Hundreds of Boeing staff seemingly stepped on Air Force One aircraft despite lacking the proper credentials to do so.
Both the Department of Defense (DOD) and Boeing are launching probes to figure out why a multitude of employees for the plane manufacturer had outdated credentials while tending to to the federal executive fleet. Boeing became aware that highly sensitive security clearances for approximately 250 staff who work on Air Force One aircraft were expired, prompting mass suspensions by Boeing workers last week, Fox Business reported.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is scrutinizing why Boeing Co employees worked on current and future Air Force One planes without the security credentials required for the highly classified jets.
— Vehicularity (@_Vehicularity_) March 24, 2023
The expiration dates ranged anywhere from a couple of months up to 7 years, according to reporting originally reported by The Wall Street Journal. This has resulted in the suspension of the 250 staff-members working for Boeing. (RELATED: Pentagon Study Links Cancer Risk To Pilots, Ground Crews)
Pentagon officials are scrutinizing why Boeing employees worked on current and future Air Force One planes without security credentials required for the highly classified jets https://t.co/oHI43mlUAD
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) March 23, 2023
“Boeing informed the Air Force last week of a lapse in their Presidential Support Program personnel tracking. As a result, approximately 250 VC-25A and VC-25B personnel had their access to the VC-25A and VC-25B areas temporarily suspended,” an Air Force spokesperson said in a statement, the outlet reported.
The United States Air Force (USAF) alongside Boeing jointly clarified there was no negative impact as a result of the collectting the staff member sas a result the backdated credentials, according to Fox Business.
“As of Sunday, 19 March, the vast majority of employees are once again eligible for access to the secured spaces. All of the impacted employees have current, valid Top Secret clearances. None have lost their security clearances nor had them suspended,” the public relations official added.
The airline manufacturing company first reported the issue to the Pentagon. (RELATED:Pentagon Posts Official Deadline For Military Branches To Stop Forcing COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate)
WATCH ➡️ The Pentagon is seeking answers regarding Boeing employees who were found working Air Force One planes without security clearance.
Credentials are needed for anyone working on aircrafts used by the U.S. government.@KarahRucker reports 👉 https://t.co/rUdiBnWHOG. pic.twitter.com/3q1qXBXt2F
— Straight Arrow News (@StraightArrow__) March 24, 2023
The USAF believes that Boeing “is taking the situation very seriously and believes the Boeing Company is making every effort to quickly resolve this issue through their Root Case/Corrective Action (RCCA) processes,” according to Fox Business.
That said, the DOD probe still reportedly remains underway.