This series of reports investigates charges of frequent mishandling of nuclear weapons at Whiteman Air Force Base. It is based on interviews conducted by The Daily Star-Journal during the past three months in collaboration with WDAF-TV, Channel 4, in Kansas City. The television station's series, "Failsafe," is being broadcast this week during its 10 p.m. newscast.
By Kenneth Amos
Star-Journal News Editor
(Third of a series)
Expecting just another walk-in mental evaluation after reporting to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas., Capt. Eugene R. Essex found himself locked up along with persons exhibiting serious mental disorders inside the San Antonio, Texas, confines of Wilford-Hall Medical Center. He claims he ended up in the Lone Star State because he persisted in reporting nuclear violations to his superiors. An investigation was conducted regarding his allegations, and the official report concluded Capt. Essex, himself, was the problem. And, contends his records were falsified and high-ranking officers lied.
He was an outcast.
The captain had been through the "psycho" routine before at nearby Whiteman Air Force Base and during two days of interviews and testing at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
Surely, this would be no different.
Unbeknownst to him, Capt. Essex was sent to Texas on 89-day orders where he was detained and told he presented a serious problem since he could not accept decisions made by his superiors. The fact he kept insisting he was telling the truth regarding violations that impair the handling of nuclear weapons at Whiteman Air Force Base was not helping matters.
Sarcastically, Capt. Essex calls his stay at Lackland "a very pleasant experience. I would go to back to Vietnam any day before I would go back there."
Four Possibilities
On approximately the 15th day of his stay, Capt. Essex said he finally was told there were four possibilities causing his dilemma.
First, according to the doctors in charge of his case, he possibly had organic brain syndrome. This meant his brain was slowly deteriorating and he could no longer see the danger to his career that was in front of him. Attending physicians suggested the drug lithium might just be the answer.
Second, they said he might have a tumor on the frontal lobe of his brain, which altered his personality to the point he would not become angry. He was in formed a tumor was making him too placid, too happy.
Capt. Essex said he was told, "We don't see you shouting or angry or upset or having a nervous breakdown about the serious career threats or what your family has been through, and obviously since you don't do this, there must be something wrong." For this, another drug was recommended.
Third, Capt. Essex said the doctors speculated that he might have some sort of mania. However, they could not find accompanying symptoms to make this a valid diagnosis.
The final possibility was nothing. Simply put, nothing at all was wrong; the captain was normal and he, in fact, was reporting what he had seen. Capt. Essex contends the doctors refused to take so much as a single X-ray, or bother to administer a brain scan "because it would cost the Air Force too much money."
Not Enough Anger
The captain said he was told he "just did not show the proper anger ... for a man in your position."
Befuddled, "I said wait a minute, sir. You're saying because I don't show anger over what's happened to me that I probably have a brain tumor or something like that. I said you're looking at the most (expletive deleted) captain in the U.S. Air Force. I don't belong here. I wanted out the day before I got here. I was trained as an NCO for 16 years that if there is a problem — and I have encountered a whole lot of them in my lifetime — you don't scream and shout and yell. You find a solution to the problem and you get something done that way."
Capt. Essex said the response was, "Oh, then you do have anger?" The doctor's response, according to Capt. Essex, was, "Oh, then I think you're normal.
Earlier in his stay, Capt. Essex kept track of the actions of the staff and everything he was told. He reported them during telephone calls from his wife, family and friends, and, according to Capt. Essex, a very interested syndicated columnist named Jack Anderson.
When informed he would be administered the aforementioned drugs, Capt. Essex told those in charge he would refuse any medication and said he had made it known to those he had talked to on the telephone he would not take any medication. If he did so "it would be be absolutely against my will."
Capt. Essex advised the doctors when those persons call today, I will tell them you want to start me on the drugs. He said the doctors were startled at this revelation, and "from that day on ... they treated me nice as pie."
Hospital personnel wrote an evaluation that stated they found nothing wrong with Capt. Essex and sent him packing — back to a few surprised individuals at Whiteman.
In response to questions submitted to Whiteman officials, the Air Force said psychiatric testing is not routinely administered to its personnel. However, if an individual exhibits traits that would cast doubts about his capability o function in the Air Force or in sensitive positions, a medical evaluation may directed. If medical authorities determine a psychiatric evaluation is required, then that evaluation will be made
There have been other incidents that Capt. Essex refuses to talk about because of their classified nature, and because of restrictions placed upon him by the Air Force.
Capt. Essex has written permission from the ranking officer of the WAFB Public Affairs Office to talk about his experiences in the Air Force. However, he cannot represent the Air Force in any way, he cannot compare Titan and Minuteman missiles, and he cannot discuss various promotions and retentions in the Air Force.
Facts Not Dealt With
Regarding the incidents, Capt. Essex said, "The interesting thing I find is that facts don't mean anything to those colonels and those generals who I have reported these mistakes to. These mistakes are all based on nuclear safety violations at Whiteman Air Force Base. They reflect on the entire SAC missile force, the entire SAC bomber force, because we work for the same people."
Capt. Essex's main bone of contention is there are people who have controlled and who are still controlling nuclear weapons who are in some cases in competent, "and we know it." There are those who are mentally unstable, "and we know it." And, in some cases, persons do not follow technical directives required to prevent an accident, incident or nuclear detonation.
"Anything that involves nuclear weapons we have to be very careful about. And what I have witnessed is that this isn't the way it is done." When quizzed about the veracity of his charges, Capt. Essex said, "I know what I am saying. I was told if I would shut up I would get a better job and be given any assignment. To me this is an incredible response to a claim there is something wrong here with someone controlling nuclear weapons."
A bulk of the problem, according to the captain, is that personnel who are turning the other way are those who deal with promotions instead of nuclear weapons.
"If you're a colonel or major, or whatever your rank is in (SAC), the most important thing is not to make a mistake. If it is found you have made a mistake ... and this is officially recognized, this means, essentially, you won't get promoted unless you have someone to protect your career ... someone like a sponsor."
Essex bluntly charges that most personnel at WAFB forget they are working with potential massive, life-threatening bombs on a daily basis.
"We have two worlds. We have the world down in the capsule where you're actually dealing with live nuclear weapons and you have the controls at your hands. That's not the real world. That's just where you go to sleep and watch television and forget about everything else. The real world is in the (missile-launch) trainer and in the Officers' Club where you get promoted and where you can demonstrate that you know how to play a game."
Finding the Air Force unsympathetic to his pleas, Capt. Essex has since turned to members of Congress, including Missouri Sens. Thomas F. Eagleton and John C. Danforth, Congressman Ike Skelton, and even to the President of the United States. An investigative team from the Air Force Inspector General's office has looked into Essex's allegations, and submitted its report to Skelton on Monday(see related story). The purpose behind the letters to high government officials, according to the captain, is to bring forth an impartial investigation by an objective outside group of individuals.
Harassment Begins
In recent weeks, Capt. Essex contends he has been subject to harassment, which seems to take a different form almost every day.
Typical have been reassignments of duties, orders not to enter a certain building on base that he presently is assigned for duty, and the fact that on occasions his current commander and supervisor have refused to speak to him without a lawyer present.
In March, Capt. Essex received a Letter of Counseling regarding public statements concerning official matters at WAFB, a Letter of Admonishment, for making allegations against other Air Force officers, and Notification of Intent to Place Documents in an Unfavorable Information File (UIF).
He also has been given one of the worst possible Officers Effectiveness Rating (OER) — a 4 on a scale in which 1 is the best. Most officers never receive less than a 2 OER rating.
Capt. Essex claims he was punished as recently as last Friday when served papers that, in essence, will never allow him to be a regular officer. He will remain a reserve officer for the rest of his tour of duty.
Assessing his situation, Capt. Essex said, "I've gone back and talked to the wing commander. I've talked to the director of operations. I've gone to the Inspector General (IG) and I've gone to the Air Force Inspector General, (and) the Department of Defense. I've gone the whole legal chain."
A request to speak to the commander of SAC, or the SAC IG, who was on base in February 1980, led to Capt. Essex being placed under house arrest and escorted off base.
Admittedly, Capt. Essex does not know how much more he can take.
Air Force Not The Problem
Despite airing the Air Force's "dirty laundry" in the media, he claims he is not out to blackmail his branch of the service.
"I love the Air Force. I've been in the Air Force my whole adult life."
Capt. Essex contends the Air Force is not the root of his problems: they stem from individuals — commanders, officers and other personnel who have violated the laws of the Air Force.
"The vast majority of the people in the Air Force are honest, hard-working people. I'm proud of them. I'm proud to be associated with them. But there are some, and I have only seen them in my eight years with SAC, primarily in the officer corps and senior officer corps, who are so afraid of making a mistake ... it's unreasonable. "They would rather risk a nuclear accident, a nuclear incident, a nuclear detonation, than to have the truth known within our own system so that we may correct the problems."
So what does he want?
"I want back in intelligence. But first I want my commander status back, my missile status back, my Air Force specialty card as a missile officer back my security clearance back, and my personnel reliability clearance back.
"I would like to have an apology from the turkeys who have done this to me, but I don't need that. I can live without it.
Capt. Essex quietly added that he would like his records corrected where he claims they have been falsified, and appropriate actions taken against those officers involved.
"If I can make an example that we have to obey our own regulations, at least regarding nuclear weapons, then we will all be the beneficiaries."
NEXT: A Sample Of The Problems
By Kenneth Amos
Star-Journal News Editor
(Third of a series)
Expecting just another walk-in mental evaluation after reporting to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas., Capt. Eugene R. Essex found himself locked up along with persons exhibiting serious mental disorders inside the San Antonio, Texas, confines of Wilford-Hall Medical Center. He claims he ended up in the Lone Star State because he persisted in reporting nuclear violations to his superiors. An investigation was conducted regarding his allegations, and the official report concluded Capt. Essex, himself, was the problem. And, contends his records were falsified and high-ranking officers lied.
He was an outcast.
The captain had been through the "psycho" routine before at nearby Whiteman Air Force Base and during two days of interviews and testing at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
Surely, this would be no different.
Unbeknownst to him, Capt. Essex was sent to Texas on 89-day orders where he was detained and told he presented a serious problem since he could not accept decisions made by his superiors. The fact he kept insisting he was telling the truth regarding violations that impair the handling of nuclear weapons at Whiteman Air Force Base was not helping matters.
Sarcastically, Capt. Essex calls his stay at Lackland "a very pleasant experience. I would go to back to Vietnam any day before I would go back there."
Four Possibilities
On approximately the 15th day of his stay, Capt. Essex said he finally was told there were four possibilities causing his dilemma.
First, according to the doctors in charge of his case, he possibly had organic brain syndrome. This meant his brain was slowly deteriorating and he could no longer see the danger to his career that was in front of him. Attending physicians suggested the drug lithium might just be the answer.
Second, they said he might have a tumor on the frontal lobe of his brain, which altered his personality to the point he would not become angry. He was in formed a tumor was making him too placid, too happy.
Capt. Essex said he was told, "We don't see you shouting or angry or upset or having a nervous breakdown about the serious career threats or what your family has been through, and obviously since you don't do this, there must be something wrong." For this, another drug was recommended.
Third, Capt. Essex said the doctors speculated that he might have some sort of mania. However, they could not find accompanying symptoms to make this a valid diagnosis.
The final possibility was nothing. Simply put, nothing at all was wrong; the captain was normal and he, in fact, was reporting what he had seen. Capt. Essex contends the doctors refused to take so much as a single X-ray, or bother to administer a brain scan "because it would cost the Air Force too much money."
Not Enough Anger
The captain said he was told he "just did not show the proper anger ... for a man in your position."
Befuddled, "I said wait a minute, sir. You're saying because I don't show anger over what's happened to me that I probably have a brain tumor or something like that. I said you're looking at the most (expletive deleted) captain in the U.S. Air Force. I don't belong here. I wanted out the day before I got here. I was trained as an NCO for 16 years that if there is a problem — and I have encountered a whole lot of them in my lifetime — you don't scream and shout and yell. You find a solution to the problem and you get something done that way."
Capt. Essex said the response was, "Oh, then you do have anger?" The doctor's response, according to Capt. Essex, was, "Oh, then I think you're normal.
Earlier in his stay, Capt. Essex kept track of the actions of the staff and everything he was told. He reported them during telephone calls from his wife, family and friends, and, according to Capt. Essex, a very interested syndicated columnist named Jack Anderson.
When informed he would be administered the aforementioned drugs, Capt. Essex told those in charge he would refuse any medication and said he had made it known to those he had talked to on the telephone he would not take any medication. If he did so "it would be be absolutely against my will."
Capt. Essex advised the doctors when those persons call today, I will tell them you want to start me on the drugs. He said the doctors were startled at this revelation, and "from that day on ... they treated me nice as pie."
Hospital personnel wrote an evaluation that stated they found nothing wrong with Capt. Essex and sent him packing — back to a few surprised individuals at Whiteman.
In response to questions submitted to Whiteman officials, the Air Force said psychiatric testing is not routinely administered to its personnel. However, if an individual exhibits traits that would cast doubts about his capability o function in the Air Force or in sensitive positions, a medical evaluation may directed. If medical authorities determine a psychiatric evaluation is required, then that evaluation will be made
There have been other incidents that Capt. Essex refuses to talk about because of their classified nature, and because of restrictions placed upon him by the Air Force.
Capt. Essex has written permission from the ranking officer of the WAFB Public Affairs Office to talk about his experiences in the Air Force. However, he cannot represent the Air Force in any way, he cannot compare Titan and Minuteman missiles, and he cannot discuss various promotions and retentions in the Air Force.
Facts Not Dealt With
Regarding the incidents, Capt. Essex said, "The interesting thing I find is that facts don't mean anything to those colonels and those generals who I have reported these mistakes to. These mistakes are all based on nuclear safety violations at Whiteman Air Force Base. They reflect on the entire SAC missile force, the entire SAC bomber force, because we work for the same people."
Capt. Essex's main bone of contention is there are people who have controlled and who are still controlling nuclear weapons who are in some cases in competent, "and we know it." There are those who are mentally unstable, "and we know it." And, in some cases, persons do not follow technical directives required to prevent an accident, incident or nuclear detonation.
"Anything that involves nuclear weapons we have to be very careful about. And what I have witnessed is that this isn't the way it is done." When quizzed about the veracity of his charges, Capt. Essex said, "I know what I am saying. I was told if I would shut up I would get a better job and be given any assignment. To me this is an incredible response to a claim there is something wrong here with someone controlling nuclear weapons."
A bulk of the problem, according to the captain, is that personnel who are turning the other way are those who deal with promotions instead of nuclear weapons.
"If you're a colonel or major, or whatever your rank is in (SAC), the most important thing is not to make a mistake. If it is found you have made a mistake ... and this is officially recognized, this means, essentially, you won't get promoted unless you have someone to protect your career ... someone like a sponsor."
Essex bluntly charges that most personnel at WAFB forget they are working with potential massive, life-threatening bombs on a daily basis.
"We have two worlds. We have the world down in the capsule where you're actually dealing with live nuclear weapons and you have the controls at your hands. That's not the real world. That's just where you go to sleep and watch television and forget about everything else. The real world is in the (missile-launch) trainer and in the Officers' Club where you get promoted and where you can demonstrate that you know how to play a game."
Finding the Air Force unsympathetic to his pleas, Capt. Essex has since turned to members of Congress, including Missouri Sens. Thomas F. Eagleton and John C. Danforth, Congressman Ike Skelton, and even to the President of the United States. An investigative team from the Air Force Inspector General's office has looked into Essex's allegations, and submitted its report to Skelton on Monday(see related story). The purpose behind the letters to high government officials, according to the captain, is to bring forth an impartial investigation by an objective outside group of individuals.
Harassment Begins
In recent weeks, Capt. Essex contends he has been subject to harassment, which seems to take a different form almost every day.
Typical have been reassignments of duties, orders not to enter a certain building on base that he presently is assigned for duty, and the fact that on occasions his current commander and supervisor have refused to speak to him without a lawyer present.
In March, Capt. Essex received a Letter of Counseling regarding public statements concerning official matters at WAFB, a Letter of Admonishment, for making allegations against other Air Force officers, and Notification of Intent to Place Documents in an Unfavorable Information File (UIF).
He also has been given one of the worst possible Officers Effectiveness Rating (OER) — a 4 on a scale in which 1 is the best. Most officers never receive less than a 2 OER rating.
Capt. Essex claims he was punished as recently as last Friday when served papers that, in essence, will never allow him to be a regular officer. He will remain a reserve officer for the rest of his tour of duty.
Assessing his situation, Capt. Essex said, "I've gone back and talked to the wing commander. I've talked to the director of operations. I've gone to the Inspector General (IG) and I've gone to the Air Force Inspector General, (and) the Department of Defense. I've gone the whole legal chain."
A request to speak to the commander of SAC, or the SAC IG, who was on base in February 1980, led to Capt. Essex being placed under house arrest and escorted off base.
Admittedly, Capt. Essex does not know how much more he can take.
Air Force Not The Problem
Despite airing the Air Force's "dirty laundry" in the media, he claims he is not out to blackmail his branch of the service.
"I love the Air Force. I've been in the Air Force my whole adult life."
Capt. Essex contends the Air Force is not the root of his problems: they stem from individuals — commanders, officers and other personnel who have violated the laws of the Air Force.
"The vast majority of the people in the Air Force are honest, hard-working people. I'm proud of them. I'm proud to be associated with them. But there are some, and I have only seen them in my eight years with SAC, primarily in the officer corps and senior officer corps, who are so afraid of making a mistake ... it's unreasonable. "They would rather risk a nuclear accident, a nuclear incident, a nuclear detonation, than to have the truth known within our own system so that we may correct the problems."
So what does he want?
"I want back in intelligence. But first I want my commander status back, my missile status back, my Air Force specialty card as a missile officer back my security clearance back, and my personnel reliability clearance back.
"I would like to have an apology from the turkeys who have done this to me, but I don't need that. I can live without it.
Capt. Essex quietly added that he would like his records corrected where he claims they have been falsified, and appropriate actions taken against those officers involved.
"If I can make an example that we have to obey our own regulations, at least regarding nuclear weapons, then we will all be the beneficiaries."
NEXT: A Sample Of The Problems