May 8th, 2013
03:53 PM ET

17 stripped of authority to launch nuclear missiles

In an unprecedented action, an Air Force commander has stripped 17 of his officers of their authority to control and launch nuclear missiles.

The 17 are being sent to undergo 60 to 90 days of intensive refresher training on how to do their jobs. The action comes after their unit performed poorly on an inspection and one officer was investigated for potential compromise of nuclear launch codes, according to Lt. Col. John Dorrian, an Air Force spokesman.

The story was first reported by The Associated Press.

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Filed under: Military • U.S. Air Force
soundoff (35 Responses)
  1. Portland tony

    You can liken this incident to a school principal complaining that their students failed a standard test. The Commanding Officer and his staff are responsible for the disciplined training required in this facility and the launch
    personnel..... junior officers, worker bees if you will, are only as proficient as the command
    structure they are a part of!

    May 8, 2013 at 4:42 pm | Report abuse |
  2. saywhat

    I wonder where would an authority be which could strip every one responsible to launch a nuclear weapon on this planet of that authority??

    May 8, 2013 at 4:44 pm | Report abuse |
    • Mary

      Sitting squarely within the UN of course @ saywhat
      Not to mention those innocence who are maimed or killed at the cost of 'casualties of war'

      May 9, 2013 at 7:26 pm | Report abuse |
  3. saywhat

    Not content with ravaging & destroying this planet for greed & power in the name of progress, we the humans have crossed even the bounds of imagination in inventing weapons to destroy our own kind.

    May 8, 2013 at 5:03 pm | Report abuse |
    • Mary

      Quite frankly, these events becoming more prolific has me convinced that Gods word regarding cutting the time sort is going to play out sooner rather than later @ saywhat .

      May 9, 2013 at 6:56 pm | Report abuse |
  4. saywhat

    blocked

    May 8, 2013 at 5:04 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Portland tony

    You sir......Are an Ass! No matter who is President , the military still maintains its mission! To protect the interests of the United States.

    May 8, 2013 at 5:33 pm | Report abuse |
  6. banasy©

    I would want anyone who has the authority to do something as serious as launch a nuclear strike to be as up-to-date and knowledgeable as possible. Anything less is inviting disaster. If these 17 were underpersormiong, then re-training is the correct form of action.

    May 8, 2013 at 5:40 pm | Report abuse |
    • banasy©

      *underperforming

      May 8, 2013 at 5:42 pm | Report abuse |
  7. vikingwoman

    I think all nuclear weapons of the World should be destroyed! It's not in the interest of human kind to have such destructive weapons! We do enough damage w/guns & bombs, as it is!!

    May 8, 2013 at 9:04 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Rascal Rabble

    if 17 peeps don't have their finger the button...who does? and why do this commander gets to keep all the keys and the button to himself...whose double checking him...

    May 8, 2013 at 9:15 pm | Report abuse |
  9. BOMBO

    Exactly what is involved in this course on how to launch a nuclear missile?

    May 9, 2013 at 12:28 am | Report abuse |
  10. Joey Isotta-Fraschini ©™

    Ineptitude pervades all USA businesses today, partially because of poor learning in schools, computer dependency, and an evolving aspiration to a "cool" attitude that avoids stress. Why expect anything else from officers who can launch nuclear missiles?

    May 9, 2013 at 1:25 am | Report abuse |
  11. Joey Isotta-Fraschini ©™

    I think that my comment was too forthright to post.

    May 9, 2013 at 1:30 am | Report abuse |
  12. vikingwoman

    I think every1 should be stripped of the authority to launch nuclear weapons! Less war & death, more peace & fun, is what I say!!

    May 9, 2013 at 1:32 am | Report abuse |
    • Sam

      Your naivete is charming. I'm sure that's how the Dutch felt the day before the blitzkrieg, or the Poles the day before the Sovites herded them into the Katyn forest. History teaches that when you become indifferent and lose the will to fight, someone who has the will to fight will take over. Peace through strength.

      And why do you call yourself "viking" woman if you espouse pacifism? Vikings raped, pillaged, and plundered for material gain as one of history's best embodiments of brute force.

      May 9, 2013 at 10:03 am | Report abuse |
  13. Joey Isotta-Fraschini ©™

    Often old white men's comments are not posted for the same reason that works of Henry James are seldom read today.

    May 9, 2013 at 1:37 am | Report abuse |
  14. saywhat

    @vikingwoman
    i think both of us are guilty of wishful thinking.

    May 9, 2013 at 11:00 am | Report abuse |
  15. saywhat

    @JI-F
    some of us are regularly getting this treatment unabated.

    May 9, 2013 at 11:03 am | Report abuse |
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