Airmen reprimanded over Marine's death

(EXCERPT) THE 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 pers...

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---------------------------
Otis Willie
Associate Librarian
The American War Library
http://www.americanwarlibrary.com