Gates Names Nuclear Management Panel

Eight veteran U.S. defense officials have been named to review U.S. nuclear weapon handling procedures in the wake of two security lapses that spurred last week’s resignation of two top officials (see GSN, June 6).

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced the resignations of the Air Force’s top two leaders Friday and said he was creating a commission to improve the management of nuclear weapons in the custody of U.S. military forces.

The decision was spurred by the Air Force shipping nuclear missile components to Taiwan and temporarily losing track of six nuclear-armed cruise missiles.

Chairing the new task force will be James Schlesinger, whose resume includes stints as defense secretary, energy secretary and CIA director.

Other panel members are to include former Air Force vice chief of staff Michael Carns, former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Edmund Giambastiani, former President George W. Bush advisers Franklin Miller and J.D. Crouch, and former Pentagon officials Jacques Gansler and Christopher Williams.

The group is charged with providing “independent advice on the organizational, procedural and policy improvements necessary to ensure that the highest levels of accountability and control are maintained in the department’s stewardship of nuclear weapons, delivery vehicles, sensitive components and basing procedures,” according to a Pentagon statement (Defense Department release, June 12).

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