Air Force, Army Discipline 17 For Improper Fuse Shipment

The Air Force yesterday announced disciplinary actions against 15 officers -- six generals and nine colonels -- in connection with the mistaken shipment of four nuclear missile fuses to Taiwan in 2006, while the Army said it counseled two generals who had oversight of part of the faulty supply system.

One of the most severe punishments was a letter of reprimand sent to Air Force Lt. Gen. Kevin J. Sullivan, Air Force deputy chief of staff for logistics, for his failure to act to correct "systemic issues in ICBM [intercontinental ballistic missile] logistics," according to an Air Force statement. Letters of reprimand must be put in officers' personnel files as unfavorable information. Sullivan has requested retirement, the statement said.

Five other Air Force generals received less-severe letters of admonishment, which can be placed in their files and have "significant adverse effects on an officer's career," according to the Air Force. Those officers were Lt. Gen. Michael A. Hamel and Brig. Gen. Francis M. Bruno, who had previously requested retirement; Brig. Gen. Arthur B. Cameron III, who had been reassigned, unrelated to the incident; and Maj. Gens. Roger W. Burg and Kathleen D. Close, who will remain in command because the Air Force leadership determined that their skills are needed to "restore effective stewardship of the ICBM force."

Of the colonels, five received letters of reprimand, three letters of admonishment and one a letter of counsel.

"These actions are administrative in nature but can carry with them substantial consequences for the careers of these officers, including their potential to command, to be promoted or to retire in their current grade," acting Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley said at a Pentagon news briefing.

"We recognize the years of dedicated service that these officers have given, but we cannot ignore the breaches of trust that have occurred on their watch," he said.

Still, the Air Force chief of staff, Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, said some of the officers are being allowed to continue to serve because "they have unique skills" necessary for the nuclear weapons mission. Nevertheless, he warned: "They certainly are on notice that there is no room for error here and that, should they abuse this trust, it won't take but about a millisecond to react."

The two Army officers, Brig. Gens. Lynn A. Collyar and Michael J. Lally III, received nondisciplinary memorandums of concern. Both had commanded the Defense Distribution Center, which at certain times had responsibility for the misdirected boxes containing the nuclear missile fuses. The Army said that it had counseled the officers but that the action would not impact their careers and both continue to serve "with distinction."