Missile Commanders Fired

Nine officers who held leadership positions at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., have been fired, in the aftermath of a cheating scandal at the base. Another commander chose to retire rather than face removal. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, commander of Global Strike Command, announced other steps taken to address “systemic issues in our missile community” that predicated the cheating incident. To date, they said March 27, 100 missile officers at Malmstrom were identified as either participating in the cheating, or knowing about the incident without reporting it. Several who have been cleared of wrongdoing have returned to duty. Investigations revealed that four officers had obtained answer keys to tests and shared them with colleagues. The service is in the process of administering disciplinary actions against those involved, with the severity hinging upon the degree of complicity.