Gates taps panel to evaluate stewardship of nuclear arsenal

Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday named the eight-member task force he's tapped to review the department's management of nuclear weapons and related programs. The panel will be led by James R. Schlesinger, who served as CIA director and Defense secretary under Richard Nixon and then became the first Energy secretary under Jimmy Carter.

The panel is to consider the findings and recommendations of a classified investigative report prepared by Navy Adm. Kirkland Donald that examined the recently discovered improper shipment of missile components to Taiwan in 2006. That report led to Gates' unprecedented decision last week to force the resignations of the top two Air Force leaders, Secretary Michael Wynne and Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Mosley.

The Donald investigation revealed a "degradation of the authority, standards of excellence and technical competence within the nation's [intercontinental ballistic missile] force," Gates said when he announced the resignations June 5.

Similarly, an incident last August in which Air Force personnel unwittingly and improperly transported nuclear bombs between two bases "took place within the larger environment of declining Air Force nuclear mission focus and performance," Gates said.

"It is my responsibility to ensure that the Air Force is on the right path to correcting the systemic and institutional nuclear weapons stewardship problems that have been identified. A substantial number of Air Force general officers and colonels have been identified as potentially subject to disciplinary measures, ranging from removal from command to letters of reprimand," Gates said.

The Schlesinger task force is under orders to "provide 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."

The task force will consider the findings and recommendations of the Donald investigation and three parallel assessments of inventory control procedures completed by the Air Force, Navy and Defense Logistics Agency for nuclear weapons and related materials.

At a Government Executive breakfast Thursday, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, downplayed speculation that the firing of Wynne and Mosley was related to anything other than the nuclear security issue.

"These resignations may be interpreted to mean many things," Mullen said. "I was there, and it was clearly [the result of] backsliding in nuclear security. We can't afford any defects in that area."

The task force members include:

• Retired Air Force Gen. Michael P. C. Carns, former vice chief of staff and director of the Joint Staff, Joint Chiefs of Staff
• Retired Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani, former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command
• John J. Hamre, president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Defense Policy Board chairman and former deputy secretary of Defense
• Franklin C. Miller, former senior director for defense policy and arms control on the National Security Council
• Jacques S. Gansler, former undersecretary of Defense for acquisition, technology and logistics
• J.D. Crouch, Defense Policy Board member and former deputy national security adviser
• Christopher Williams, Defense Policy Board member and former acting undersecretary of Defense for policy

The panel is to provide an initial assessment on matters involving the Air Force within 60 days. A broader departmentwide assessment is to be completed within 120 days.