Retired Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton, former commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, is a member of Consolidated Nuclear Security’s three-member Technical Safety Board.
The board’s existence came to public light recently when CNS – the government’s managing contractor at the Y-12 and Pantex nuclear weapons plants – made a reference on its website to Chilton’s visit to Pantex to speak with employees.
In response to questions, CNS said, “The purpose of the Technical Advisory Board is to serve as an independent resource to advise CNS executive leadership on strategic direction, formation of a more effective and efficient enterprise, operational challenges and risk management. This is done in order to improve interface with the NNSA enterprise and the Department of Defense, develop innovative approaches and solutions that will provide more value in mission delivery and mission support function, and provide effective stewardship and management of fiscal resources in meeting contractual requirements.”
According to CNS, the board was formed sometime after the contractor took over management of the NNSA plants in July 2014. Besides Chilton, CNS confirmed that other members of the board are Ken Vlach, former Honeywell executive with expertise in supply chain management, and Steve Guidice, a former Department of Energy undersecretary who previously served on an secretarial advisory panel for the Y-12 Uranium Processing Facility.
Asked if Chilton headed the panel, CNS spokeswoman Ellen Boatner said there is no leader.
“They are called upon for their areas of expertise,” Boatner said by email. “They do meet, when needed, as a group, but they do not have a designated leader.”