For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. In 2010, the 22nd and 23rd Fighter Squadrons were combined to form the 480th Fighter Squadron. The medical group operates an outpatient clinic at Spangdahlem which includes family practice, pediatrics, women's health, psychiatry, aerospace medicine and optometry with exceptional clinical laboratory, radiology, pharmacy and physical therapy support. The MMG receives, stores, maintains, controls and employs $6 billion of U.S. protection level 1 assets in direct support of NATO contingency, wartime and strike missions. This new way of operating is still developing, but with the innovation and flexibility in your blood, Saber Nation leads the way in this new way of fighting, and the rest of us are following you.. U.S. Air Forces in Europe, with headquarters at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, is a major command of the U.S. Air Force. -Agile Combat Employment Meanwhile, two wings that had planned to move to Spangdahlem will now stay put. I was made to feel like I was a second-class citizen and a piece of shit for things outside my control., By For example, he kept his supervisors aware that he was taking medication to treat his depression. Before saluting the Airmen of the 52nd FW for one last time as its commander, Epperson praised the Sabers for their hard work throughout his nearly two years at the helm. Teixeira is alleged to have used the online forum Discord to share the leaked information with his small community of online friends and to have taken photos of paper documents that he may have smuggled out of a secure facility. After October 1985, using the F-4 Phantom II model aircraft, defense suppression became the wing's sole tactical mission. The wing is comprised of approximately 5,000 military and civilian personnel spread across nine geographically separated units and thirteen real property sites in five different nations. U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 480th Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, arrived here Nov. 12, to enhance U.S. Air Forces Central's ability to deter . This made life more difficult for CL because he was already unable to drive due to his medical issues. The Wisconsin Air National Guards 115th Fighter Wing has been working toward the F-35 for years nowTruax Field was selected as one of two preferred locations for, Eighteen KC-135s, spread over more than half a mile, lined up on the runwayat MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., on April 26the sixthelephant walk the Air Force has put on across the country in the past six weeks. DSN: 314-452-1110, An official website of the United States government. In January and December 1999, the wing supported Operations Northern Watch, Allied Force, and Decisive Forge with numerous deployments to Italy and Turkey. Lt. Col. Michael Driscoll, who was deputy commander under Retka, is now the groups acting commander. Immediately afterward, Kennedy told investigators and Air Force Times, she felt a man forcefully rub against her buttocks. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. The 52nd Fighter Wing held a change of command ceremony at Hangar 1 here July 15. For the New York Air National Guard unit, see, For World War II lineage and history, see, The emblem was updated 3 December 1996. You delivered on each and every priority at an astonishing pace, Epperson said. The unit is based at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina. The group consists of seven squadrons providing communications, security, contracting, transportation, supply, deployment planning and execution, education, lodging, food services, recreation, personnel support, fitness programs, engineering, housing, disaster response, explosive ordnance disposal, fire and environmental protection for more than 11,500 personnel in the local community and geographically separated units; all while preparing combat ready forces for US and NATO missions. New commander takes charge of 52nd FW. 52 FW Pillars: I cant give names but I can say that I witnessed the results of her trying to break him, he went on. Looking back, I realize that instead of being asked how we can make this happen, Im basically told what is going to happen. They were suspended pending further investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of classified information, the Air Force said. Since then, the video been referenced in multiple military and aviation forums around the net. Col. Peter M. Bilodeau. His retirement leaves the operations group without a permanent commander until June, when his official replacement will assume command. Theyll be better for the experience, and in turn, well be better as an Air Force. The last major downsize at Spangdahlem came in 2013 with the departure of the 81st Fighter Squadron, the last A-10 unit based in Europe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. "I'd say single digits [of billions], but that'll be spread out over time," he said. January 2003 July 2004, student, U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, 16th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev. 7. People do not want to work for assholes who play favorites.. Both spoke under the condition of anonymity out of fear of professional retaliation. 2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2004 Distinguished Graduate, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev. 2005 Masters degree in business administration, Trident University, distance learning program, 2005 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence, 2009 Distinguished Graduate, Master of Science degree, Special Operations & Low Intensity Conflicts, Naval Postgraduate School. The squadron consists of two flights, Operations and Plans/Implementation, and has quality assurance and communications focal point elements. In addition to air interdiction and counter air operations, the 480th is EUCOMs sole squadron capable of performing the "Wild Weasel" mission of suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses (SEAD). Bilodeau, a Distinguished Flying Cross recipient, flew F-16s at Spangdahlem for nearly three years in the late 1990s, when he served as an instructor pilot and assistant chief of weapons for the 23rd Fighter Squadron. We had more than 2 dozen people reach out and tell us about how she, the first shirt, and other [senior enlisted leaders] were abusing folks going through issues that required treatment (both with mental health and other medical), wrote The Salty Crew Chief 2.0, an Instagram page popular among Air Force maintainers, in a Dec. 3 post about Widmans firing. Editors Note: This story was updated July 29 at 6:17 p.m EDT with additional details. The tankers were participating in MacDills Operation Violent Storm, an exercisedesigned to force, In the months following the reveal of Northrop Grummans B-21 Raider in December, several publications affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party or its Peoples Liberation Army published articles downplaying the aircrafts viability, saying the U.S. cannot afford enough of the bombers to make a difference in a possible conflict with, The Air Force will consider the Armys freshly-chosen Bell V-280 tiltrotor as a possible combat search and rescue platform for work in contested airspace, but will also look at other technical options, including the CV-22 as an interim solution, Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q., Brown, Jr. told the House, The planned Special Operations Power Projection Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., will include MC-130s, AC-130s, and light attack aircraft, Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Other pilots also engaged in steamrolling at the Kunsan dorms in the early 2000s, witnesses said, describing a frathouse-like atmosphere rife with pranks and heavy alcohol use that was more tolerated in the Air Force at the time. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Were looking forward to another amazing season with this team. For example, the 52nd has increased rotational missions in Poland as part of EUCOMs push to bolster the military presence in the region. U.S. Air Force Chief Toby Roach, 52nd Fighter Wing command chief, (left), holds the guidon while Col. David Epperson, 52nd FW outgoing commander, (center), and Col. Leslie Hauck, 52nd FW incoming commander, listened to opening remarks from Maj. Gen. Randall Reed, Third Air Force commander, during the 52nd FW Change of Command ceremony July 15, 2021, on . She hopes that by sharing her story, she can help do away with the remnants of a culture that tolerated such behavior by leaders. It thrust me forward.. of the Air Force JoAnne Bass, said she was looking into an incident of an airman in Colorado who was sent a Letter of Reprimand and a Letter of Counseling shortly after attempting suicide. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, criticized the administration for failing to be more consultative in drafting the plan. Kotnik from her position as the commander of the Viper Demo team yesterday, because I lost confidence in her ability to lead the team. Pentagon leaders on July 29 sought to highlight the strategic goals of the moves, but Trump said the impetus is largely to punish Berlin. Dynamic operations and force employment deliver joint force commanders the critical capability to move forces fluidly into and across the . He has also deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Noble Eagle. Money Minute, What's next for experimental AI projects in the C4ISR sphere, Russians seem to be baiting US jets to dogfight in Syria, general says, Biden awards football trophy to Air Force Academy, Commanders suspended at base where alleged Pentagon leaker worked, Military sex assault reports rise, even as Army numbers fall. The wife was a member of the Key Spouses organization, where spouses of service members volunteer to help out the families of deployed airmen and anyone that could use a hand. In a written statement to OSI, Retka denied he inappropriately touched Kennedy and that any contact was incidental and not done with the intent to abuse, humiliate or degrade her or for his own gratification. To make matters worse, their spouses needed support from base agencies, but the commander did not allow their deployment orders to be distributed to the members, which would have allowed the spouses to get that support. The 52nd FWs main priorities are deterrence, agile combat employment, and integrated base defense. June 2008 October 2009, student, Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, Calif. 10. Saber Nation is driven by initiative and innovation by our most junior Airmen and our management and tolerance of risk at our most senior levels so we can fail fast and fail forward to succeed., An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Teixeira has not entered a plea, according to court records. U.S. Air Force Chief Toby Roach, 52nd Fighter Wing command chief, (left), holds the guidon while Col. David Epperson, 52nd FW outgoing commander, (center), and Col. Leslie Hauck, 52nd FW incoming commander, listened to opening remarks from Maj. Gen. Randall Reed, Third Air Force commander, during the 52nd FW Change of Command ceremony July 15, 2021, on Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. Kotnik make mistakes, I want them to have the opportunity to learn from them without being under public scrutiny, and to continue to be a part of this great service. Hauck is a command pilot with more than 2,400 hours in the F-16 Fighting Falcon, including 285 combat hours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Melody W. Howley), U.S. Air Force Col. William McKibban, 52nd Fighter Wing vice commander, stands at parade rest in front of a formation for the 52nd FW Change of Command ceremony July 15, 2021, on Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. USAFE said Retka chose to retire several months earlier than expected. Specifically, the wing maintains and employs F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft and $6 billion of United States Protection Level 1 assets in support of NATO and national defense directives. U.S. European Command is broadly restructuring to better address the needs of the National Defense Strategy, which focuses on advanced military adversaries like Russia and China rather than insurgents in the Middle East. The colonel asked the group, Did somebody just touch my butt? and Kennedy replied, Yeah, mine too, the report said. Melody W. Howley), U.S. Air Force Col. David Epperson, 52nd Fighter Wing outgoing commander (center), passes the 52nd FW guidon to U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Randall Reed, Third Air Force commander (left), as he relinquishes command during the 52nd Fighter Wing Change of Command ceremony July 15, 2021, on Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. Maybe O'Mally's approach to announcing what has to have been heartbreaking news for Kotnik, regardless of the circumstances, stems from the fact that he helped mastermind and starred in the video below while serving as the Chief Weapons Instructor for the 35th Fighter Squadron, a unit based in South Korea. Widman declined to comment. From what we can tell, even in the mid-2000s, this video caused quite a stir, although we are unaware at this time of the exact disciplinary actions taken by higher-ups in the chain of command. A culture where respect, trust, accountability, and compassion guide our actions.. The 52d Mission Support Group is organized into seven squadrons: The 52d Civil Engineer Squadron (52 CES) is responsible for maintaining, repairing and improving base real property to include 1,686 facilities, and also manage current and upcoming construction projects. His retirement ceremony was held Jan. 6 at Spangdahlem. [9] As a result of the drawdown of F-16s, the 22nd and 23rd Fighter Squadrons were inactivated on 13 August 2010 and formed a single "new" squadron, the 480th Fighter Squadron. Retka, who took over the operations group in August 2017, was in his third year in command, and had already been planning to retire at Spangdahlem, Myers said. Retka said he was also carrying a tall glass of beer in front of him, and told someone else that Kennedy may have felt the glass against her. The remainder would be relocated elsewhere in Europe. I know that loss of confidence is a common response from the Air Force, whenever someone is removed from a command position, and I think its important to understand why we take this approach. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations. The 480th Fighter Squadron operatesover two dozenblock 50 F-16 aircraft in the most challenging air-to-air and air-to-ground mission sets. USAFE would not say which administrative action was taken against Retka, citing the Privacy Act. If searching for a phone number on base, call the base operator. During his speech, Reed commended Spangdahlems Sabers for their leadership as Air Force innovators. June 2015 June 2017, Senior Military Advisor for Air Warfare Systems, Office of the Secretary of Defense, 15. June 2017 June 2018, Vice Commander, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah. It is also the air component of the U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command. The past year has been a busy one for the wing, which has been a part of U.S. European Commands efforts to reassure allies in eastern Europe in the wake of Russian aggression in Ukraine. classified documents that were leaked on the internet, Allies criticize U.S. handling of top-secret documents after massive leak. Criminal charges were not filed against Retka, Myers said. The group consistently proves its combat effectiveness and versatility while supporting operations at home station, and at temporary duty and deployed locations throughout Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia. Melody W. Howley). In Colonel O'Malley's case, this little sojourn into blue humor movie making didn't seem to hold him back much. Command of an Air Force unit is a position that requires trust, both up and down the chain of command, Young said in a statement. Comm: 06565-61-1110 Ramstein Air Base is unaffected, DOD officials said. It deployed aircraft and personnel to strategic locations in Saudi Arabia and Turkey in support of the liberation of Kuwait from September 1990 March 1993. July 2001 January 2003, F-16 Flight Examiner, Flight Commander, 22d FS Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. CLs experience was especially painful for him, considering how airmen are told from day one to be a good wingman, seek help if they need it, and to trust their first sergeants and chain of command, CL said. Brown Jr. told Congress on April 27. The wing provides logistics support for C-17 Globemaster III and C-5 Galaxy aircraft, crew, passengers and cargo to sustain air mobility operations throughout Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia. Jordana Kennedy provided a copy of the investigation report to Air Force Times, which corroborated the report provided by another source. The commander of the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, was relieved of command Tuesday over a loss of faith and confidence in his leadership. The incident has raised questions among lawmakers in Washington about who has access to classified materials and about safeguards. The Public Affairs office is unable to redirect calls or provide phone numbers. In addition to moving the F-16s, EUCOM will relocate its own headquarters from Stuttgart, Germany, to Belgium, where NATO has its headquarters. So they wasted a whole day and ruined my treatment, the airman said. The squadron consists of two flights, Operations and Plans/Implementation, and has quality assurance and communications focal point elements. We still don't know what the cause was behind the firing, but it has come to our attention that the commander who did the deed made a very low-brow video with his squadronmates while deployed to Kunsan Air Base in Korea during the mid-2000s. David Roza Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was more supportive. Air & Space Forces Magazine is the official publication of the Air & Space Forces Association, 1501 Langston Boulevard, Arlington, Va., 22209-1198. On February 12, 2019, news that the first woman to lead an Air Force demonstration team was fired after just two weeks in the position sent shockwaves through the aviation community and made headlines in the mainstream press. He has been charged with possessing classified documents pertaining to national security and possessing national defense material. O'Malley, a highly accomplished fighter pilot, also oversees the F-16 Viper Demonstration Team that calls the base home, the same unit that Kotnik was relieved from. Col. Anthony Retka, who was commander of the 52nd Operations Group at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany, was disciplined with an administrative action after an investigation into allegations that. Read the full fact sheet. Hauck will be taking command over the 52nd Fighter Wing, which has a total population of 5,000 Airmen and civilian personnel. Two months later, he took command of Spangdahlems 480th Fighter Squadron, under Retkas command. If completed, the plan would shrink the U.S. mission in Germany, which has been a key strategic location for American military operations since the end of World War II. from around the world. It served once more as an air defense unit in the southeastern United States. If youre thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States. The 52d Mission Support Group delivers world class mission support ensuring the wing is able to conduct wartime and contingency missions. I was made to feel like I was a second-class citizen and a piece of shit for things outside my control., Luckily, CL was saved by a few good senior non-commissioned officers in the unit who care about their troops and saw what was happening, he said. Wing Commander Col. David Epperson took administrative action against Retka after the Office of Special Investigations completed its investigation last September, Gabe Myers, a spokesman for U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, said Tuesday. The Air Force has suspended leaders of the Massachusetts Air National Guard unit involved in the leak of a trove of classified documents, the service said April 26. This situation gives us an opportunity to reflect on the culture we need, where airmen understand their responsibilities as both leaders and wingmen, she said at the time. And the time when it was OK to pinch someones butt or rub up against someone or make a derogatory or misogynistic comment, I really want to see those days go away and be behind us.. The 470th Air Base Squadron (470 ABS) provides full spectrum support to 6,000 clients, patrons, customers and patients in 3 countries while supporting NATO, DoD and their family members. The commander of the 102nd Intelligence Support Squadron who was suspended was not identified in Wednesdays Air Force statement. On Tuesday, Dec. 30, Bilodeau was relieved of command and Hubert, the wing vice commander, was again named interim commander. The wing has seen many people and aircraft come and go throughout the years, but one thing remains the same. The 52d Operations Group Detachment 2, located at Miroslawiec AB, Poland, operates MQ-9 aircraft and delivers persistent airborne ISR capabilities throughout the theater. If searching for a phone number on base, call the base operator. He is also the base commander. The detachment commander who was suspended was in charge of overseeing administrative support for airmen at the unit, the Air Force said. Careerism and cronyism are a cancer in the Air Force that is causing retention issues, he said. Col. Anthony Retka, who retired earlier this month, was accused of abusive sexual contact against Jordana Kennedy, the wife of Lt. Col. Patrick Kennedy, at an off-base going away party in May 2019.
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