The command change follows aLos Angeles Timesreport on allegations that whistleblowers at the guard's Fresno base suffered reprisals for questioning actions or conduct, including an incident in which a female guard member discovered urine in her boots. Col. Jeremiah Cruz was named Kelly's interim replacement. Both were inconclusive, and the case was closed. 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. The U.S. and Ukrainian governments are investigating to determine the cause of the accident. FRESNO, Calif. The head of the California Air National Guard, Maj. Gen. Clay Garrison, was relieved of command and replaced by Brig. Crime 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. It's all part of. 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 . Rieger recommended in his report that Sikora receive a memorandum of reprimand and be relieved of command due to the loss of faith in him as a 144th leader. The first of three. ID cardquestions and appointments: Two of those were related to the urine incident, including one filed by Pineda. 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. 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. At least five Guard members from the 144th wing, including a pilot who was killed in October in a crash during a training mission in Ukraine, filed formal complaints. The California air guard is the second largest, after New York's, in the Air National Guard, which is a force of more than 100,000 pilots, other officers and enlisted people. Contact the Public Affairs Office at: 144FW.HQ.PublicAffairs@us.af.mil, Directory: What Dyer Had to Say. The scandal dates back to March 2015, when Staff Sgt. 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. Mission [ edit] Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. FRESNO AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, CA -- The 144th Fighter Wing welcomed the arrival of two F-117 Nighthawk aircraft Sept 13, 2021 to the Fresno Air National Guard Base, California, to conduct dissimilar air combat training missions. Published Nov. 8, 2022. In a report released after the ousters of Garrison and Col. Dan Kelly, the commander of the 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno, the Military Department inspector general cited findings of a Times investigation two months ago that detailed the whistleblower allegations. 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 Air Force says that Nehring has been a member of the 144th for more than 20 years. A member of the Judge Advocate General Corps, Maj . "This is a problem with their leadership.". Friday's report said that Sikora's conduct also had a chilling effect on Guard members by discouraging them from exercising their rights to seek redress through the organization's inspector general, their representatives in Congress or the news media. | Chris Drudge), U.S. airman killed in training exercise in Ukraine confirmed from 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno. A spokesman for Gov. "This is not a problem with the rank and file, the rank and file pilots or the great people that do their job out there every day," he said. Members of the Guard described a "climate of retaliationand mistrust. Alene Tchekmedyian And Paul Pringle, Los Angeles Times 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. | (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 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. The scandal dates back to March 2015, when Staff Sgt. When it comes to protecting U.S. Air Force's military assets, the responsibility falls on the Security Forces Defenders. (559) 454-5383 The Times reported last year that an internal inquiry substantiated allegations that Brig. They patrol state airspace and stand ready to respond to natural disasters and large-scale terrorist attacks. Sgt. It just took her a long time to decide what she wanted, a lot of comparison shopping amongst products.. Navin denied any involvement, according to Guard records. / CBS Sacramento. The exercise is a joint and multinational exercise that will involve approximately 950 personnel from nine nations. Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, who oversees both the air and army branches of the California Guard as adjutant general of the Military Department, was unavailable for comment, Keegan said. ", By Published Apr 7, 2019 3:26 PM EDT. Weeks later, the longtime head of the Guard, Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, retired. Voting Is Fast and Easy on Recall Day. Administrators at the Fighter Wing didn't respond to our request for comment, but after the L.A. Times started asking about the Pineda episode, the California Military Department asked the U.S. Air Force Inspector General's Office to conduct a third investigation. Rob Swertfager, also filed a complaint alleging that commanders punished him including by withholding his pay on occasion for going to bat for Pineda. It all happened under his watchful eye, but he was not alone in allowing this to happen.. Local 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. Latest 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. Gavin Newsoms office and Baldwins successor, Maj. Gen. Matthew Beevers, the Guards acting adjutant general. 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. The scandal dates back to March 2015, when Staff Sgt. The document also cites the cybersecurity episode as grounds for dismissing him, stating that he let a subordinate click through the training questions and obtain a certificate of completion for you., The memo further recounts that a 2021 survey of Guard members found that they experienced significant issues with unit cohesion, good order, and military discipline because of [Magrams] conduct.. Members of the 144th's security forces, who police the base, conducted two investigations, according to internal investigative records obtained by the Times. 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. Baldwin has been adjutant general of the Guard since 2011, when he was appointed by then-Gov. One of the jets was a single-engine F-16C Fighting . But fellow officers are questioning the investigations, complaining about retaliation for their contributions and a potential cover-up. The Guard memo obtained by The Times says Magram on several occasions wrongfully encouraged or requested subordinates to perform tasks or run errands for him outside their military duties, such as giving him rides to personal appointments. Gen. Entertainment A Guard member who took Magrams mother shopping was quoted in the report as saying that she was particular. Director of Psychological Health: Both were inconclusive, and the case was closed. Sports. Stunning 4K videos show F-117s operating in California more than a decade after the stealth jet retired. Gen. Gregory Jones two months after a newspaper detailed the fallout from a scandal involving someone urinating in the boots of a service member. Dave Bakos, a retired general who served in the Guard for 32 years and was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, was among those who said Garrison should have demanded a more thorough investigation from the start. 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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. In early 2019, a Times report disclosed internal complaints of reprisals against whistleblowers and allegations of a cover-up of misconduct among the Guard leadership. Both were inconclusive and the case was closed. Copyright 2023 KFSN-TV. Now Eric Bischoff to Tell Story in Fresno. (559) 454-5286 She also signed off on the request to discard the evidence. 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. 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. Magram became the focus of more upheaval last summer, when The Times disclosed that an internal probe found that he had on-duty Guard members drive him up to 120 miles round-trip to personal dental and medical appointments at Travis Air Force Base, according to a confidential report on the inquiry. Members of the 144ths security forces conducted two investigations, according to internal investigative records obtained by the Times. 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. Sikora's briefing came after The Times began asking questions about alleged retaliation against whistleblowers and the incident in which Staff Sgt. Among the other disclosures by The Times were the Guards use of a spy plane to monitor civilian protesters and fears in the ranks that it planned to deploy a fighter jet to frighten demonstrators. 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. DSN 839-5246, Crash Survivors Meet Indiana Airmen Who Rescued Them, Joint, International Southern Strike 2023 Exercise Wraps Up, Alaska Guardsman Helps Keep Pave Hawks Flying, New AF surgeon general program enhances support for EFMP families, Airmen, Guardians, Air Force modernizes nuclear security with advanced JLTV vehicle, Effective June 1, First Term Airmen can retrain into AFSCs under 90% manning in lieu of separation, An official website of the United States government. SACRAMENTO, Calif. Grand juries in Fresno and Sacramento have indicted eight current or former members of the California National Guard, in seven separate cases, charging them with wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining recruiting referral bonuses, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. Jones has served as assistant adjutant general since December 2017. Please enter valid email address to continue. A guard spokesman, Lt. Col. Jonathan Shiroma, on Friday confirmed the shake-up, but he did not have additional details. 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.