Aerospace World By Suzann Chapman, Associate Editor Defense Scrutiny Grinds On Defense Secretary William S. Cohen told reporters May 14 that he had formed a Task Force on Defense Reform to recommend additional ways to stream- line Defense Department operations. Staff photo by Guy Aceto The task force is an outgrowth of the six-month-long Quadrennial Defense Review, released May 19. [See “Snap- shot of the QDR,” p. 17.] Cohen said the QDR didn’t have time to take a thorough look at “significant reforms” in management structure. What’s now needed, he said, is “to focus a good deal more analysis and effort” on the Office of the Secretary of Defense, its field agencies, and the military departments. “Essentially [OSD] has been growing like Topsy,” he reported. The Secretary did note that the Pentagon had made progress in re- Defense Secretary William S. Cohen addresses visitors at the Joint Services Open cent years through computerization House at Andrews AFB, Md., in May, shortly before introducing the Quadrennial and other practices, such as buying Defense Review. [See “Snapshot of the QDR,” p. 17.] off-the-shelf technology. These steps had created more efficient operations, he said, but he emphasized the need Arnold Punaro, senior vice presi- comedian, who attended the dedica- to accomplish “much more” in the way dent of Corporate Development at tion with his wife, Dolores, is the first of reform. “There’s a great deal of Science Applications International individual for whom a new airlifter has redundancy in much of what we do,” Corp. and former staff director of the been named. he claimed. Senate Armed Services Committee. Hope, who began his show business Cohen said he expected to have G. Kim Wincup, a program director career in vaudeville and continued the task force report its findings by at SAIC and former assistant secretary through 60 years of radio, film, and November 30. of the Air Force for Acquisition and television, entertained American troops former assistant secretary of the Army around the world for more than 50 years. Panel Members Named for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. In naming the aircraft for Hope during The Defense Secretary initially Dov Zakheim, corporate vice presi- the Air Force’s fiftieth anniversary, Air named seven business and defense dent and director of the Center for Policy Force Secretary Sheila E. Widnall said experts to the task force, stating that Planning, System Planning Corp., chief that she couldn’t think of a better tribute. they would work with DoD Comptrol- executive officer of SPC International, “We thought we’d give you, in a ler John J. Hamre, who was slated and former deputy under secretary of sense, an airplane—an airplane which, to succeed John P. White as deputy defense for Planning and Resources. like you, will go visit troops in some secretary of Defense. Cohen indicated he might add more of the least enviable locations on the Michael J. Bayer, business–gov- members. The task force will collabo- planet. After all, the folks crawling ernment relations consultant and for- rate with corporate leaders and the through mud and jungles don’t really mer official in the Energy and Com- National Defense Panel working on expect to see this plane any more than merce departments. an independent assessment of the they expected to see you—but the David Chu, director of Rand’s US military. plane, like you, will show up,” she said. Washington, D.C., office and former The aircraft will be assigned to the assistant secretary of defense, Pro- C-17 Christened Bob Hope 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB, S. C. gram Analysis and Evaluation. In a ceremony April 22 at the Mc- Rhett Dawson, president, Infor- Donnell Douglas facility in Long Beach, USAF Forms Single Lab mation Technology Industry Council. Calif., the Air Force dedicated the Air Force Materiel Command an- James Locher, former assistant thirty-second C-17 Globemaster III to nounced in April that it had consolidated secretary of defense for Special Op- entertainer Bob Hope. The 94-year-old its lab operations in a single Air Force erations and Low-Intensity Conflict. 10 AIR FORCE Magazine / July 1997 laboratory—the Air Force Research staff, augmented by personnel from accident investigator, stated that there Laboratory. The move came as part of the four existing labs. was not enough evidence to determine the Air Force response to an ongoing AFMC officials expect the move to why the fuel stopped flowing to the Congressional initiative to consolidate reduce manpower but stated it was too engines. defense labs and test centers. early to estimate how many or where Portions of the aircraft wreckage, AFMC plans initially to retain its four positions would be cut. As part of an including the cockpit voice recorder, existing labs at their current locations earlier streamlining move, the Air Force flight data recorder, and one engine, but place them and the Air Force Of- consolidated its lab structure from 14 were recovered from the ocean floor fice of Scientific Research under one independent facilities to four superlabs in more than 5,100 feet of water by commander. in 1991. The service is also under the Navy’s Deep Submergence Unit. Current research labs are Arm strong a Congressional mandate to cut 35 The HC-130P, carrying a 10-person Laboratory, Brooks AFB, Tex.; Phillips percent of its lab manpower by 2001. crew and one passenger, was en route Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, N.M.; Rome to NAS North Island, Calif., from Port- Laboratory, Rome, N.Y.; and Wright Fuel Flow Problem Downed land IAP, Ore., on November 22 on a Laboratory, Wright-Pat terson AFB, HC-130P routine overwater navigation training Ohio. The Air Force Office of Scientific The accident investigation report mission when the aircraft crashed into Research is located at Bolling AFB, D.C. released April 24, on the crash of an the Pacific about 60 miles off the coast Maj. Gen. Richard R. Paul, formerly Air Force Reserve Command HC-130P of northern California. [See “Reserve AFMC director of Science and Technol- that claimed 10 lives, revealed that the Crash Claims 10,” February 1997 ogy, will command the new research aircraft’s engines ceased to operate “Aerospace World,” p. 13.] lab. The AFMC Science and Technology for lack of fuel flow. All 11 Reservists on board were staff will provide the core laboratory Col. Larry L. Landtroop, the lead assigned to the 939th Rescue Wing The Departure of Kelly Flinn Kelly J. Flinn, the Air Force’s first female bomber pilot, officially Flinn arrived at Minot in October 1995. In July 1996, she left Minot AFB, N.D., and the Air Force on May 29. The former began an affair with Marc Zigo, the base’s civilian soccer coach, first lieutenant had received notice on May 22 that USAF had who was married to Amn. Gayla A. Zigo. (Marc Zigo later said denied her request for resignation with an honorable discharge he lied when he told Flinn he was legally separated from his in lieu of court-martial. Instead she received a general discharge. wife and had filed for divorce.) The former B-52 copilot was charged with adultery, frater- Meanwhile, Zigo’s wife found a love letter from Flinn nization, lying to investigators, and disobeying a direct order. and confronted Zigo, who told her Flinn was stalking him. Air Force Secretary Sheila E. Widnall had forestalled Flinn’s A noncommissioned officer talked with Flinn on behalf of May 20 court-martial by taking up a review of her request for Gayla Zigo. resignation in what had become a politically charged case. In November, the service began its investigation of Flinn’s USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Ronald R. Fogleman, responding relationship with Zigo, which had come to light during another to Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) during a hearing on the Air Force unrelated investigation. At that point—according to Flinn, who budget on May 21, reminded Senators that Congress had es- thought Zigo intended to marry her after his divorce—she tablished the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He emphasized, and Zigo agreed not to tell investigators about their affair. “This is not an issue of adultery. This is an issue about an of- Unknown to Flinn, Zigo instead gave them a written state- ficer who is entrusted to fly nuclear weapons who disobeyed ment with complete details. At about the same time, Gayla an order, who lied. That’s what this is about.” Zigo accused Marc Zigo of involvement with a third woman From the beginning, the Flinn case was headline news. Her and told him to move out. She filed for divorce. Zigo moved supporters, including some members of Congress, keyed on in with Flinn after he supposedly attempted suicide and said the adultery issue, with many labeling the military as being out he couldn’t live without Flinn. of touch with reality and with some even claiming gender dis- In December, Flinn’s squadron commander issued Flinn a crimination. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) claimed written order to stay away from Marc Zigo. Flinn chose to ignore Flinn was being singled out and should receive an honorable the order. She told the New York Times she had decided to try discharge. Many female lawmakers took the position that the to salvage her relationship with Zigo. military unfairly targeted women. In January, the Air Force filed its charges against Flinn. However, the numbers do not support that argument. Last Investigators showed her the file of statements made by year alone, the Air Force court-martialed 60 men and seven Zigo.