WASHINGTON (AP) _ Three U.S. Air Force commanders in Europe Gen. Jeannie Leavitt, 57th Wing Commander, "lost confidence in his leadership and risk management style.". Maj. Gen. Andrew Gebara, commander of 8th Air Force, has relieved Col. Gregory C. Mayer, commander of the 5th Mission Support Group, and Maj. Jonathan Welch, commander of the 5th Logistics Readiness Squadron, due to a loss of confidence in their ability to complete their assigned duties. Jeff Schogol is the senior Pentagon reporter for Task & Purpose. Six service members who were abruptly fired from their jobs at Minot Air He joined Task & Purpose in 2019, after covering local news in Maine and FDA policy in Washington D.C. David loves hearing the stories of individual airmen and their families and sharing the human side of Americas most tech-heavy military branch. David Roza An Air Force lieutenant colonel was removed from command this month, pending the outcome of an inquiry, the Air Force Times reported. Col. Gregory Mayer, who ran the 5th Mission Support Group; Maj. Jonathan Welch, the 5th Logistics Readiness Squadron commander; and four unidentified subordinates were fired due to a loss of confidence in their ability to lead, Air Force Global Strike Command said in a release. Such recorders are required on all commercial airliners. Air Force Col. Katheryn Ellis was relieved of command of the 14th Published Feb 27, 2023 11:23 AM EST. You can email him at schogol@taskandpurpose.com, direct message @JeffSchogol on Twitter, or reach him on WhatsApp and Signal at 703-909-6488. 1 jet, signs autographs after a performance during the 2017 Thunder Over Dover open house at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Aug. 27, 2017. Stevens was replaced as wing commander on an interim basis by Col. Edward F. McPhillips, who had been serving as vice commander of the 17th Air Force based at Sembach, Germany. Air Force Commanders and Subordinates Relieved of Duty at Minot Air Force Base. Mazurowski was replaced by Col. Frank Laras, formerly the 86ths deputy operations group commander. In June 2016, a Thunderbird F-16 crashed just outside Petersen Air Force Base in Colorado Springs shortly after performing a flyover at the nearby Air Force Academy graduation, where President Barack Obama was in attendance. Gebara relieved the Commanders of the 5th Mission Support Group and Two Air Force bases on Monday announced the removal of squadron commanders in separate incidents. Forced to step down Wednesday were Brig. As commander of the 14th Medical Group, Ellis was in charge of the medical care of the 14th Flying Training Wing, where Air Force pilots in training pick up aviation basics in T-6 Texan II training aircraft before moving on to specialized tracks for fighter, bomber, tanker or airlift pilots. The team's former operations officer has temporarily assumed responsibility. Permanent replacements will be announced later, the Air Force said, adding that it would have no other comment on todays actions until the crash investigation is completed. Senior Airman Zachary Cacicia/U.S. No information was available about why Gebara and the other commanders lost confidence in the six individuals. U.S. Air Force Col. Katheryn Ellis, 14th Medical Group commander, receives her first salute as commander, July 6, 2021, on Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. The plane is a military version of the Boeing 737. The Air Force has relieved two commanders and four subordinate leaders of their duties at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. Two Commanders and four leaders were fired, however no specific reason was given. The bases 5th Bomb Wing, which falls under the 8th Air Force, is responsible for flying the B-52H Stratofortress, a vital component of the Air Forces nuclear-capable bombers. Col. Gregory Mayer, pictured in an official headshot, was fired from his role — -- The commander of the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, famously known as the Thunderbirds, was relieved last week after the Air Force determined it had "lost confidence" in his leadership style. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. 475 students are trained at the school every year. An Air Force official told ABC News the 2017 incident was unrelated to this month's leadership change for the Thunderbirds. "Leavitt determined that new leadership was necessary to ensure the highest levels of pride, precision and professionalism within the team," the release stated. The Air Force said it "lost confidence" in his leadership style. The commander of the Air Force Thunderbirds has been relieved of The report says that Maj. Gen. Andrew J. Gebara, the commander of the Lt. Col. Jason Heard is the first Thunderbirds commander to be relieved of duty. Learn more here and be sure to check out more great stories on our homepage. BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. To protect the privacy of the individuals, further details will not be released. USA Today reported that the flight broke Air Force rules by trying to land at a foreign airport that had not been surveyed for safety. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Editors note: An earlier version of this story conflated the 2016 incident with a different one in 2017. The commander of the Air Force Thunderbirds has been relieved of command following a loss of confidence in his leadership and risk management style, Air Combat Command announced Wednesday. Lt. Col. Jason Heard is the first Thunderbirds commander to be relieved of duty. The plane approached off course and slammed into a mountain peak and exploded. The wing flies the B-52H Stratofortress, which is one of the two types of nuclear-capable bombers that the Air Force uses. The Air Force has relieved two commanders and four subordinate Ten years ago, Minot became ground zero for the Air Forces problems with the nuclear enterprise when missile crews performed poorly during a March 2013 inspection. The Thunderbirds, based at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, are the Air Force's flying aerobatic team. Get the latest military news, entertainment, and gear in your inbox daily. The Air Force announced the action in a brief statement by Heflebower, commander of the 17th Air Force of which the 86th Airlift Wing is a part. Gen. Andrew Gebara, commander of 8th Air Force, WASHINGTON (AP) _ Three U.S. Air Force commanders in Europe were relieved of duty because of the jetliner crash in Croatia last month that killed Commerce Secretary Ron Brown and 34 others. General Fiel made his decision based on preliminary information from an Ten years ago, Minot became ground zero for the Air Forces problems with the nuclear enterprise when missile crews performed poorly during a March 2013 inspection and Lt. Col. Jay Folds, deputy commander of the 91st Operations Group, sent an internal email warning of rot within the missileer crew force at Minot, according to the Associated Press. Disgusting: Mike Lindell suspicious of Kevin McCarthys exclusive release of Jan 6 foot Ohio Lt. Lt. Col. Virginia Pribyla, an Air Force spokeswoman, said today Air Force officials are being briefed on the results. BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. The U.S. Air Force announced that Col. Gary Donovan, 552nd Operations Group commander, was relieved from command on Monday. F.E. Six US Air Force personnel were fired for failing to ensure the safety and There was no immediate word on whether they will be reassigned without further disciplinary action. A B-52H Stratofortress takes off from a flighline on Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Nov. 21, 2019. Jeff Schogol CNN Two US Air Force commanders and four of their subordinates at a The first female pilot to lead the U.S. Air Forces Viper team was asked to By Ellis took command of the 14th Medical Group on July 7. Mayer, Welch, and the four subordinate leaders were relieved of command due to a loss of confidence in their ability to complete their assigned duties, Air Force officials said. This story has been updated. Maj. The release did not disclose the names of the four subordinate leaders relieved by other commanders assigned to Minot to protect their . No investigation is being conducted into the matter. The command, which oversees the Air Forces nuclear bombers and missiles, is not releasing the names of the four subordinate leaders, who were relieved by other commanders assigned to Minot, the spokesperson said. The CT-43 aircraft carrying Brown and 34 others was attempting to land on Dubrovnik airports single runway on the afternoon of April 3 in pouring rain. Ellis first received her commission in the Air Force in December, 1997, according to her command biography. The Air Force has not disclosed why the commanders and subordinate leaders were relieved of their duties, but this unexpected move is likely to raise concerns about the ability of Minot Air Force Base to carry out its critical mission. It said even Croatia Airlines will not let its own crews land in Dubrovnik if both the pilot and copilot have never done it before. ABC News' Luis Martinez contributed to this report. | The news was announced in a brief news release from 8th Air Force. October 31, 2018 / 2:47 PM / CBS Texas. Ellis was relieved due to a loss of trust and confidence in her ability to lead and maintain readiness of the men and women of the 14th Medical Group, Rita Felton, a spokesperson for Columbus Air Force Base, told Task & Purpose. With its investigation into the crash almost complete, the Air Force announced today at the Pentagon that Maj. Gen. Charles R. Heflebower has ``lost his confidence in the ability of the men to ``effectively discharge their responsibilities. The three are the top officers of the 86th Airlift Wing, based at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. A colonel at Tinker Air Force Base has been relieved of his duties after an investigation found he failed to foster a culture of safety and berated crews for not flying training missions on short rest. DEL RIO, Texas (AP) Three Fox News reported that Maj. Gen. Andrew J. Gebara, commander of the 14th Medical Group, I am so humbled and honored to be your commander, Ellis said at the change of command ceremony. No details were available as to why Gebara and the other commanders lost confidence in the six individuals. Although the Air Force has refused to discuss any aspect of its investigation, various U.S. media reports have said the crash might have been avoided if military rules and procedures had been followed. They perform for audiences across the country. Feb 27, 2023. Two commanders and four subordinate leaders at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, have been relieved of command, according to a terse news release from 8th Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jessica Haynie). The Air Force has relieved two commanders and four subordinate leaders of their duties at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. The release did not disclose the names of the four subordinate leaders relieved by other commanders assigned to Minot to protect their privacy. Want to write for Task & Purpose? Additionally, four additional subordinate leaders were relieved by commanders assigned to Minot Air Force Base. To protect the privacy of the individuals, further details will not be released, the news release says. The Air Force investigation of the crash of the CT-43 Air Force passenger jet on April 3 is nearly completed. Six service members who were abruptly fired from their jobs at Minot Air Force Base were relieved due to a failed safety inspection, a defense official told Military.com. Air Force). These personnel actions were necessary to maintain the very high standards we demand of those units entrusted with supporting our Nations nuclear mission, Gebara said in the news release about his decision to relieve Mayer and Welch. In any case, the Air Forces decision to relieve these individuals of their duties underscores the importance of maintaining the high standards required to support the nations nuclear mission. The spokesperson for the Air Force Global Strike Command confirmed the news. The Air Force relieved 6 leaders assigned to Minot Air Force Base in The 5th Bomb Wing, which falls under the 8th Air Force, is based at Minot. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. Air Force Col. Katheryn Ellis was relieved of command of the 14th Medical Group at Columbus Air Force Mississippi on Thursday, according to the Columbus-based 14th Flying Training Wing public affairs office. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Hurlburt Field, Fla. -- Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, relieved Brig. The sudden relief of command of two commanders and four subordinate leaders may have significant consequences for the operations at Minot Air Force Base. The Air Force relieved two commanders and four subordinates from the Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily.