Coincidence? Sudden Competence? Certified Kosher...???

Folks... I've thrown the following question out before: Has the Obama administration been  waging a political "coup" against our military establishment in order to advance political control beyond customary and traditional reach?

*  *  *  *  *  *

Adding to signs of distress in the nuclear force, the Air Force fired two commanders and disciplined a third in response to internal investigations of leadership lapses and misbehavior at two of its three intercontinental ballistic missile bases.

* "WHO" IN THE AIR FORCE? NAMES? POSITIONS? AND HOW DID THEY RISE TO THESE POSITIONS; WAS THERE OUTSIDE POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP INVOLVED? IN A WORD: IS EVERYTHING "KOSHER" WITH OUR MILITARY TOP COMMAND IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE AGE OF OBAMA?

The most senior officer to be relieved was Col. Carl Jones, the No. 2 commander of the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, in charge of 150 of the Air Force's 450 Minuteman 3 nuclear ICBMs. He was dismissed "for a loss of trust and confidence in his leadership abilities," and has been reassigned as a special assistant to the wing commander.

* WHY REASSIGNED? WHY NOT BOUNCED? IF NOT DISHONORABLY DISCHARGES, WHY NOT SIMPLY DISCHARGED - FORCED TO RETIRE WITHOUT OTHER PENALTY?

The Air Force nuclear missile corps has suffered a rash of recent setbacks, including the firing last year of its top commander.

(*PURSED LIPS*)

It is unusual for disciplinary action to be taken against senior officers at two of the Air Force's three nuclear missile bases on the same day. Officials said the timing was a coincidence. It extends a pattern of leadership failures in the ICBM force over the past year.

* FOLKS... HERE'S THE THING... LOOK AT HOW THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HANDLED (OR RATHER MISHANDLED; REFUSED TO HANDLE; BURIED IT'S HEAD IN THE SAND IN THE FACE OF) THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE U.S. SECRET SERVICE UNDER THE OBAMA REGIME.

* THE IRS SCANDAL...?

* THE VARIOUS HOLDER JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SCANDALS...?

* BENGHAZI...?

* AND ON AND ON AND ON... BUT YET WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE U.S. AIR FORCE MISSILE COMMAND THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION ROOTS OUT INCOMPETENCE NO OTHER ADMINISTRATION HAS EVER NOTICED?

Last March nine officers were fired at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, which is the third of the three nuclear missile bases, in response to an exam-cheating scandal there.

* SOUNDS LEGITIMATE...

(*SHRUG*)

Last year, Maj. Gen. Michael Carey, commander of the entire ICBM force, was fired after an investigation into a drinking binge and other misconduct while he was in Russia as head of a visiting U.S. government delegation.

* FOLKS... IS ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH RUSSIAN CULTURE? (ENOUGH SAID.)

* I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS SUPPOSED MISCONDUCT - WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE EVENT!

The nuclear missile force...has been beset with problems in discipline, training, leadership and morale, prompting Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in February to order an independent review. The results of that review are expected to be announced in coming weeks.

In response to an AP inquiry Monday, Lt. Col. John Sheets, spokesman for Air Force Global Strike Command, which is in charge of the Air Force Minuteman 3 force as well as its nuclear bomber fleet, said that as a result of the Minot investigation a missile squadron commander, Lt. Col. Jimmy "Keith" Brown, was relieved of command Monday "because of a loss of confidence in Brown's ability to lead his squadron."

* WHY THIS "LOSS OF CONFIDENCE?"

Sheets said the investigation was directed by Maj. Gen. Jack Weinstein, commander of the 20th Air Force, and "substantiated that Brown engaged in unlawful discrimination or harassment."

* AHH... NOW WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE...

He added that the probe found that Brown "made statements to subordinates that created a perception within his squadron that pregnancy would negatively affect a woman's career."

* AND WOULDN'T IT? SHOULDN'T IT?

* FOLKS... THINK ABOUT THIS LOGICALLY! THINK OF WHAT THE MILITARY'S JOB IS!

* BTW... "STATEMENTS?" WHAT STATEMENTS? "A PERCEPTION?" BASED UPON WHAT...?!

The probe also substantiated allegations that Brown had failed to ensure the well-being of his troops. In March a two-person crew operating a Minuteman 3 launch control center at Minot felt ill from fumes created by a refurbishment project, but the crew remained at their post because they believed Brown would have taken action against them had they left. They later were hospitalized, Sheets said.

* BECAUSE THE CREW BELIEVED...??? (HMM... THIS WOULDN'T HAPPEN TO BE A FEMALE CREW... WOULD IT?) BUT REGARDLESS... "BELIEVED"... "PERCEPTION"... I'M NOT READING ANY "SUBSTANTIATION" TO GO ALONG WITH THE ALLEGATIONS - ARE ANY OF YOU WHO ARE READING THIS?

The second officer targeted in the Minot investigation was Col. Richard Pagliuco, commander of the 91st Operations Group, which is in charge of the three missile squadrons at Minot, including Brown's.

Sheets said the investigation confirmed that Pagliuco "failed to promote and safeguard the morale, well-being and welfare of the airmen under his command." Pagliuco received administrative punishment in the form of a letter in his personnel file, but Sheets said he could not be more specific about the punishment.

* FUNNY... WE'RE GETTING FEW SPECIFICS... ONLY ALLEGATIONS AND OUTCOMES - WHICH IS WHY I TEND TO TURN CYNICAL.

* AND WHAT OF THE MISSION? IF I'M READING THE SUBTEXT PROPERLY... LOTS OF TOUCHY-FEELY STUFF... NOT MUCH ON WHAT'S REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE MISSION.

The complaints against Jones, the vice commander of the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren, were the most extensive, according to Sheets' description of the case.

Sheets said Jones' immediate superior, Col. Tracey Hayes, commander of the 90th, removed him following an internal investigation that substantiated allegations of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman, and cruelty and maltreatment of a subordinate.

"In four separate instances, Jones acted in a manner that degraded his status as a senior officer and wing leader including maltreating a subordinate," Sheets said.

The most recent incident involving Jones was in September and occurred at a thrift store operated on F.E. Warren by volunteers, Sheets said. According to the investigation report as described by Sheets, Jones went to the shop, called Airman's Attic, to discuss shopping hour policies.

"He hit the sign on the Airman's Attic door and repeatedly hit the shop's front counter while raising his voice, using profanity" and threatening to shut down the place, Sheets said.

It was this incident which prompted a complaint to the 90th Missile Wing's inspector general, leading to the investigation and the decision by Hayes to remove Jones.

Three other incidents of allegedly inappropriate behavior on base by Jones during 2014 were substantiated in the investigation, including one in May in which his behavior was described by one officer and a witness as shocking.

Sheets said the disciplinary actions at Minot and Warren reflect an effort to ensure that commanders do not behave in ways that detract from the mission.

* AHH... SECOND TO LAST PARAGRAPH... MENTION OF THE MISSION!

"Our people must treat each other with dignity and respect," Sheets said. "That applies up and down the chain of command."

* FOLKS... I CAN'T TELL WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON FROM READING THIS ARTICLE. PERHAPS EVERYTHING IS EXACTLY AS REPORTED. PERHAPS IT'S NOT. AGAIN... TO TAKE THIS REPORTING AT FACE VALUE ONE WOULD HAVE TO ASSUME A COMPETENT OBAMA ADMINISTRATION. BUT SINCE WE KNOW THAT'S NOT THE CASE... SINCE WE KNOW THEY'RE NOT ONLY INCOMPETENT BUT UNETHICAL... I WORRY.