The State - News from Dec. 29, 1986

Three ex-employees of the Air Force’s satellite control facility in Sunnyvale say key workers there have slept on the job and could have endangered national security by working alone, according to a published account. The San Jose Mercury News reported the allegations in a story about working conditions at the Onizuka Air Force Station, a top-secret facility that has been nicknamed the Blue Cube. “It has the potential for a problem and that’s the only thing that any of us are stating,” one of the men, former Sgt. Randy Lhowe, was quoted as saying. “It has a potential for disaster.” The three men also alleged that the employees disconnected an alarm intended to warn them of important messages. Officials at the facility defended their operations and said the public has nothing to worry about, the newspaper said. They also said the three men exaggerated problems and lack credibility.