Air Force Fires General In Charge of Nuclear Missiles

The two-star General in charge of all of the Air Force’s nuclear missiles has been fired over conduct.

FOX News Radio’s Rich Johnson reports from Washington:

Major General Michael Carey is being removed from command of the 20th Air Force, which controls 450 nuclear missiles housed at three bases across the U.S. The Air Force is only citing loss of trust and confidence in Carey’s leadership. In the past year and a half, the missile unit at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana failed a safety and security inspection. The unit in Minot, North Dakota came close to failure– close enough that 17 officers temporarily lost their nuclear clearances.

In Washington, Rich Johnson, FOX News Radio.

Editor’s Note:  Major General Carey was responsible for the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missile force, organized into three operational wings with more than 9,600 people. A Senior U.S. Defense official tells FOX News, the firing was not related to gambling, loss of a nuke or sex.

General Carey enlisted in the Air Force in 1978 and was later commissioned through the ROTC program at the University of Central Florida in 1983. He has commanded at the detachment, squadron, group and wing levels and has served in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. The general has held staff assignments focusing on space, missile and cyber operations, force requirements, and international affairs at Headquarters Air Force Space Command, the Air Staff, Headquarters U.S. Strategic Command and the Joint Staff. Prior to his current assignment, he was the Deputy Director, Command, Control, and Nuclear Operations, Joint Staff, the Pentagon.