Mon, Nov 02, 2009
Superiors Cited "Loss Of Confidence In Ability To Command"
The commander of the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base,
North Dakota, was relieved of command October 30th due to loss of
confidence in his ability to command.
Col. Joel S. Westa was removed by Maj. Gen. Floyd L. Carpenter,
commander of 8th Air Force. Colonel Westa assumed command in
November 2007.
Colonel Westa was not relieved for any alleged misconduct or
wrongdoing. The inability to foster a culture of excellence, a lack
of focus on the strategic mission during his command and
substandard performance during several nuclear surety inspections,
including the newly activated 69th Bomb Squadron deemed "not ready"
to perform its nuclear mission, contributed to the loss of
confidence.
The new commander of the 5th Bomb Wing is Col. Douglas Cox,
former vice commander of Andersen AFB, Guam.
"Perfection is the standard," General Carpenter said. "We will
continue to demand exacting focus, attention to detail, discipline
and dedication to the highest principles and standards for all
activities surrounding the nuclear enterprise."
Although multiple deficiencies in the adherence of stringent
nuclear standards were identified during several inspections, the
safety and security of nuclear operations at Minot were never
compromised.
"While the shortcomings in recent inspections did not translate
to an inability to accomplish the mission, they did show a
departure from the standards of perfection that we demand in the
nuclear enterprise," said Gen. William M. Fraser III, commander of
Air Combat Command. "Our leaders must set and enforce the standards
across all of our mission areas. The nation expects and deserves
nothing less."
More News
From 2023 (YouTube Version): Legacy of a Titan Robert (Bob) Anderson Hoover was a fighter pilot, test pilot, flight instructor, and air show superstar. More so, Bob Hoover was an i>[...]
Get The Latest in Aviation News NOW on Instagram Are you on Instagram yet? It's been around for a few years, quietly picking up traction mostly thanks to everybody's new obsession >[...]
Aero Linx: B-52H Stratofortress The B-52H Stratofortress is a long-range, heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions. The bomber is capable of flying at high subsonic spee>[...]
Altimeter Setting The barometric pressure reading used to adjust a pressure altimeter for variations in existing atmospheric pressure or to the standard altimeter setting (29.92).>[...]
"Knowing that we play an active part in bettering people's lives is extremely rewarding. My team and I are very thankful for the opportunity to be here and to help in any way we ca>[...]