MINOT AIR FORCE BASE The commander of the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base and two other commanders in the missile wing were relieved of their duties Wednesday.

Col. Christopher B. Ayres, missile wing commander, was relieved of his duties due to loss of confidence in his ability to command, said Air Force officials from Peterson AFB, Colo., which is the headquarters of Air Force Space Command, in a news release Wednesday.

Ayres was removed by Maj. Gen. Roger W. Burg, commander of 20th Air Force. Ayres assumed command in May 2008.

Burg also relieved Col. Lyman A. Faith, commander of the 91st Maintenance Group, and Lt. Col. Andrew D. Healy, commander of the 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron.

The action to relieve Ayres, Faith and Healy holds them accountable for their leadership of their respective units, said Laurie Arellano, chief of Public Affairs at Minot AFB. She said the action is not based on any alleged misconduct or wrongdoing.

Recent incidents during Ayres' command, including a vehicle rollover accident involving a payload transporter on Aug. 31, contributed to the loss of confidence, Peterson AFB officials said.

The new wing commander will evaluate whether any additional personnel actions are appropriate, Arellano said.

Burg visited Minot AFB Wednesday where he met with wing leadership and also held a meeting with all missile wing people when they were informed about the changes, Arellano said.

"We must uphold the highest standards within the nuclear enterprise," said Gen. C. Robert Kehler, commander of Air Force Space Command, who approved of the decision. "We must have complete confidence in our leadership as we continue the revitalization of the nuclear enterprise."

The 91st Missile Wing is an element of 20th Air Force based at F.E. Warren AFB., Wyo., as well as a component of Air Force Space Command at Peterson AFB.

Col. Ferdinand B. Stoss, currently the vice commander of the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren AFB, will be assigned as the new commander of the 91st Missile Wing. In the interim, Col. Michael Spencer, vice commander of the 91st Missile Wing, will lead the wing, Arellano said.

"This action demonstrates that AFSPC (Air Force Space Command) is continually moving forward in the revitalization of the nuclear enterprise by emphasizing the importance of maintaining the highest standards for the nuclear deterrence mission. Perfection is the standard," Arellano said. "Part of reinvigorating the nuclear enterprise is re-establishing standards of performance and accountability from which we have drifted in the past."

"With nuclear weapons, our nation expects no less than perfection," Arellano said. "As stewards of the ultimate backstop of deterrence, the foundation of our nation's security, we cannot afford to have a standard any less than perfection. Leaders must set the standard and example for the airmen who have the awesome responsibility that comes with the nuclear deterrence mission so that they continue to accomplish their mission with great skill and professionalism."

Mark Jantzer, Minot, is a member of Air Force Space Command's Commander's Advisory Group. "We understand that the mission requires precision and reliability and the Air Force holds its leaders accountable for what happens on their watch."

"This certainly demonstrates that there's no room for failure. Although an airman can make a mistake, that responsibility comes back to leadership that's in place and we understand that," Jantzer said.

Ayres is expected to be moved to another position in the Air Force, Arellano said. She did not have information available on the new jobs for Faith and Healy.

"As the new leadership team comes to Minot, they will begin examining the root causes and will re-focus efforts on enforcing the standards of performance and accountability in the wing," Arellano said.

The 91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB is responsible for 150 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles located in underground facilities in northwest and north-central N.D.

In 2007, the commander of the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB and other commanders in select areas were relieved of their jobs following an incident when a nuclear missile was mistakenly loaded on a B-52 bomber at the Minot base and flown to Barksdale AFB in Louisiana. The bomb wing has been restoring its reputation and is back on track, having passed a major inspection recently. Its new 69th Bomb Squadron is working on a couple areas of concern following a preliminary inspection.