Pink Slip

The commander of the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, ND, has been relieved of command "due to loss of confidence in his ability to command," according to an Air Force announcement released today:

Col. Christopher B. Ayres was removed by Maj. Gen. Roger W. Burg, commander of 20th Air Force. Col. Ayres assumed command in May 2008.

He was not relieved for any alleged misconduct or wrongdoing. Recent incidents during his command, including a vehicle rollover accident involving a Payload Transporter on Aug. 31, 2009, contributed to the loss of confidence.

“We must uphold the highest standards within the nuclear enterprise,” said Gen. C. Robert Kehler, commander of Air Force Space Command, who approved of the decision. “We must have complete confidence in our leadership as we continue the revitalization of the nuclear enterprise.”

Ayres' firing is not the only bad publicity the base has had to endure in recent years, what with an August 2007 mishap where an Air Force B-52 bomber was inadvertently loaded with live nuclear weapons slated for long-term storage during a flight from Minot AFB to Barksdale AFB, LA. That event led to the resignations of then-Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley.