Reports of Cheating Prompt Review of U.S. Nuclear Launch Crews WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Thursday ordered an independent review of the military's nuclear force and summoned top officials to the Pentagon to discuss personnel issues after reports of cheating and low morale among Air Force nuclear launch officers. Mr. Hagel will convene a meeting in the next two weeks of officials responsible for the country's nuclear weapons, and wants military leaders to examine the culture among nuclear officers, Pentagon officials said. "To the degree there are systemic problems in the training and professional standards of the nuclear career field, the secretary wants them solved," Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Defense Department spokesman, said at a news conference. And to the degree leaders have failed in their duties, he wants them held to account. Mr. Hagel spoke on Thursday morning with Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James, who visited several nuclear bases this week. In Cheyenne, Wyo., she heard concerns about the career implications of missing an answer or two on the monthly proficiency tests, The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reported. And in Minot, N.D., she said she picked up on "morale issues" during her talks with launch crews. Admiral Kirby said lapses by those overseeing the country's nuclear arsenal have created "legitimate concerns about the department's stewardship of one of our most sensitive and important missions." Mr. Hagel has indicated that he is open to raising the salaries of missile crew members, who work in isolated and cramped underground capsules from which the missiles are launched. The launch crews work with the lethal jewels of the nation's arsenal, and errors can be catastrophic. But they often find themselves overshadowed by combat and Special Operations forces central to the fight against terrorism. Mr. Hagel's latest directive comes after a series of mishaps among the Air Force crew members charged with the safekeeping - and, if necessary, the launching - of the country's nuclear arsenal. The Air Force last week suspended 34 officers responsible for launching nuclear missiles for cheating or failing to report cheating on monthly proficiency tests. In the past year, a general who oversaw nuclear weapons was dismissed for drunken antics during an official trip to Moscow; 17 officers assigned to stand watch over nuclear-tipped Minuteman missiles were removed for violating safety codes; and missileers with nuclear launch authority were caught napping with the blast door open, a violation of security regulations. While Air Force officials maintain that backups in the system mean there is no potential for a nuclear mistake, many missile launch officers said that low morale in the nuclear force may have led to the series of scandals. They say the insistence by commanders on perfection - a "fail" on the test is a score below 90 percent - coupled with severe punishment when they fail, may encourage cheating. Senator Mark Udall, Democrat of Colorado and chairman of the Senate subcommittee that oversees the nuclear arsenal, said Thursday in a statement that "I remain concerned by the lapses in judgment and discipline displayed by some nuclear missile launch officers in recent months." Mr. Udall said that "our nation demands a great deal of the men and women in our nuclear enterprise for good reason. In return, they deserve outstanding leadership and opportunities for education, advancement and professional development.