Hagel orders review of operations of US nuclear force

US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has ordered a review of the operations of the US nuclear force in the wake of several embarrassing incidents, Rear Admiral John Kirby, Pentagon press secretary, announced on Thursday. Hagel believes it is time for the Defense Department "to place renewed emphasis on examining the health of the nuclear force, and particularly those issues that affect the morale, professionalism, performance and leadership of the people who make up that force," Kirby said during a briefing. Hagel on Thursday issued a memo to the senior leaders of the Pentagon, as well as to those of the Air Force and the Navy, calling for the following initial steps: First, in the next two weeks, Hagel and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Martin Dempsey will convene a meeting of key stakeholders in the nuclear enterprise in Washington "to raise and address any personnel challenges in the nuclear force," Kirby said. Hagel will then direct senior leaders to develop and implement an action plan to do the following, he said: "One, examine the underlying leadership and management principles governing the strategic deterrence enterprise and the health of the culture that implements these principles; two, identify successful personnel management practices within the strategic deterrence enterprise; three, identify key gaps and-or problems concerning the growth and development of the personnel within the nuclear enterprise; fourth, identify remedies for any gaps or problems; and five, direct action to rapidly implement identified remedies and any other required actions," Kiry said. Hagel wants this action plan delivered to him in 60 days, Kirby said. Finally, Hagel is calling for an independent review to conduct a broader examination of the strategic deterrence enterprise as it relates to personnel. This review, which will involve the work of a small number of experienced former officials, will assess "the quality and effectiveness of our action plan and it will provide us a sense of any persistent challenges that could affect the performance of the deterrence mission, as well as any recommendations to address those challenges," Kirby said. This review will be completed no later than 90 days after its start, "and we hope to get it started within the next couple of weeks," he said.