My background is from the Air Force and the base commander on AFB installations always seemed to be an O-6 Colonel — why a 2 star is taking the hit on this doesn’t make sense.
Pfc. Vanessa Guillen
Pfc. Gregory Morales
All three were Hispanics.
The family of Vanessa Guillen blamed the base leaders for not doing enough to find their sister. They made her disappearance national news.
Whispers of 'racism' were always in the background; a white commander who didn't take the disappearance of Hispanics seriously. They needed a scapegoat and they found one.
Same thing in the Army. The Ft. Hood Garrison commander is Col. Jason A. Wesbrock. It's just the reporting. Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt was deputy commander III Corps. Often on Army posts a senior officer is referred to as the post commander. His boss, the III Corp commander is a four star billet, also at Ft. Hood.
The Post Commander in the Army is usually a Colonel also. The Post or Garrison Commander is responsible for making sure the post itself runs smoothly and is not responsible for the troop units stationed there. However, Ft Hood is so large that it’s possible they have a different command structure.
Army post commander will usually be a Major General (two star). Lots more people on Army posts than Air Force bases.
Moving from being the boss at Fort Hood to commanding an infantry division doesn’t sound like much of a promotion, now that I think of it, although appropriate for the rank.