Three days later, the report said, he called a mandatory meeting of his subordinates to discuss his suspension. That inquiry is part of a broader investigation into whether whistleblowers at the 144th suffered reprisals for questioning the actions of their superiors on a range of matters. Col. Jeremiah Cruz was named Kelly's interim replacement. Most of the allegations against Magram were first disclosed in a Times report in June. A recent spate of alleged misconduct by high-ranking officers underscores the need for reform in Californias National Guard, current and former Guard members say. At least five guard members from the 144th wing filed formal complaints. (559) 515-6008 But everybody else.. Recruiters: Here's what we know. Magram attained the rank of assistant adjutant general and had been part of Baldwins inner circle. The 20,000-member Guard serves a dual stateand-federal mission that includes responding to emergencies in California, such as earthquakes, wildfires and civil disturbances, and assisting U.S. armed forces in military operations overseas. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. FRESNO, Calif. (AP) The head of the California Air National Guard, Major General Clay Garrison, was relieved of his command and replaced by Brigadier General Gregory Jones two months after a newspaper detailed the fallout from a scandal involving someone urinating in the boots of a service member. 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Keegan said Friday he did not know the status of the probe. Jones has served as assistant adjutant general since December 2017. Please enter valid email address to continue. The Air Force says that Nehring was handpicked to take part in Clear Sky due to his more than 20-year career as a pilot flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15 Eagle aircraft. Consent from a parent or Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. Members of the Guard described a "climate of retaliationand mistrust. Phone: (559) 454-5246 Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. That culminated in his firing. She wanted the DNA test to clear her name. Weeks later, the longtime head of the Guard, Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, retired. The urine incident and its aftermath fueled suspicions within the Guard that high-ranking officers, including Garrison, mishandled two investigations to find the perpetrator and tried to bury the episode to protect someone who may have been involved, according to interviews and Guard records obtained by the Times. Jones has served as assistant adjutant general since December 2017. She wanted the DNA test to clear her name. It's all part of. Nehring began his career as an enlisted crew chief before being selected as a pilot. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing this? Sports. "This is a problem with their leadership.". The commander of the 144th Fighter Wing at the Fresno base was also removed. The following year, officers at the 144th destroyed the evidence collected from the crime scene, saying it was old and no longer needed. California California Air National Guard removes commander over threats against whistleblowers A third high-ranking officer in the California Air National Guard has been removed from. The head of the California Air National Guard, Maj. Gen. Clay Garrison, was relieved of his command and replaced by Brig. Must be between the age of 17 and 40. Pineda filed a whistleblower complaint, in which she wrote that she feared she would be forced out of the military because some had speculated that she urinated in her own boots "for attention." FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- An airman from Fresno, killed in a crash of a fighter jet in Ukraine, has been identified as Lt. Col. Seth "Jethro" Nehring. First published on April 5, 2019 / 7:29 PM. In a statement Friday, Keegan said, The Guard is committed to providing a transparent, respectful and positive command climate. I am confident that Brig. Jennifer Pineda, a 15-year veteran of the guard, was about to change into her uniform in a womens bathroom at the 144th when she discovered her boots had been soiled. California Governor Jerry Brown and the First Lady also extended their deepest condolences to Nehring's family and friends. Jennifer Pineda, a 15-year veteran of the guard, was about to change into her uniform in a women's bathroom at the 144th Fighter Wing when she discovered her boots had been soiled. A six-barrel cannon can shoot enemy fighters out of the sky. Both were inconclusive, and the case was closed. Copyright 2023 KFSN-TV. Keegan said Garrison will retire in the coming weeks. FILE - In this April 12, 2006, file photo, then US Air Force Lt. Col. Clay "Slam" Garrison, Weapons Officer assigned with the 144th Fighter Wing of the California Air National Guard, explains the units area of coverage on a map of California in Fresno, Calif. The exercise is a joint and multinational exercise that will involve approximately 950 personnel from nine nations. Published Nov. 8, 2022. He flew the F-16 Viper for more than 15 years, before converting to the F-15 Eagle. This clearly means that anyone exercising their right to speak with the IG or the press is not honorable, not a good person, and implies they are not a red-blooded American, the report quotes Swertfager as saying. News After queries by The Times, however, the Guard said a second inquiry had substantiated similar allegations against him, and another round of discipline was pending. Woodside says the IG system isn't working right now, though, because investigators aren't acting independently of wing commanders. Police investigating early morning homicide in Porterville, Child among 5 killed by drunk gunman still on loose: TX police, 1 missing, 2 rescued after getting swept away in Kaweah River. Stunning 4K videos show F-117s operating in California more than a decade after the stealth jet retired. (559) 454-5383 Then something changed, Most of Yosemite Valley is closed due to potentially perilous snowpack and flooding, 7 hospitalized after driver in stolen car runs red light in San Bernardino, police say, Barstow police investigating after officer caught on video hitting man with a baton, Man found guilty of murdering teens who ding-dong-ditched his house, Sacramento, San Francisco mayors take shots at each others city before NBA playoff game, Unseasonable rain, cooler temperatures in forecast for Los Angeles this week. To ensure they are prepared for the task at hand, the 144th Fighter Wing, Security Forces Squadron, trains for Agile Combat Employment at Camp Roberts, California, Feb. 2, 2023. All Rights Reserved. Disgusting discovery, accusations of cover-up at Fresno's 144th Fighter Wing. Garrison and Kelly did not respond to interview requests. The 20,000-member Guard, a branch of the California Military Department, which is also led by the adjutant general, serves a dual mission that includes responding to emergencies in the state, such as earthquakes, wildfires and civil disturbances, and assisting U.S. armed forces in military operations overseas. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. At least five Guard members, including a pilot who was killed in October in a crash during a training mission in Ukraine, from the 144th wing filed formal complaints. Many of the pilots are part-time reservists, signing up after careers in the U.S. Air Force, and some fly in their civilian lives for commercial airlines. Jerry Brown. Pineda filed a whistleblower complaint, in which she wrote that she feared she would be forced out of the military because some had speculated that she urinated in her own boots for attention. She wanted the DNA test to clear her name. Alene Tchekmedyian And Paul Pringle, Los Angeles Times, were removed in the wake of a Times investigation, Head Of The California Air National Guard Dismissed After Alleged Cover-up In 'Pissgate' Scandal. NORTH DIGHTON, Mass. Club One Casino Readies Move to Granite Park, Fresno Scandal Forces Out Air National Guard Commander, Fresno State Announces Class of 2023 Graduate Deans' Medalists. Woodside says it should've been handled differently from the start, especially since people in command positions might've been involved. Col. Dave Johnston, a commander who signed off on the evidence destruction, said in statements provided to The Times that he had consulted with Garrison before doing so. Hawkins received a letter of reprimand as a result, the Guard said. It all happened under his watchful eye, but he was not alone in allowing this to happen.. Lt. Col. Nehring and a Ukrainian service member were killed when the Ukrainian Su-27UB aircraft they were in crashed during a familiarization flight. The familiarization flight was part of a joint military training exercise called Clear Sky 2018, which kicked off last week. Col. Victor Sikora was relieved of command after engaging in conduct unbecoming of an officer by addressing a gathering of Guard members in a manner some found intimidating and humiliating, according to a report released Friday. This website is managed by the Public Affairs Office. The Air Force says that Nehring has been a member of the 144th for more than 20 years. The 144th Fighter Wing (FW) of the California Air National Guard occupies two separate parcels of land (the main base area and the Munitions Storage Area) totaling 110.726 acres (0.44809 km 2) of leased land on the Fresno Yosemite International Airport . To find out about jobs in the Air National Guard check out: https://www.goang.com/ Public Affairs This website is managed by the Public Affairs Office. See Why Customers Flocked to Fresno Cannabis Store on Day 1. The Fresno Air National Guard base hosted a ribbon cutting for its new fuel storage facilities, featuring tanks with increased capacities. After The Times began asking questions about the Pineda episode, the military department asked the U.S. Air Force Inspector General's Office to conduct an investigation the third into the Pineda incident. He says new rules instituted in 2016 might make the incident a more serious crime, which would've brought in more seasoned investigators. At least five guard members from the 144th wing filed formal complaints. 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Police investigating early morning homicide in Porterville, Child among 5 killed by drunk gunman still on loose: TX police, 1 missing, 2 rescued after getting swept away in Kaweah River. However, in 2021, Baldwin suspended him with pay and reassigned him after a Times report that Guard members were concerned that their leaders had readied an F-15C fighter jet for a possible mission in which the aircraft would fly low over civilian protesters to frighten and disperse them. The commander of the fighter squadron at the time, Col. Sean Navin, was one of the drinkers. FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno's 144th Fighter Wing is under scrutiny from the U.S. Air Force Inspector General's Office because of a disgusting discovery four years ago. A member of the Judge Advocate General Corps, Maj . Entertainment The guards function as state militias whose leaders report to their respective governors. Mission [ edit] Based on this article, and in addition to other evidence collected, it would appear that there is a culture of reprisal, or at a minimum the perception of reprisal, that has a long stemmed history within the 144th, the inspector general report states. Former military lawyer Scott Taylor tells us the story now is less about the crime and more about officers accusing their superiors of covering it up. A U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle fighter jet assigned to the California Air National Guard's 144th Fighter Wing has made some passes and garnered attention on the internet recently, after . 2019 the Los Angeles Times. One of the jets was a single-engine F-16C Fighting . The California air guard is the second largest in the Air National Guard, a force of more than 100,000 pilots, other officers and enlisted people. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Northern California town on edge after second fatal stabbing in a week, Sheriffs Department investigates memo alleging captain wouldnt promote angry Black sergeant, CEO of Cookies pot brand accused of kickbacks, strong-arm tactics, Californias top military brass rocked by homophobia, antisemitism, indecent exposure scandals, What you need to know about the scandals at the California National Guard. In interviews with the Times, several current and former members of the guard described a culture of retaliation by high-ranking officers and mistrust in the inspector general system intended to hold them accountable. Baldwin denied that the jet had been prepared for such a deployment and said the move against Magram had nothing to do with the report. The speech was clearly directed at me and a few other people that have pursued justice through the IG.. Magram, who was once director of the Guards air staff, is the fifth general to resign, retire or be fired in the wake of scandals exposed by Times investigations of the organization over the last four years. FRESNO AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Calif --. The California National Guard has been buffeted by allegations of misconduct in its upper ranks, coverups and retaliation against whistleblowers. In a second investigation months later, they finally talked to people who were in the building that night, having drinks after finishing a day of work. April 5, 2019 / 7:29 PM Jones has served as assistant adjutant general since December 2017. Members of the 144th Medical Detachment 1 recently completed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IX California Homeland Response Force (HRF) external evaluation March 30, 2023, at Camp Roberts, California. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. (559) 454-5286 Magram, who was once director of the Guard's air staff, is the fifth general to resign, retire or be fired in the wake of scandals exposed by Times investigations of the organization over the last four years. The 144th is the biggest wing in the state, home to roughly 115 officers, including about two dozen fighter pilots, and more than 1,000 enlistees in support units. "Back when this happened in 2015, if the Air Force Office of Special Investigation got involved, maybe it would've been handled differently," said the former judge advocate general, or JAG. 4/23 update:The LA Times has dug into the California Air National Guard scandal. Alene Tchekmedyian And Paul Pringle, Los Angeles Times The evidence included Pineda's boots and a vial of urine collected from the bathroom floor that was never tested for DNA. Published Apr 7, 2019 3:26 PM EDT. When I say particular, it had to be at Whole Foods. The Fresno Air National Guard base is home to the 144th . Gen. Jeffrey Magram will be involuntarily transferred next week to the U.S. Air Force retired reserve, an action that is parallel to a firing, California National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Brandon Hill said Friday. An internal inquiry also determined that Sikora improperly excoriated a retired pilot for speaking to The Times, the report said. These criteria ensure that those who join have the right mental, physical and moral aptitudes to perform the tasks required for military service. Legendary Valley Thoroughbred Elected to Racing Hall of Fame, Collision Ends Smyly Perfect Game Bid, Cubs Top Dodgers 13-0, Oakland As Set Vegas Move in Motion With Stadium Land Deal, Draymond Greens Suspension Is the Talk of the NBA Playoffs, California Garrison ran the base at the time of the incident. April 12, 2019 7:05 PM PT A third high-ranking officer in the California Air National Guard has been removed from his position because of complaints he made whistleblowers feel threatened at the. Allegations of retaliation against whistleblowers in the California National Guard are more widespread than the complaints made at a Fresno air base that led to a dramatic leadership shakeup of the organization earlier this month, The Times has found. The complaints focused on the organizations Fresno air base and included an incident in which someone urinated in a female Guard members boots. The urine incident and its aftermath fueled suspicions within the guard that high-ranking officers, including Garrison, mishandled two investigations to find the perpetrator and tried to bury the episode to protect someone who may have been involved, according to interviews and guard records obtained by the Times. The guards function as state militias whose leaders report to their respective governors. The vast majority means all of you, except for a couple of you, and they know who they are so we don't need to call them out. The inquiry also determined that Magram failed to complete his annual cybersecurity training and thus had lower-ranking Guard members each day request that headquarters temporarily restore his computer access. Clear Sky brings together more than 950 personnel from Ukraine and eight NATO nations. A recent spate of alleged misconduct by high-ranking officers underscores the need for reform in Californias National Guard, current and former Guard members say. A guard spokesman on Friday, April 5, 2019, confirmed the shakeup, but did not have additional details. Local Nehring was a fighter pilot with the California Air National Guard's 194th Fighter Squadron, part of the 144th Fighter Wing based at the Fresno Air National Guard Base, located on the southeast corner of Fresno-Yosemite International Airport. The complaints focused on the Guard's Fresno air base and included an incident in which someone urinated in a female Guard member's boots. Will Political Reality Shape a Mighty Morro Bay Wind? In yet another ouster of a top commander for the troubled California National Guard, a brigadier general has been fired after internal inquiries found that he inappropriately used military personnel for personal tasks, had a subordinate complete part of his cybersecurity training and otherwise engaged in conduct that seeded distrust in the ranks. An F-117 Nighthawks at the Fresno Air National Guard Base in California, September 15, 2021 . Jennifer Pineda, a 15-year veteran of the guard, was about to change into her uniform in a womens bathroom at the 144th Fighter Wing when she discovered her boots had been soiled. Members of the 144ths security forces conducted two investigations, according to internal investigative records obtained by the Times. They didn't identify any suspects and eventually got rid of the urine without ever testing it for DNA. Our mission is to promote positive support for the 144th Fighter Wing and the California Air National Guard by providing accurate, relevant and timely information to our members, their families, our local community, our state and our nation. U.S. Air Force Col. Attempts to reach Magram for comment were unsuccessful. The 194th is equipped with the F-15 Eagle and like its parent wing, the 144th Griffins, is operationally-gained within the active U.S. Air Force by the Air Combat Command (ACC). The scandal dates back to March 2015, when Staff Sgt. Published Apr 15, 2019 10:00 AM EDT. He said the same about his decision to fire Maj. Gen. Gregory Jones, commander of the air wing of the Guard. Paul Pringle is a Los Angeles Times reporter who specializes in investigating corruption. Baldwin later removed the commander of the Guard's air side, Maj. Gen. Clay Garrison. The California Air National Guard is the second largest unit in the Air Guard, a force of more than 100,000 pilots, other officers and enlisted people. Investigators reached no conclusions that time around either. Gen. Gregory F. Jones, who has served as an assistant adjutant general in the Guard since December 2017, was appointed to replace Garrison. The 144th is the biggest wing in the state, home to roughly 115 officers, including about two dozen fighter pilots, and more than 1,000 enlistees in support units. Weather, Education (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. FRESNO, Calif. (AP) The head of the California Air National Guard, Major General Clay Garrison, was relieved of his command and replaced by Brigadier General Gregory Jones two months after a newspaper detailed the fallout from a scandal involving someone urinating in the boots of a service member. The urine incident and its aftermath fueled suspicions within the guard that high-ranking officers, including Garrison, mishandled two investigations to find the perpetrator and tried to bury the episode to protect someone who may have been involved, according to interviews and guard records obtained by the Times. The scandal dates back to March 2015, when Staff Sgt. News, Appetite for Fresno The 144th is the biggest wing in the state, home to roughly 115 officers, including about two dozen fighter pilots, and more than 1,000 enlistees in support units. Allegations of retaliation against whistleblowers in the California National Guard are more widespread than the complaints made at a Fresno air base that led to a dramatic leadership shakeup of the organization earlier this month, The Times has found. ", By The command change follows a Los Angeles Times report on allegations that whistleblowers at the Guards Fresno base suffered reprisals for questioning actions or conduct, including an incident in which a female guardsman discovered urine in her boots. Maj. Dan Woodside, a retired 144th fighter pilot who is a witness in an inspector general's Pineda investigation and has complained about how she was treated, said Guard members were afraid to approach Garrison with any reports of wrongdoing, fearing they would be punished. Gen. Gregory Jones two months after a newspaper. By Staff Sgt. Charles Vaughn). The Air Force initially issued a letter of admonishment to Magram as a result of the first inspector general investigation.
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