Shaffer
03-20-04, 08:48 PM
By Associated Press
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Three airmen have been reprimanded for an accident in which their B-52 dropped bombs near forces training in east Africa, killing a Marine, the Air Force said Thursday.
The commander of the June 2003 live weapons exercise was reprimanded for failing "to assess the risk" of the exercise, the Air Force said. Two radar navigators received reprimands for poor decision making and "failure to verify targeting system's actions," the Air Force said.
The airmen are based at Barksdale Air Force Base. Their names were not released.
Capt. Seth R. Michaud, 27, a helicopter pilot based at the New River Air Station in North Carolina, died in the blast.
Nine 750-pound bombs fell near two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters parked next to the range where the exercise was taking place in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, authorities said. Eight U.S. service members were wounded.
The letters of reprimand will remain in the airmen's personnel files for at least two years, said Capt. Denise Kerr, a spokeswoman for the 8th Air Force.
An investigation of the accident led the Air Force to change the B-52 radar navigators' checklist and other procedures to reduce the risk of more accidents.
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Three airmen have been reprimanded for an accident in which their B-52 dropped bombs near forces training in east Africa, killing a Marine, the Air Force said Thursday.
The commander of the June 2003 live weapons exercise was reprimanded for failing "to assess the risk" of the exercise, the Air Force said. Two radar navigators received reprimands for poor decision making and "failure to verify targeting system's actions," the Air Force said.
The airmen are based at Barksdale Air Force Base. Their names were not released.
Capt. Seth R. Michaud, 27, a helicopter pilot based at the New River Air Station in North Carolina, died in the blast.
Nine 750-pound bombs fell near two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters parked next to the range where the exercise was taking place in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, authorities said. Eight U.S. service members were wounded.
The letters of reprimand will remain in the airmen's personnel files for at least two years, said Capt. Denise Kerr, a spokeswoman for the 8th Air Force.
An investigation of the accident led the Air Force to change the B-52 radar navigators' checklist and other procedures to reduce the risk of more accidents.