Controversy Over Military Discipline Laxity
Sixteen F-4E and F-5 fighter pilots serving at an Air Force wing drank alcohol in the emergency standby room, but only one of them received a minor disciplinary action, prompting the Air Force Headquarters to conduct an inspection investigation, which was revealed belatedly.
On the 2nd, an Air Force official stated, "Fighter pilots serving at the 10th Fighter Wing in Suwon were caught drinking alcohol three times in the emergency standby room between late August and early September last year," adding, "This constitutes a breach of military discipline."
The Air Force Headquarters belatedly conducted an inspection investigation on the 19th and 20th of last month and is currently proceeding with disciplinary procedures against those who drank and the commanders responsible for supervision and management.
Under the leadership of senior Major A, eight people shared two 500ml cans of beer, eight people shared one 1.5ml PET bottle, and two people shared one 500ml can of beer in the emergency standby room called 'Alert.' These individuals were pilots on emergency standby or who had been released from emergency standby (fade-out).
The 10th Fighter Wing held its own disciplinary committee on the 13th of last month and issued a 'reprimand' to Major A, who led the drinking, and reported the disciplinary results to the Air Force Headquarters on the 16th of the same month.
Upon receiving the report of this disciplinary action, Air Force Chief of Staff Won In-chul became enraged and, recognizing the seriousness of the incident, ordered an inspection investigation to accurately ascertain the details of the incident and devise follow-up measures to prevent recurrence.
An Air Force official emphasized, "We are currently proceeding with disciplinary procedures against those who drank and the commanders responsible for supervision and management," adding, "They will be strictly punished according to the results."
Incidents of military discipline breaches have been occurring repeatedly recently.
Earlier, on the 7th of last month, two civilians cut through the barbed wire and trespassed into the Jeju Naval Base, but due to the degradation of the core functions of the active surveillance system, no alarm sounded, and the '5-minute standby team' responded sluggishly, arriving two hours after the intrusion.
In January, a man in his 70s trespassed into the Jinhae Naval Base in Gyeongnam and wandered around for about an hour and a half, causing a commotion.
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