air force colonel relieved of command

The commander of a major maintenance group with the Ogden Air Logistics Complex at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, has been relieved of command for the second time in a year. Army . Doug G. Ware covers the Department of Defense at the Pentagon. The group has seven maintenance squadrons and more than 2,000 personnel, according to a Hill release. She was relieved of command over "loss of trust and confidence in her ability to lead and maintain readiness," according to the service. He has many years of experience in journalism, digital media and broadcasting and holds a degree from the University of Utah. I tried to explain that its part of the religious accommodation process. He said, ok, well, thats not going to work in this wing. Want to write for Task & Purpose? And they will ensure we remain the most lethal and ready force in the world.. The witness warned Gersten afterwards. Col. Jon Meredith is charged with two counts of abusive sexual contact and two counts of conduct unbecoming of an officer for his alleged actions, Lt. Col. Jennifer Bocanegra, a spokesperson for . The Army has eschewed cooperation and common sense at every turn, starting with its refusal to adopt a joint name like Brooke Military Medical Center instead, Bode wrote in his resignation letter. This is about readiness and ensuring our airmen and guardians are healthy and ready to defend the Nation.. The website will no longer be accessible to Airmen and Guardians starting April 30, and the old features used in myPers are being migrated to, The Air Force is poised to get a new commander in the Indo-Pacific, as the Pentagon announced April 24 that President Joe Biden has nominated Lt. Gen. Kevin B. Schneider to lead Pacific Air Forces. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby seemed to echo that sentiment in a statement on Monday. 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Randy Ackerman, also was relieved of command in May 2020. Col. Chris Boring, commander of the 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group, was relieved of command on March 3 due to a loss of confidence in his ability to lead and command a group, according to Hill. Boring is serving now as special assistant to Ogden commander Brig. Maj. Gen. Michelle Edmondson, head of the Second Air Force, relieved Col. William H. Hunter from his role as commander of the 81st Training Wing on Tuesday due to "a loss of trust and. The change removed Col. William Hunter as the wings training commander at Keesler Air Force Base, which is located on Mississippis Gulf Coast just west of Biloxi. He is based in Washington, D.C. 2023 Stars and Stripes. David Roza However, Ellis believed Grahams order conflicted with her own religious beliefs, as well as a request for a religious exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine mandate which she filed on Sept. 17. The wing is the single largest employer on the Mississippi coast and hosts the Second Air Force and 403rd Wing of the Air Force Reserve. Earlier in August, Anthony Kuhn, a managing partner at the Tully Rinckey law firm, told Task & Purpose that commanders have several options for dealing with troops who refuse the vaccine, including issuing them a letter of reprimand or taking other administrative action; using nonjudicial punishment to push them to get vaccinated; referring troops to an administrative separation board for failure to obey an order; or even referring service members to courts-martial, as happened in the past when troops refused to get vaccinated for anthrax, Kuhn said. I cannot sufficiently express my gratitude for their commitment and my opportunity to lead them.. I would hope that those leaders are stronger leaders and instead of trying to make an example out of somebody that they would actually have some empathy and push the administrative response, but we know that is not always going to be the case, he continued. Boring stepped into the role in June 2020 after the groups previous commander, Col. Randy Ackerman, also was relieved of command in May 2020. Air Force). Mission. This hurt Gerstens ability to lead, the report said. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the number of service members who have a waiver is very, very small.. At the end of the day, I ensured the orders were issued in a timely manner that didnt compromise my integrity or my religious beliefs and rights, Ellis, who first joined the Air Force in 1997 and has deployed to Afghanistan, told Task & Purpose. There was always some half-story to explain the calls from Gersten, he said. The vaccines, he said, will protect you and your family. Ellis had been in command for just four months. (AP) The Massachusetts Air National guardsman accused of leaking highly classified military documents kept an arsenal of guns and said on social. Following a visit from the commander of the Colombian air force, she texted him DV One. Former Oklahoma City police officer found not guilty in domestic violence case, AWACS planes have distinctive rotating black radar disks, Despite GOP claims, public did not favor carving up Oklahoma County. Air Force Col. Jason Allen, vice commander of the 81st Training Wing at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi, was given interim command of the wing after Col. William Hunter was. He explained that any request for a religious exemption would go through rigorous scrutiny to determine if the religion in question is legitimate and why a service members faith is opposed to this particular vaccine. The 14th Medical Group enhances the flying mission through medical responses to flying emergencies, delivery of aerospace and operational physiology training, and optimization of human performance. Get your daily fix of Air Force news delivered right to your inbox every day. Ellis took command of the 14th Medical Group on July 7. One womans ex-husband told investigators he first saw Gersten with his ex-wife around 2008, while stationed at Camp Smith, Hawaii. An Air Force colonel has been relieved of command from the 317th Airlift Wing at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas for creating a toxic environment, according to an Air Force announcement Thursday. Still, she stressed that the relationship was consensual and positive. 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Modern-day Airmen applauded an Army veteran's 1988 humorous illustration of Air Force life when it resurfaced on Reddit earlier this month. Follow him on Twitter @StephenLosey. There's no more reliable source for news about your Air Force. Gen. C. McCauley von Hoffman. March 1, 2023, 12:18 PM. To defend this Nation, we need a healthy and ready force, said Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in an Aug. 9 memo to the force. Contact us today to schedule your consultation. Their sexual relationship began in a distinguished visitor suite at Nellis one evening in July 2018. She recalled Graham saying as much during her relief of command meeting. These are systemic issues that have persisted for years, airmen said. 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The former commander of the 496th Air Base Squadron and U.S. Col. Katheryn Ellis, the former commander of the 14th Medical Group, told Task & Purpose that on Oct. 12 she was told by the commander of the 14th Flying Training Wing, Col. Seth Graham, to issue an order for two of her civilian employees to get vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. The retired senior NCO has no qualms about the quality of care at Brooke Army Medical Center, noting that things run more smoothly in the trauma center and intensive care unit. Col. Rhett Boldenow, 317th Airlift Wing vice commander, will serve as the interim commander of that unit effective immediately. The data is clear the vaccine is the best tool to fight this disease. Maj. Gen Michele Edmondson, commander of the Second Air Force, removed Hunter from the position Tuesday. He can be found on Twitter @zamoneperez. Apparently, the two civilians in question had already been vaccinated, but Bergin said the wing commander, Col. Graham, needed the order to be issued anyway, Ellis recalled. She pretty much went white as a ghost and clammed up, the man told investigators. Ellis further clarified that her beliefs do not compel her to prevent, delay or undermine efforts to ensure the vaccines are available and administered to others, they just prevent her from taking it herself or actively promoting or administering it to others herself. Brooke Army Medical Center is a joint Army-Air Force organization with more than 240,000 beneficiaries in the San Antonio region. Boring is a special assistant to the logistics complexs commander, Brig. Meredith is a 23-year veteran with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Air Force Col. Jason Allen, vice commander of the 81st Training Wing at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi, was given interim command of the wing after Col. William Hunter was relieved as the units commander this week. But after their relationship started, witnesses said her performance took a nosedive. Maj. Gen. Koscheski, 15th Air Force commander, said in a statement the 552nd Operations Group needs men and women who foster a culture of dignity and respect. Their relationship began to degrade good order and discipline at the Warfare Center, the report said. The female officer told other staff at the Warfare Center, family members and a local friend about her relationship with Gersten, the report said, and later told the Office of Special Investigations about their relationship in detail. (SrA Joshua Kleinholz/Air Force). For the investigation involving Col. Jon Meredith, the Army CID has exhausted all investigative leads and provided an interim report to 1st Calvary Division, Lt. Col. Jennifer J. Bocanegra, spokesperson for the 1st Cavalry Division, told Stars and Stripes. Its also a joint training unit, meaning it also develops troops from the other service branches and civilian federal employees. So we need to move on.. He would not say anything more about why Ackerman was fired. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. | Cum on over. They had multiple more encounters in his on-base quarters and her off-base home, among other locations. Basic changes would go a long way toward fixing culture clash, the retired airman said like clearly defining who is allowed to do certain tasks, and settle on a single standard for training and performance. The Army did not comment further on the investigation, citing a service policy that protects administrative information. PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) -- The commander of the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., was relieved of command Oct. 14 due to loss of confidence in his ability to command. I cant express to you the level of disappointment I have right now., More:All-Hispanic flight crew takes off at Tinker AFB to mark National Hispanic Heritage Month. The group also deploys teams around the world to repair aircraft in the field that were damaged in battle or crashes, and conducts field-level depot maintenance. (Army) An Army colonel at Fort Hood, Texas, was relieved of command on Friday as . I know he made this clear to them that he knows as a former commander himself, that leaders have a range of tools available to them to help troops make the right decisions for themselves, for the units, for the families, short of using the Uniform Code of Military Justice, therefore, short of punitive measures.. How stupid am I?. His three-page complaint has spurred a joint investigation by the Army and Air Forces inspector general and staff judge advocate offices into the facilitys processes, command relationships and past investigations. And, bring Air Force leadership under the same roof as their subordinates. The incident comes weeks after a commander of a lead training wing was removed from his post, also due to a loss of confidence in his ability to lead. Refreshed US-Philippine relations revive fighter jet training paused 3 decades ago, Victims of Army helicopter collision in Alaska include 2 chief warrant officers, Sexual Facebook post spurs UN Command to review its social media policies, Reports of sexual assaults increased in Navy, Air Force and Marines in 2022; Army saw decline, New bill aims to expand mental health care for military families, K-Town Now features the latest news from the Kaiserslautern Military Community. She asked him for a divorce the next day. Army Col. Ann Meredith has been fired from her position as 89th Military Police Brigade commander. Task & Purpose reported: They scored poorly on the Operational Risk Management test used to gauge the crews readiness to fly, which led the aircraft commander to cancel the sorties.. 475 students are trained at the school every year. The deadline for Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve members is Dec. 2, and while 96.2% of the active-duty and 92.8% of the total force had at least one shot as of Oct. 18, that still leaves up to 12,500 active-duty airmen who may face possible dismissal from the service as of Tuesday. 2023 Stars and Stripes. Ellis further clarified that her beliefs do not compel her to prevent, delay or undermine efforts to ensure the vaccines are available and administered to others, they just prevent her from taking it herself or actively promoting or administering it to others herself. Ellis had been in command for just four months. Dec 7, 2017. He saw him give his then-wife a big hug and noted that they seemed very familiar. Published Feb. 7, 2020. ), the Washington Post, and others. Want to write for Task & Purpose? Jun 2, 2014. In July, three sorties were canceled over concerns about crew fatigue, according to Military.com, which provides news to service members, veterans and their families. "Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, Space Operations Command commander, relieved Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier of command of the 11th Space Warning Squadron, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, May 14, due to .
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