By Holly Yan and Faith Karimi
January 16, 2014
Photo courtesy businessinsider.com
(CNN) – Dozens of Air Force officers entrusted with maintaining U.S. nuclear missiles are now accused of cheating or turning a blind eye to cheating on a competency test.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The scandal involving 34 Air Force officers at Malmstrom Air Force base in Montana marks the latest trouble for U.S. nuclear forces plagued by problems over the past year.
Here’s a look at other recent cases:
October 2013
A U.S. general who oversaw nuclear weapons was relieved of his duties after he boozed, fraternized with “hot women” and disrespected his hosts during an official visit to Russia, Air Force officials said.
Maj. Gen. Michael Carey led the 20th Air Force responsible for three nuclear wings.
According to an Air Force Inspector General report, Carey bragged loudly about his position as commander of a nuclear force during layover in Switzerland, saying he “saves the world from war every day.”
While in Russia, Carey and an unidentified man walked to a nearby hotel to meet “two foreign national women.” He returned to his Marriott hotel room in the wee hours of the morning. As a result, Carey was 45 minutes late in joining a delegation in a Moscow suburb, according to the report. He attributed the tardiness to jet lag, and said his body clock was out of whack.