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Published October 15, 2009

Missile commander ousted at Minot Air Force Base chat

By James MacPherson, Associated Press, INFORUM

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Amanda B.
Montgomery, AL     10/28/2009 11:30 AM

You can be sure that the Airman in this situation did not go without punishment. You'd be suprised some of the things you hear happen on all military installations, not just Air Force ones. It has nothing to do with the fact that Marines can drive a truck any better. Did you know that most marines don't get accepted into the Air Force because they have such a low ASVAB score? Just because we hear about these incidents because they happened in our local area doesn't mean it is the only place these things happen. But to sit here and comment about how people like me who are serving our country are cry baby pukes, is absolutely unnecessary. Is it possible that someone from someplace like Hawaii may not know how to drive on North Dakota roads? Have you never became distracted while driving and realized how it only takes seconds for an accident to happen? I realize people make mistakes and it's unfortunate that the base Commander lost his job, but I still don't believe that is sufficient enough for people to insult Airman. I invite you to sit in my shoes and do my job, and maybe then you'd realize how difficult our jobs can be and how much weight sits on our shoulders. When we go through basic we learn the importance of our chain of command, and our commanders do as well. I only ask that you please do not insult someone who signed his life away so that you have the right to make such comments.

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mcalleyboy A.
Fargo, ND     10/15/2009 10:23 PM

Mike S: Last time I checked North Korea is a threat to no one but themselves, they are so dirt poor,

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Ted S.
10/15/2009 11:18 AM

It's too bad; but if anyone in your unit screws up, you get blamed, whether you could have done anything to prevent it. That's the way the military works, and the Air Force is no exception.

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AverageJo .
Fargo, ND     10/15/2009 10:41 AM

Sucks that Gomer Pyle soldiers cause their commanding officer to lose his job. Does the recruiter that allowed these drivers in the military lose his job too?

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Raven S.
Fargo, ND     10/15/2009 10:14 AM

I know this is shocking to some of you but this is a concept called leadership accountability. Sometimes the military (and Joe Chapman) but no other government entity utilizes this concept.

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Dan H.
Fargo, ND     10/15/2009 9:25 AM

Accidents are preventable. Some cry baby Air Force puke crashed his truck because he had a fly on his back? Wow. Maybe they should bring in the Marines to do their work, seems to work well for the Navy.

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Jay M.
Fargo, ND     10/15/2009 8:44 AM

Where do you get sent as punishment if you screw up in Minot?

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Dan H.
Fargo, ND     10/15/2009 8:13 AM

Oldhag, it's the frigging military, nice try. I would hate to be the commander of that wing. They have so much at stake that any mistake will be a big mistake. He is the commander and is ultimately held responsible for each and every incident under his command. So what if the weather is bad around here, cancel the movement until more favorable conditions arise. mcalleyboy, ahhh the reaason why is because we have a strategic location for the launch over the North Pole, shorther distance to kill the Russians Einstein. You're the Navy guy right? I figured you might have a clue but I was wrong.

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Oldhag H.
Fargo, ND     10/15/2009 6:28 AM

So if I fall asleep at my desk and then have an accident on my way home will my supervisor get fired?! Seems like a very odd rationale for a firing/demotion.

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mcalleyboy A.
Fargo, ND     10/15/2009 2:12 AM

The Commander getting relieved of command this seems to be a constant issue here, how stupid. Man, it is ND, we have very bad weather, icy roads, high winds and they just need to put these missles elsewhere. This is not the Commanders fault this is the fault of the US Governement for putting up an Air Force Base in a state where it does not belong. There is no reason for operating any kind of military unit in ND, makes no sense, the weather is completly unforgiveable and most of the troubled countries that we will have to deal with now and in the future are in areas of extreme sand storms and unbearable heat, what the heck.

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