Nuclear Surety: You are a part

  • Published
  • By Keith Koenig
  • 90th Missile Wing Safety
F.E. WARREN AFB, Wyo. --  "I don't need to know about nuclear surety. I'm not accountable for nuclear weapons." 

Well, if you are assigned to Warren, then nuclear surety is probably part of your daily activities and likely on your mind. You just don't realize it. 

The personnel reliability program is a huge part of nuclear surety. Accountability, while not directly mentioned in the official Air Force guidance, is probably the most important part of the nuclear surety program. 

Air Force Instruction 91-101, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Surety Program, defines nuclear weapons surety as, "Material, personnel and procedures which contribute to the security, safety and reliability of nuclear weapons and to the assurance that there will be no nuclear weapons accidents, incidents, unauthorized weapons detonations or degradation in performance at the target." 

The combination of safety and security applied to nuclear weapons, weapons systems, equipment and personnel ensures nuclear surety. 

To have Airmen on PRP status ensures each person who performs duties involving nuclear weapons meets the highest possible standards of reliability. This means the whole person, not just physical health. 

We, as workers, supervisors and managers, need to ensure those around us meet the highest standards. If you are aware an individual is PRP certified and feel their reliability could be in question, you must report it to the individual's commander or supervisor. 

One of the best and most effective methods of doing this is to listen to your coworkers.  They could be speaking volumes by what they say and how they act. 

We are all people who occasionally have issues to deal with. If something is wrong in your life or a co-worker's life, notify a supervisor. 

This is a continuous evaluation process, not a one-time evaluation. If you are on PRP continue to look at yourself and be aware of your coworkers. 

This continuous evaluation is a good thing. Can you imagine somebody having a reaction to improperly obtained medication while working on a weapon system? 

Hopefully this scenario would be caught three different ways. First, the individual should be accountable and notify their certifying chain. Second, their coworkers should be aware of the individual's abnormal behavior and notify the certifying chain. Third, the PRP clinic would have caught and prevented an incompatible medication and recommended to the commander that the person not be brought back on PRP. 

We need people with all of their faculties intact working on nuclear weapons. It really does take a team of professionals to keep nuclear surety strong. 

It all comes back to the individual and the fact we have to hold ourselves accountable. 

Personal accountability and nuclear surety are intertwined. The Air Force core values integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do is just another way of saying we are accountable. 

To whom are we accountable? 

Under nuclear surety, each one of us is accountable to each other, as well as up and down the chain of command. If we know somebody is having a difficult time and needs to recharge, they are accountable to their supervisor and to their commander.

We win and lose by our actions, and our actions must be accountable to ensure nuclear surety.