Nine Air Force commanders lost their jobs in the wake of a cheating scandal involving systemic cheating on tests by officers in the U.S. nuclear missile program , officials from that military branch said Thursday . The fired officers were in `` leadership positions '' at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana , Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said . Though not directly involved in cheating , `` they failed to provide adequate oversight of their crew force , '' according to James . In addition , Col. Robert Stanley -- head of the 341st Missile Wing and a 25-year veteran -- `` relinquished command '' and submitted his resignation Thursday morning , said Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson , the commander of the Air Force 's Global Strike Command . `` Leadership 's focus on perfection led commanders to micromanage their people , '' said Wilson , pointing to pressure to get 100 % scores on monthly proficiency exams when only 90 % was necessary to pass . `` ... Leaders lost sight of the fact that execution in the field is more important than what happens in the classroom . '' James said Thursday that 100 lower-level officers were at one point implicated in the ordeal -- having either been accused directly of cheating or having looked the other way . Nine of those have been cleared and will be allowed to return to duty , while others could face punishments ranging from letters of counseling to courts-martial on various charges . These disciplinary measures are only part of the response , however . James and Wilson both referred to a number of changes to address this incident as well as far-reaching issues with morale , micromanagement and more among those in the Air Force 's intercontinental ballistic missile program . `` The issues that we have before us today are tough , and they did n't come overnight , '' said James . `` ... While we have progress in certain areas in recent years , there is more work to be done . '' Military investigators stumbled into the cheating scandal while looking into alleged drug activity involving airmen . Three of their targets in the drug probe happened to work as missile crew members at Malmstrom , which is how investigators got access to their cell phones -- and `` found test material on them , '' according to Wilson . Authorities previously said the cheating took place last August and September at the Montana base , with officers using texts and pictures to cheat on their proficiency exams . But Wilson said Thursday that such behavior actually went well beyond that , having occurred as far back as November 2011 and as recently as November 2013 . The whole Malmstrom scheme centered on four individuals , three of whom were being investigated in the drug probe , according to Wilson . `` If we would have removed those , then this incident probably would never have happened , '' he added . About 190 officers oversee the readiness of nuclear weapons systems at the Montana base , meaning the episode tainted a large percentage of that force in some way . James said she found worrisome not just that airmen cheated directly , but that no one -- whether or not they were directly involved -- spoke up . The Air Force officials said investigators did n't find any indication of similar cheating on other bases tied to the missile program , though they pointed to common issues elsewhere when it comes to the program 's management . To that end , Wilson said he has a list of `` 400 action items '' to possible address those issues . Some are simple , like grading the monthly proficiency on a simple pass/fail metric . Others are more complicated , though all have a common aim of ensuring the nuclear weapons program is run smartly and effectively by satisfied , capable military personnel with high integrity . `` Our nation demands and deserves the higher standards of accountability from the force entrusted with the most powerful weapon on the planet , '' Wilson said . `` We are committed to living up to those standards . '' Navy responds to allegations . Air Force cheating scandal .
The head of the 341st Missile Wing `` relinquished command , '' asked to retire . `` Leadership 's focus on perfection led commanders to micromanage , '' official says . The cheating on an exam for missile launch officers was between 2011 and 2013 . Air Force leader : Though they did n't cheat , commanders did n't provide adequate oversight .