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Justice at all ranks

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz is bringing much-needed accountability back to the Air Force.

Since taking office a little more than a year ago, five wing commanders have been dismissed for poor performance. And if leaders at major commands and numbered air forces think more should go, Schwartz says he’ll back them up.

For too long, the Air Force has held junior personnel accountable while letting senior officers skate.

Maj. Harry Schmidt and Maj. William Umbach experienced the Air Force’s unfair justice first-hand.

In 2002, on a night mission over Afghanistan, the Air National Guard pilots thought their F-16s were under fire from the ground and took aim at what they believed was an anti-aircraft site. When they landed several hours later in Kuwait, they learned they had struck a Canadian infantry unit, killing four soldiers.

The Air Force charged the officers with manslaughter; the pilots fought back, insisting commanders at the combined air operations center should be held accountable as well for not warning them about ground training in the area.

By the time all was said and done, the Air Force dropped the charges. The pilots ended up with administrative sanctions. The commanders? No punishment.

Junior officers and enlisted airmen shouldn’t have to keep the Air Force honest.

Schwartz got his job because Defense Secretary Robert Gates held the last Air Force chief accountable; now Schwartz’s mandate is to do the same.

He’s made a good start. He must continue. That means applying standards equally up and down the ranks, and doing away with the “different spanks for different ranks” mentality that has let generals get away gently with mistakes that won’t be tolerated for rank-and-file airmen.

Justice is served when it is meted equally and fairly across the ranks.

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