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U.S. Energy Department Watchdog Criticizes Security Training at U.S. Nuclear Weapons Sites
U.S. nuclear weapons facilities have eliminated or reduced training for their security forces, leading to concerns that the sites may not be adequately defended against a terrorist attack, according to a report released last week by the U.S. Energy Department’s Inspector General Office (see GSN, Jan. 27). The Energy Department’s watchdog reviewed security training at 12 sites associated with the U.S. nuclear weapons complex, including the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Nevada Test Site, and found that 10 facilities had “eliminated or substantially modified” at least two blocks of instruction, according to the report. It also says that instruction at one site had been reduced by about 40 percent from the required 320 hours of training. At seven sites, training techniques characterized by some experts as critical, such as hand-to-hand combat and vehicle assaults, were modified by reducing their intensity or delivery method. Officials at some reviewed sites found that tactical skills were only taught in the classroom or at a limited force level, according to the report. Both the Energy Department and contractors indicated that site managers were concerned about the connection between the number of injuries suffered during security training and a contractor’s evaluation and subsequent fee determination, the report says. “At some sites instructors were specifically told to limit force used during training to avoid injuries,” it says. The report warns that “inconsistent” security training methods raise the risks of a lowered ability to fend off possible attacks or the potential use of excessive force during a security incident. “Defensive tactics training should be as realistic as possible. Anything less may rob the trainee of the exposure to the level of force, panic and confusion that are usually present during an actual attack and increase the possibility of an inappropriate response in high stress situations,” the report says (U.S. Energy Department release, March 12).
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