Posted on 04/10/2015 8:30:34 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Maj. Gen. James N. Post was speaking to a group of about 300 airmen at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada in January when he began to talk about the ongoing budget battle in Congress and how the Air Force would need to divest the A-10 in order to move forward on some of its other airframes. (U.S Air Force)
The Air Force commander who warned fellow airmen that speaking positively of the A-10s performance to members of Congress could be considered "treason" has been removed from office, the Air Force announced Friday.
Maj. Gen. James N. Post was speaking to a group of about 300 airmen at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada in January when he began to talk about the ongoing budget battle in Congress and how the Air Force would need to divest the A-10 in order to move forward on some of its other airframes.
"In the course of his remarks [Post] discussed the importance of loyalty to senior leader decisions [on the A-10] and used the word "treason" in describing his thoughts on communication by airmen counter to those decisions," the Air Force said in a statement released Friday.
In the prepared statement, Post offered his apologies for the incident.
"My impromptu remarks at the January Weapons and Tactics conference regarding the future of the A-10 have regrettably sparked a lot of controversy and attention. I hope my departure from ACC will enable the command to refocus on the mission as soon as possible."
After an investigation by the Air Force inspector general it was determined that Post's comments had a "chilling effect on some of the attendees and caused them to feel constrained from communicating with members of Congress," the Air Force said.
The Air Force has been criticized over the last few months in its handling of the A-10 in its quest to divest the close air support airframe, particularly in how it has previously reported the attack aircraft's role in combat compared to the Air Force's other bombers and attack planes.
Gen. Hawk Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command where Post was assigned, issued a letter of reprimand and had Post moved from his position as vice commander at the command.
It was not immediately clear where Post was moved to.
“Not doubting you in any way X but why would the A-10’s tooling be destroyed rather than saved? Strictly a costs, due to various reasons, issues or something else?”
There are a variety of reasons why the tooling is customarily not preserved for military aircraft after the production line is permanently closed. The reasons range from the need to clear space on the factory floor for the next production line and cost of a factory to house them to the destruction of tooling which could be used to produce and put defective counterfeit parts in the supply chain.
See:
A-10 Warthogs Could Serve Until 2040
by John Reed on July 22, 2011
http://defensetech.org/2011/07/22/a-10-warthogs-could-serve-until-2040/
You are likely correct. My gaydar detector lights up on the good General however, though with the “it makes me look younger” hairless look, I can’t rule out “minor attracted person.” roflmeo. “tech’d”
I flew the Huey too, but without the fully articulated head or the SCAS. Hope it is a better mission than then it used to be.
And what truth would that be?
Not to mention, attempting to replace the A-10 with a fast-jet is straight-up assinine. That was tried in the 1990s with the F-16. AF brass said, “Put a 30mm gun pod on it and send it out to kill tanks, what could go wrong?” The F-16 is not designed to take the hits that an A-10 can. It doesn’t have the slow loiter capability. It’s a fast jet, the last thing it wants to do is slow down and get into the weeds. That should be obvious. The F-16 and A-10 are as different in design as a tropical island is from the moon. It’s blindingly obvious that they’re not going to be able to fly the same missions.
With the legal problems this general caused for himself, getting fired is obvious and he's lucky he's not being prosecuted. Denying basic rights under the UCMJ, applicable military regs, and federal law is not a smart command plan.
He does look fruity.
Aside from the good attributes of the A-10 (and there are many), this general did something flat-out illegal: he told his subordinates that they’re not allowed to communicate with their Congressmen, are not allowed to use the grievance process, and cannot file IG complaints over this. This corndog is lucky he was only fired.
Denying basic rights under the law (to communicate with your Congressmen, file formal grievances, and file IG complaints) is so blatantly illegal that firing him is the least that could happen to him. Every single person in that forum has a very valid Legal and IG complaint against this guy if they choose to exercise it. The senior JAG probably asked him, “What the F&%$ are you doing to me?”
As I noted, the ignorant bastard should be cashiered. A military prison is a pipe dream. He is a ring knocker from the AF Academy, had sponsors and all his tickets punched for him in the right order. Oh yeah, he also believed all that “you’re the best of the best” sunshine that’s been pumped up his ass over the years. Thinks he can say or do anything and get away with it. I served with many good, competent Academy grads over the years as well as many who reached their level of incompetence at 1st Lieutenant.
You’re in denial. I watched this play out during my active duty career as an officer and have followed it afterwards for over 20 years. Once you reach the general officer ranks you are a political animal and it doesn’t matter what your background is, you will throw your grandmother under the bus for the next promotion or to maintain your current position. Sad fact is, support of ground troops has never been at the top or even midway up the list of priority mission for AF fliers. The fighter jocks took over chicken coop when they acquired SAC former assets and they will always make fast fighters the primary mission and will support the ground support missions if they can do it using the sleek, fast and sexy fighter.
The general is a moron because he thought he could bully his subordinates into not talking and/or telling the truth if called to testify before congress. That is a major violation and by rights he should be cashiered if not sent to confinement.
“You’re in denial. I watched this play out during my active duty career as an officer and have followed it afterwards for over 20 years.”
So, what you are trying to say is that today’s Air Force is different from what it was before with TAC, SAC, & ADC with respect to CAS, perhaps before the reorganization about 1993?
From a leadership-by-example standpoint, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised to see a general who thinks that he gets to write his own laws. Look at what the CinC is doing and being allowed to get away with.
It boggles the freakin’ mind. All it takes is one guy to complain to the IG or command Legal. No matter how well-liked he is, all it takes is one guy who feels that he got screwed on his last FITREP or some award that he got beat out on.
Funny, I wasn’t thinking about the “hairless makes me look younger” thing, but I’m sure you’re right. I can’t see a happily married guy being too worried about how old he looks, that’s usually woman’s domain. A female co-worker who has worked with gay guys before has told me that gay guys are insanely obsessed with looking younger because, in that community, you’re considered an “old queen” if they find out you’re a day over 30.
He'll be dead-man-walking, coming and going until his retirement paperwork goes through. Dude's been officially fired, it's not like he needs to worry about his FITREP.
That hasn’t ended the B-52.
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