHLQLVQRZWKHWRSVWDIIRI¿FHU
on nuclear matters at Air Force
KHDGTXDUWHUVLQWKH3HQWDJRQ
When the AP inquired about
BRIEFLY
LQ7HQQHVVHH+HUKXVEDQG
survived after climbing
for hours up a 300-foot
HPEDQNPHQW
³7KH\¶UHVOLSSLQJDQG
VOLGLQJDOORYHUWKHSODFH´
VDLG.HQWXFN\6WDWH3ROLFH
Trooper Lloyd Cochran —
DVVRRQDVRQHZUHFNZDV
cleared, other cars slammed
into each other, causing
JULGORFNIRUKRXUVRQ
LQWHUVWDWHKLJKZD\V
&RQGLWLRQVTXLFNO\
became treacherous all
DORQJWKHSDWKRIWKHVWRUP
$UNDQVDVDQG7HQQHVVHHJRW
LQFKHV.HQWXFN\JRWPRUH
than a foot, and states across
the Deep South grappled
with icy, snow-covered
URDGVDQGSRZHURXWDJHV
Two tornadoes arrived along
ZLWKWKHVQRZLQ0LVVLVVLSSL
The storm could easily
cause more than $1 billion
in damage, weather service
GLUHFWRU/RXLV8FFHOOLQLVDLG
U.S. student held
in North Korea,
little information
released
CINCINNATI (AP) —
2I¿FLDOVLQ1RUWK.RUHD
DQGWKH86UHOHDVHGOLWWOH
information Friday about
a university student from
Ohio who was detained for
what the authoritarian nation
FDOOHGD³KRVWLOHDFW´
Otto Warmbier is
the second person from
southwest Ohio to be
detained in North Korea
LQOHVVWKDQWZR\HDUV$
Dayton-area man, Jeffrey
Fowle, was held for nearly
VL[PRQWKVLQ
North Korea’s state
media said the University of
Virginia student entered the
country under the guise of
a tourist and plotted against
North Korean unity with
³WKHWDFLWFRQQLYDQFHRIWKH
86JRYHUQPHQWDQGXQGHU
LWVPDQLSXODWLRQ´7KHGDWH
of his arrest was unclear, as
were any details of what he
GLG
2KLR*RY-RKQ.DVLFK
campaigning in New
Hampshire as a Republican
presidential candidate, called
WKHDUUHVW³LQH[FXVDEOH´+LV
&ROXPEXVRI¿FHUHOHDVHG
a letter he sent to President
%DUDFN2EDPDXUJLQJKLV
Democratic administration
WR³PDNHHYHU\HIIRUWWR
VHFXUH0U:DUPELHU¶V
LPPHGLDWHUHOHDVHDQGNHHS
(his) family constantly
DSSULVHG´.DVLFKVDLG1RUWK
Korea should either provide
evidence of the alleged
anti-state activities or release
:DUPELHU
A China-based tour
company specializing in
WUDYHOWR1RUWK.RUHD<RXQJ
3LRQHHU7RXUVFRQ¿UPHG
that one of its customers,
LGHQWL¿HGRQO\DV2WWRKDG
been detained in Pyongyang,
the North’s capital, but
SURYLGHGQRRWKHUGHWDLOV
Film academy
president: ‘We
need to step up’
Film academy president
Cheryl Boone Isaacs
says that despite the
organization’s internal
efforts toward inclusion,
a second year of all-white
acting Oscar nominees made
KHUWKLQN³:HQHHGWRVWHS
WKLVXS´
Boone Isaacs announced
Friday that the academy will
double the number of female
and minority members by
the accident in December
2014, Sheets said no details
could be released until after the
accident investigation board
KDG FRPSOHWHG LWV ZRUN DQG
SUHVHQWHG LWV ¿QGLQJV WR WKH
FRPPDQGHU RI *OREDO 6WULNH
&RPPDQG +H DVVXUHG WKH $3
that the investigation report
would be made public, although
ZKHQ WKH $3 ¿OHG D UHTXHVW
for it in March 2015 under
the Freedom of Information
Act, the Air Force denied the
request, saying the information
ZDV ³H[HPSW IURP PDQGDWRU\
GLVFORVXUH´DQGZRXOGEHZLWK-
held from release because it
FRQVLVWHG RI ³DGYLFH RSLQLRQV
evaluations or recommenda-
WLRQV´
Sheets later said the report
was not yet complete but would
be made public as required
XQGHU $LU )RUFH UHJXODWLRQV
He subsequently amended
WKDWVD\LQJVHQLRURI¿FLDOVKDG
decided the information was too
VHQVLWLYHWRUHOHDVH
The Air Force’s own legal
RI¿FHVD\VWKHSXUSRVHRIDQDFFL-
dent investigation is to provide a
publicly releasable report of the
facts and the circumstances of
WKHDFFLGHQW$Q$LU)RUFHRUGHU
dated April 14, 2015, is explicit
DERXWWKLV
(AP) — Over the past two and a half
years, The Associated Press has documented
evidence of security problems, low morale
and other troubles in the nation’s nuclear
PLVVLOHFRUSV
,Q$SULOODXQFKRI¿FHUVLQ
WKHVW0LVVLOH:LQJDW0LQRW$LU)RUFH
%DVH1RUWK'DNRWDZHUHWDNHQRIIGXW\DQG
JLYHQZHHNVRIUHPHGLDOWUDLQLQJDIWHUEHLQJ
IRXQGXQ¿WWRSHUIRUP7KHZLQJ¶VGHSXW\
commander of operations complained of
³URW´LQWKHIRUFH7KHRI¿FHULQFKDUJHRI
FUHZWUDLQLQJDQGSUR¿FLHQF\ZDV¿UHG
The 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom
Air Force Base, Montana, failed a safety-
DQGVHFXULW\LQVSHFWLRQ1LQHGD\VODWHU
WKHRI¿FHULQFKDUJHRIVHFXULW\IRUFHVZDV
UHOLHYHGRIGXW\7KHXQLWSDVVHGDGRRYHULQ
2FWREHU
An internal Air Force review of the
Malmstrom inspection, obtained under
the Freedom of Information Act, revealed
that the inspection failed because security
forces did not respond adequately to a
VLPXODWHGKRVWLOHWDNHRYHURIDVLORKRXVLQJD
QXFOHDUPLVVLOH7KH$LU)RUFHLPSOHPHQWHG
numerous corrective measures, mainly
designed to increase and improve security
IRUFHVWUDLQLQJ
In October 2013 the Air Force removed
0DM*HQ0LFKDHO&DUH\IURPFRPPDQG
of the 20th Air Force, which is responsible
for the entire Minuteman 3 missile force, for
HPEDUUDVVLQJGUXQNHQEHKDYLRULQ5XVVLD
In January 2014 dozens of missile
ODXQFKRI¿FHUVZHUHLPSOLFDWHGLQDFKHDWLQJ
scandal at Malmstrom and were stripped
RIWKHLUFHUWL¿FDWLRQLQZKDWWKH$LU)RUFH
called the largest such breach of integrity
LQWKHQXFOHDUIRUFH7KHFKHDWLQJLQYROYHG
WKHPRQWKO\WHVWRQWKHLUNQRZOHGJHRIKRZ
WRRSHUDWHWKHPLVVLOHV7KDWVFDQGDOZDV
revealed as part of a drug-use investigation
WKDWLQYROYHGWKUHH,&%0ODXQFKRI¿FHUV
,Q0DUFKWKH$LU)RUFH¿UHGQLQH
midlevel nuclear commanders and
supervisors, allowed a senior commander to
resign and said it would discipline dozens
RIMXQLRURI¿FHUVLQUHVSRQVHWRWKHH[DP
FKHDWLQJVFDQGDODW0DOPVWURP
2Q1RYWKH$LU)RUFH¿UHGD
missile squadron commander at Minot and
UHDVVLJQHGWKHYLFHFRPPDQGHURIWKHWK
0LVVLOH:LQJDW)(:DUUHQ$LU)RUFH%DVH
LQ:\RPLQJWRDQRQFRPPDQGVWDIIMRE
Also, a colonel in charge of all three missile
squadrons at Minot was given administrative
SXQLVKPHQWEXWQRWUHPRYHGIURPFRPPDQG
2Q1RY'HIHQVH6HFUHWDU\+DJHO
ordered top-to-bottom changes in how the
86QXFOHDUIRUFHLVRSHUDWHGDQGPDQDJHG
The changes came after a series of stories
from the AP that revealed problems in the
SELF DEFENSE
2020, and will immediately
diversify its leadership by
adding three new seats to
its board of governors, to be
¿OOHGLQWKHFRPLQJZHHNV
The academy now aims
for women to comprise 48
percent of its membership
DQG³GLYHUVHJURXSV´DWOHDVW
SHUFHQWDVDQLQLWLDOVWHS
The Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences’
51-member board of
governors unanimously
approved a series of reforms
ODWH7KXUVGD\WR³EHJLQ
WKHSURFHVVRIVLJQL¿FDQWO\
changing our membership
FRPSRVLWLRQ´%RRQH,VDDFV
VDLGIROORZLQJDZHHNORQJ
storm of criticism and calls
for an Oscar boycott because
RIWKHODFNRIGLYHUVLW\
DPRQJQRPLQHHV
Some of Hollywood’s
most prominent African-
Americans, including Will
6PLWKDQG6SLNH/HHKDYH
said they won’t attend this
year’s Oscar ceremony,
which is to be hosted by
&KULV5RFN
Boone Isaacs
DFNQRZOHGJHGWKDWWKH
academy can only honor
¿OPVWKDWXOWLPDWHO\JHW
PDGHEXWVKHWKLQNVWKH
changes announced today
ZLOO³PRYHWKHQHHGOH´LQDOO
DVSHFWVRI¿OPPDNLQJ
Learn a full range of self-defense
techniques, including: Awareness, home
security, verbal de-escalation, evading
and escaping maneuvers. This is a
contact class. Age 12 and up. Class
size is limited to 20 students. Must
pre-register. Call 541-667-3509.
January 28 • 6:00 - 8:00pm
GSMC Conference Center 2
HEALTHY FRIDAYS
Free health screenings: Blood pressure checks,
weigh-ins, body mass index, cholesterol and
glucose.
First Friday of each month
9:30 - 11:30am
Third Friday of each month
2:00-4:00pm
GSMC Conference Center 7
(by Education Dept)
TAI CHI - MOVING FOR
BETTER BALANCE
FREE class to work on balance, strengthen
muscles, improve posture and core strength and
reduce stress. Great for all ages!
Mondays • 10:30-11:15am
GSMC Wellness Center (behind the hospital)
THERA-BANDS BASIC
MOVES
Help tone and strengthen muscles,
improve posture, and reduce stress.
We use resistance bands for a
flexibility workout that increases overall
health. Class is free. Thera-bands are
$5 each.
Tuesdays & Thursdays • 9:00 - 9:30am
GSMC Wellness Center (behind the hospital)
BANDS AND BEYOND
Learn strength training exercises and improve
balance using free-weights, stability balls, Thera-
bands and more. Wear comfortable shoes and
clothes. Class is free. Thera-bands are $5 each.
Tuesdays & Thursdays • 9:30 - 10:00am
GSMC Wellness Center (behind the hospital)
QUIT TOBACCO
Have you tried to quit tobacco, but found you
needed support? Contact our tobacco
cessation specialist to schedule your free
consultation. Group sessions can also be
scheduled by employers. Call 541-667-
3509 for more info or to schedule an
appointment.
For information or to register for a class,
call (541) 667-3509 or email healthinfo@gshealth.org