Drunk Nuclear weapons transport chauffeurs caught red-nosed

Shipping and transporting Nuclear weapons ought to be a tightly regulated affair, however as the Washington Post reports, some have played it fast and loose. According to a United States Energy Department oversight report, 16 occurrences involving intoxicated government Nuclear weapons chauffeurs have been investigated. Though the individuals being investigated are govt drivers, there is no evidence any of them operated a vehicle while intoxicated. The offending drivers were apprehended by law enforcement after displays of public drunkenness in resort bars between 2007 and 2009. Resource for this article – Government collars drunken nuclear weapons transport drivers by Personal Money Store.

Safeguarded mission had drunk Nuclear weapons drivers

"Secure transportation missions" aren’t the time to stop and tie one on, particularly when the safe transport of nuclear weapons is involved. Reports indicate that various drivers in question checked into various local hotels during long-range missions. While drivers were at hotels, the cars and payloads were put in "safe harbor" locations. A DUI arrest is much worse than public intoxication which is what they were arrested for while drinking at hotel bars. The mission could have ended very badly though making it much worse really.

The report made by the National Nuclear Security Administration explains that the chauffeurs likely weren't driving while drunk as there was no evidence. This is something made very clear for the benefit of the intoxicated Nuclear weapons drivers. The NNSA Office of Secure Transportation underscored that after more than 100 million miles of safeguarded Nuclear weapons transportation, there has been no fatal accident or release of radiation.

Alcohol consumption testing needs there

Each time reasonable suspicion for alcohol screening is there, Nuclear weapons transportation drivers had to take an alcohol test while also taking one once yearly. There’s a rule on when drivers can drink alcohol. It can't be within 10 hours of driving the vehicles. Drivers were sent home if the blood alcohol consumption level was too high. Anything 0.02 or higher was considered too high.

The NNSA explains that there have been a very few amount of alcohol-related occurrences. Any drivers included in these occurrences were immediately removed from their positions. It’s perfectly acceptable to have a zero tolerance policy like this. Nuclear weapons transportation is the first thing that should be treated this way. But recent incidents present a "potential vulnerability" within the system that must be addressed, said House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Edolphus Towns in a statement.

Citations

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/22/AR2010112202172.html

‘A potential vulnerability’

youtube.com/watch?v=UtVbODqYN2c