Deborah Lee James

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Engine drops from B-52 bomber in rural North Dakota

Associated Press

Air Force unveils first image of B-21 long-range bomber

By Kellan Howell - The Washington Times

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh III testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015, before the Senate Armed Services Committee. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf) ** FILE **

Drone pilot pool grows after Air Force sounds alarm

By Maggie Ybarra - The Washington Times

In this undated handout file photo provided by the U.S. Air Force, a MQ-9 Reaper, armed with GBU-12 Paveway II laser guided munitions and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, is piloted by Col. Lex Turner during a combat mission over southern Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Lt. Col.. Leslie Pratt, US Air Force, File)

Drone pilots stressed by long work hours fighting Mideast terrorists, Air Force says

By Maggie Ybarra - The Washington Times

This Nov. 24, 2014, file photo shows President Barack Obama, left, looking to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, right, as he talks about his resignation during an event in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Air Force: Nuclear reforms still on track, despite Chuck Hagel departure

By Robert Burns - Associated Press

** FILE ** This photo taken Friday, July 11, 2014, shows Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James as she speaks to The Associated Press during an interview at the Pentagon. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Air Force Secretary: Situation in Iraq is ‘much, much better’

By Jacqueline Klimas - The Washington Times

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds execute a maneuver while visitors watch from Falcon Stadium after the graduation ceremonies of the Class of 2009. This was the 51st graduating class, and consisted of 1,046 newly commissioned 2nd Lieutenants (US Air Force photo by Dennis Rogers)

Air Force secretary gets sick flying with Thunderbirds

By Rowan Scarborough - The Washington Times

Citadel announces speakers for commencements

Associated Press

Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James, accompanied by Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) Commander Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, take questions during a news conference at the Pentagon, Thursday, March 27, 2014. The Air Force is firing nine mid-level commanders and disciplining dozens of junior officers at a nuclear missile base in response to an exam-cheating scandal that spanned a far longer period than originally reported. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Air Force colonel resigns, nine officers relieved of posts in wake of cheating scandal

By Maggie Ybarra - The Washington Times

FILE - This undated handout photo provided by the National Park Service shows the inside of the deactivated Delta Nine Launch Facility near Wall, S.D., that is now open to the public. Failings exposed last spring at an Air Force nuclear missile base, described by one officer as “rot” in the ranks, were even worse than originally reported, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. All the staff involved with missile operation at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., passed an inspection with a “marginal” rating, the equivalent of a D in school _ and that was only because of good marks received by people like cooks or facilities managers. The men and women entrusted with launch keys to 150 Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missiles would have flunked. (AP Photo/National Park Service, File)

Cooks saved nuke missile crews from test failure

By ROBERT BURNS - Associated Press

FILE - This Jan. 9, 2014 file photo shows a mockup of a Minuteman 3 nuclear missile used for training by missile maintenance crews at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. U.S. officials say the number of Air Force service members implicated in a nuclear-force cheating scandal has roughly doubled from the 34 initially cited by the Air Force. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the additional 30-plus airmen implicated in an investigation into cheating on proficiency tests are alleged to have participated in the cheating directly or were involved in some indirect way. (AP Photo/Robert Burns, File)

Air Force brass: Culture of fear led to cheating

By LOLITA C. BALDOR and ROBERT BURNS - Associated Press

FILE - This Jan. 9, 2014 file photo shows a mockup of a Minuteman 3 nuclear missile used for training by missile maintenance crews at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. U.S. officials say the number of Air Force service members implicated in a nuclear-force cheating scandal has roughly doubled from the 34 initially cited by the Air Force. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the additional 30-plus airmen implicated in an investigation into cheating on proficiency tests are alleged to have participated in the cheating directly or were involved in some indirect way. (AP Photo/Robert Burns, File)

Air Force: 92 implicated in nuke cheating scandal

By Associated Press - Associated Press

This image provided by the U.S. Air Force shows Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh, right, and Tech. Sgt. Justin Richie, a 341st Maintenance Operations Squadron team trainer, riding in a work cage on Nov. 20, 2012, inside the T-9 maintenance trainer at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. In taking a deep look at trouble inside U.S. nuclear forces, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is searching for the root causes of recent Air Force missteps but also for ways to make the nuclear warrior’s job more attractive when the military has turned its attention away from such weapons. (AP Photo/U.S. Air Force, Beau Wade)

Hagel seeks root cause of nuke missile problems

By ROBERT BURNS - Associated Press

Maj. Gen. Jack Weinstein, left, listens as United States Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James speaks to members of the press during a trip to F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. In response to the cheating scandal, the Air Force retested every available ICBM launch control officer at the three bases operating Minuteman 3 missiles: Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., and Minot Air Force Base, N.D. (AP Photo/The Wyoming Tribune Eagle, Blaine McCartney)

Air Force sect. has ‘picked up on morale issues’

By JAMES MacPHERSON - Associated Press

Air Force Secretary James to visit Minot base

Associated Press

This photo taken Jan. 9, 2014 shows a mockup of a Minuteman 3 nuclear missile used for training by missile maintenance crews at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. As disclosures of disturbing behavior by nuclear missile officers mount, to now include alleged drug use and exam cheating, Air Force leaders insist the trouble is episodic, correctable and not cause for public worry. The question persists, nonetheless: At what point do breakdowns in discipline put nuclear security in jeopardy? (AP Photo/Robert Burns)

When do nuclear missteps put security in jeopardy?

By ROBERT BURNS - Associated Press

This photo taken Jan. 9, 2014 shows a mockup of a Minuteman 3 nuclear missile used for training by missile maintenance crews at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. As disclosures of disturbing behavior by nuclear missile officers mount, to now include alleged drug use and exam cheating, Air Force leaders insist the trouble is episodic, correctable and not cause for public worry. The question persists, nonetheless: At what point do breakdowns in discipline put nuclear security in jeopardy? (AP Photo/Robert Burns)

When do nuclear missteps put security in jeopardy?

By ROBERT BURNS - Associated Press

This image provided by the U.S. Air Force shows Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh, right, and Tech. Sgt. Justin Richie, a 341st Maintenance Operations Squadron team trainer, riding in a work cage on Nov. 20, 2012, inside the T-9 maintenance trainer at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. The Air Force says 34 nuclear missile launch officers at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana have been implicated in a cheating scandal and have been stripped of their certification. It is believed to be the largest such breach of integrity in the nuclear force. (AP Photo/U.S. Air Force, Beau Wade)

Cheating alleged in U.S. nuclear missile force

By Lolita C. Baldor and Robert Burns - Associated Press

This image provided by the U.S. Air Force shows Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh, right, and Tech. Sgt. Justin Richie, a 341st Maintenance Operations Squadron team trainer, riding in a work cage on Nov. 20, 2012, inside the T-9 maintenance trainer at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. The Air Force says 34 nuclear missile launch officers at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana have been implicated in a cheating scandal and have been stripped of their certification. It is believed to be the largest such breach of integrity in the nuclear force.(AP Photo/U.S. Air Force, Beau Wade)

New nuke scandal: 34 officers accused of cheating

By ROBERT BURNS and LOLITA C. BALDOR - Associated Press