M16's missing from Hill Air Force Base

General » General Discussion

Site Notices

TNVC Partners With Envision Technology - MARS Rangefinder Family, MARS-Lc!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - M16's missing from Hill Air Force Base

Posted: 6/5/2008 8:44:25 PM EDT

www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=3463999

Hill Air Force Base looking for missing rifles
June 5th, 2008 @ 10:02pm

KSL team coverage

Top brass for the Air Force have been shown the door. The Air Force's chief of staff, Gen. Michael Moseley was fired today, along with Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates cited two incidents during the past year involving nuclear mix-ups that prompted the firings. Gates is setting up a task force to find how to improve accountability and control of nuclear weapons within the Air Force.

Some of the embarrassing incidents within the Air Force are connected to Hill Air Force Base: Ballistic missile fuses mistakenly sent two years ago to Taiwan, and an F-16 involved in friendly fire at the Utah test and training range two months ago. Now Hill is missing several M-16 assault rifles.

The easiest explanation is the box the 12 M-16 rifles were in simply fell off the back of a truck. Soldiers who were using the rifles were coming back from training and didn't notice they were gone until they went to put them away.

Witnesses did report seeing a man in his 40s or 50s picking up the case and loading it into a light-colored, four-door vehicle. The man is described as heavy-set with gray hair that is balding on top.

Because the incident happened on base property, that man would have been credentialed or would have had a base pass. But officials say that includes a lot of people.

Maj. Shannon Smith explained why soldiers inside the truck wouldn't hear the case hitting the ground, saying, "It's so loud inside a Humvee, there's no sound-deadening material at all." Normally that wouldn't be that big of a deal, only that case had a dozen M-16 assault rifles inside.

"By the time we got there, probably about 10 to 15 minutes after it fell out of the back of the Humvee, it was already gone," Smith said.

It's just another embarrassing Air Force mistake Gates is tired of. He said, "I believe that we needed a change in leadership to bring a new perspective and to especially underscore the importance of accountability in dealing with these kinds of problems."

Today, Gates accepted the resignations of the two high-level Air Force commanders, Moseley and Wynne. Four officers, including three colonels, were also let go.

The mistaken shipment of ballistic missile fuses to Taiwan and a B-52 flying over America with armed nuclear-tipped missiles were the two big reasons for the change. This latest mistake at Hill involving missing rifles, although not loaded, doesn't help the Air Force's image.

Smith said, "Our hope [was] that somebody had picked this box up to get it out of the road, you know, to mitigate the road hazard. Then they got home and opened it up and said, 'Oh, crap! I've got weapons here,' and would bring them back."

However, now that it's been two days, Air Force officials don't believe the man has any intention of bringing the case back.

Base officials say they are working with local law enforcement to make sure they get the weapons back and say that is their No. 1 priority.

Whoever took these weapons, if they don't bring them back, they could be facing possible charges. It is illegal for a citizen to have this kind of weapon, so officials say the guns cannot be easily sold.

If you have any information on this case, you're asked to call police. You can also call base security at (801) 777-1852.

E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]

Posted: 6/5/2008 8:45:45 PM EDT

[#1]

dupe

Posted: 6/5/2008 8:47:04 PM EDT

[#2]

Dang! (Mine has a link though

)

Posted: 6/5/2008 8:47:57 PM EDT

[#3]

These things happen...

Posted: 6/5/2008 8:48:48 PM EDT

[#4]

Oh figures tactical Jew beat you to it...

Posted: 6/5/2008 8:51:29 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=3463999

....This latest mistake at Hill involving missing rifles, although not loaded, doesn't help the Air Force's image.

Smith said, "Our hope [was] that somebody had picked this box up to get it out of the road, you know, to mitigate the road hazard. Then they got home and opened it up and said, 'Oh, crap! I've got weapons here,' and would bring them back."

However, now that it's been two days, Air Force officials don't believe the man has any intention of bringing the case back.

Base officials say they are working with local law enforcement to make sure they get the weapons back and say that is their No. 1 priority.

Whoever took these weapons, if they don't bring them back, they could be facing possible charges. It is illegal for a citizen to have this kind of weapon, so officials say the guns cannot be easily sold.

...

BRB! I'm off to check the EE for parts dealers in the Ogden/SL area!

Posted: 6/5/2008 8:52:18 PM EDT

[#6]

When I was in the Army each soldier was responsible for his own m-16 from the time it was signed out of the company armory until it was signed back in. One guy lost his in the field and we could not come back in until it was found. The pinhead had put it in the back of his deuce and loaded gear on top of it and forgot where he put it. We spent six hours looking for it.
Somebody would end up in Leavenworth if they lost 12 of them.

Posted: 6/6/2008 7:30:34 AM EDT

[#7]

The missing guns have been found. No details yet but there's supposed to be a news conference in a couple of hours to explain what happened.

Posted: 6/6/2008 7:32:09 AM EDT

[#8]

dupe ^ link above

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - M16's missing from Hill Air Force Base

General » General Discussion

Win a FREE Membership!

Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!

You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us