by Marcus Weisgerber
US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Saturday called three Air Force intercontinental ballistic missile launch control centers that are part of the unit that has been rocked by a widespread cheating scandal.
Officers at the three centers, who oversee the launching of the nuclear ICBMs, are having to work lot of overtime these days since more than 90 airmen have been suspended pending a top-level investigation.
Hagel spoke with officers from the 10th, 12th and 490th missile squadrons, which are all part of the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.
“Secretary Hagel said that he has confidence in their ability to carry out the nuclear mission and that he deeply appreciates their critical service to the nation,” a defense official said.
The officers told Hagel they hoped the nuclear review he has directed will result in improvements to the ICBM career fields.
Hagel made the calls from the E-4B “Doomsday” plane on a flight back to Washington from Germany where he attended the Munich Security Conference. Ironically, the plane Hagel called the airmen from would be used in a national emergency to call in nuclear weapons launches.
http://blogs.defensenews.com/intercepts/2014/02/hagel-calls-usaf-icbm-launch-control-centers/
