AF Commander relieved 6 months after death occurred?

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 15:31:46 -0500

Officials at Fort Bragg say a squadron commander has been relieved of her position based on the investigation of a July death at Pope Field.

The Fayetteville Observer reports Air Force Col. Elizabeth Shaw was removed from command of the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron on Thursday.

http://hamptonroads.com/2015/01/squadron-commander-fort-bragg-relieved-after-death

Response by COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM made Jan 25 at 2015 4:07 PM

COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 16:07:43 -0500

- Agree with CW02 Reck that the article does not provide enough information to provide quality discussion on.
- Generically speaking, however, it is not unusual for a death investigation to take time, be completed, higher command digest that investigation, and then decisions made based upon the investigation. Six months later would not be unusual especially if autopsies, labs, and other investigative facts had to be established.
- Aside from the death investigation, a follow on 15-6 investigation might also have been conducted to look at potential surrounding issues such as command policies, SOPs, guidance, etc that might have directly or indirectly contributed to the airman's death that the Squadron Commander either should have known/implemented or that she knew/implemented in a negative manner.
- At the end of the day, the only things that the article states for a fact are that 1) a SSG died and that 2) a squadron commander was relieved for "loss of confidence in ability to command".

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2015 4:09 PM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 16:09:30 -0500

This article is horribly written. The lead in and the lack of any truth or facts leaves one to only have an emotional response.

Are ratings really that bad that an article like this and of this caliber is considered news? This article is nothing more than a start of a gossip chain.

Very sad as many will jump on this and hold an online judgmental discussion based strictly on the knee jerk and poor information released here. That is the very sad part. This is not a source that knows how to report facts. That is quite easy to see.

As to the offense, Loss of confidence could be based on many things, many, many things. The gossip rags are full of them.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Jan 25 at 2015 5:14 PM

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 17:14:18 -0500

CWO2 Shannon Reck, LTC Stephen C., COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM, CPO Private RallyPoint Member

Gents,

This isnt the article from a few months ago, but it is a much better written article with more details regarding the issue.

http://www.fayobserver.com/military/air-force-colonel-relieved-of-duties-after-fort-bragg-training/article_66a0c8d4-4518-57a0-8268-9287ac6a01af.html

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2015 8:05 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 20:05:03 -0500

Definitely a sad story. The unnecessary and likely preventable loss of life. And - on a much lower level - another "loss of confidence" relief.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2015 11:37 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 23:37:25 -0500

It was an incredibly sad incident. She was a good commander from those I know that worked under her, and the unit is one of the best in the Air Force. I wasn't part of the exercise, so I don't have first hand knowledge, but it's not an unusual exercise. Last minute changes in the role playing and script were a contributing factor from what I understand.
It's never good when someone is injured or killed in a training exercise, and it's potentially harder on these folks because nearly everyone involved is medically trained and they weren't able to save him.
I don't know that it's normal for a commander to be relieved when a training accident leads to death of a Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine... but I do know that leadership responsibility is ultimately where the buck stops (short of equipment failure or gross negligence on the part of the victim).
It's a great loss to the Air Force in the form of the SSG and the Col. Both were dedicated to bringing home our wounded with the best care, safely and quickly. They were both exceptionally good at it.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Jan 25 at 2015 11:55 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 23:55:25 -0500

I have no issue with the decision taking 6 months, so long as safe guards were in place in the case the command was concerned the death was caused or a proximate case of leadership failure>
As stated elsewhere.. autopsies, labs, interviews, follow up interviews, some taking place at other duty stations likely,, these take time. There there is the time it takes for the appointing authority to review the final investigation, then the review of that.
So long as the command was safe and under competent leadership in the interim I would hope the investigation took as long as needed to be fair, through and complete.,