Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative
University of New Mexico
http://danielsethics.mgt.unm.edu
Classroom Exercise
Air Force Cheating Scandal Reflects Negatively on
Organizational Culture
The first culprits people think of when they hear of cheating on a test are students. When the Air Force cheating
scandal was brought to light, it would not be unreasonable to assume that it occurred in the Air Force Academy.
However, the cheating scandal shocked many because it did not involve students or a school. Instead, the cheating
occurred among a group of Air Force officers at Malmstrom Air Force base in Montana.
This scandal is one of several that have rocked the Air Force in recent years. In 2008 the chief of staff of the Air
Force and a secretary were fired after failing to properly oversee a nuclear mission. In another incident, a general
of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles force was terminated after an incident involving drinking. The cheating
scandal itself has come to light because of an investigation into illegal drug use among 11 officers across six bases.
Two of the officers under the drug investigation were implicated in the cheating scandal.
The cheating scandal involved a monthly exam to test the officers’ proficiency in areas such as safety and launch
protocol. It was estimated that the event took place in August or September in 2013 and involved a whopping 92
officers out of 190 crew members at the Montana air force base. This represents 20 percent of the work force,
thought to be the largest scandal in Air Force history. An initial investigation revealed that one of the officers
texted the answers to a proficiency exam to 16 others. Further investigation revealed that 17 other officers knew
about the cheating but failed to report it. Altogether the scandal involved captains, lieutenants, and junior officers
at the base.
