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. Charles Vaughn). It's unfortunate that the young people in the California Air National Guard, our citizen soldiers, have to witness this type of activity that's occurring at the top, Bakos said Friday. 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. Gen. Tim Rieger, who was tasked by Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, head of the California Military Department, with investigating Sikora's actions. The retirement of Maj. Gen. David Baldwin comes weeks after a Times investigation detailed alleged misconduct among high-ranking officers. 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. Latest, Latest In a memorandum to Magram that The Times obtained this week, Beevers wrote, Your conduct has caused me to lose faith, trust, and confidence in your ability to continue serving.. 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. 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. 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 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno. This went on for about two weeks, until he had the training completed by a subordinate. 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. 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 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. 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. Magram said in his statement that he was late in completing the training because of a tremendously busy operational tempo.. The guards function as state militias whose leaders report to their respective governors. He also recommended close monitoring of any unfavorable personnel actions against complainants or witnesses in the 144th as possible reprisal. Gen. 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Valley Weather Rollercoaster: Mid-90s Now, Upper 60s Next Week, Adventure in Spices? | (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. He says new rules instituted in 2016 might make the incident a more serious crime, which would've brought in more seasoned investigators. 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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. The Guard reconnaissance aircraft flew over peaceful protests in the upscale community of El Dorado Hills, the location of Maj. Gen. David S. Baldwins home. The head of the California Air National Guard and one of its five wing commanders have been removed from their positions amid complaints of reprisals against whistleblowers and allegations of. 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." Director of Psychological Health: 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. 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. The papers inquiries began with reports that someone urinated in a female Guard members boots, an incident that led to allegations of a cover-up and retaliation against whistleblowers. Copyright 2023 KFSN-TV. As part of the Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force, the wing is operationally gained by the Air Combat Command . Both were inconclusive, and the case was closed. Published Nov. 8, 2022. This website is managed by the Public Affairs Office. Now Eric Bischoff to Tell Story in Fresno. Members of the Guard described a "climate of retaliationand mistrust. By Staff Sgt. 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. A guard spokesman, Lt. Col. Jonathan Shiroma, on Friday confirmed the shake-up, but he did not have additional details. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? The U.S. and Ukrainian governments are investigating to determine the cause of the accident. Gen. Gregory Jones two months after a newspaper detailed the fallout from a scandal involving someone urinating in the boots of a service member. "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. Airman & Family Readiness Office: Some in the wing refer to the scandal as Pissgate., The saga dates to March 2015, when Staff Sgt. "If there was a smoking gun, they took it and threw it right in the river," said Maj. Woodside. It all happened under his watchful eye, but he was not alone in allowing this to happen.. 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. 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. News, Appetite for Fresno Nehring began his career as an enlisted crew chief before being selected as a pilot. "This is a problem with their leadership.". 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. 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. 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. We share in the sorrow felt by Jethro's loved ones and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends as well as those of the Ukrainian aviator.". 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 . They didn't identify any suspects and eventually got rid of the urine without ever testing it for DNA. It said Sikora used insulting and defamatory language in remarks to subordinates. Swertfager could not be reached for comment. 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. Captain Nehring is an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot with California Air National Guard's 194th Fighter Squadron in Fresno. 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 complaints disclosed by The Times focused on the leadership of the Fresno base and included an alleged cover-up of an incident in which someone urinated in a female Guard member's boots. When it comes to protecting U.S. Air Force's military assets, the responsibility falls on the Security Forces Defenders. Hawkins told The Times that those allegations are largely untrue and specifically denied making the statement about terrorist attacks. The commander of the 144th Fighter Wing at the Fresno base was also removed. The familiarization flights give NATO service members an opportunity to ride in Soviet or Russian-built aircraft, like the Su-27UB fighter jet. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. 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. California Air National Guard removes commander over threats against whistleblowers in 'pissgate' scandal A third high-ranking officer in the California Air National Guard has been. The jets made a pass over a crowd of National Guard members and civilians who had assembled in front of the 144th Fighter Wing's maintenance hangar on the Fresno Air National Guard Base. Keegan said Friday he did not know the status of the probe. At least one person recorded the briefing, where Sikora said anyone filing complaints was causing problems for the wing, according to the report. Investigators reached no conclusions that time around either. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Public File for KMAX-TV / Good Day Sacramento. It's all part of. She wanted the DNA test to clear her name. Except When Its Not. 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. Phone: (559) 454-5246 But fellow officers are questioning the investigations, complaining about retaliation for their contributions and a potential cover-up. All Rights Reserved. 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. California Governor Jerry Brown and the First Lady also extended their deepest condolences to Nehring's family and friends. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, urinated in a female Guard members boots, use of a spy plane to monitor civilian protesters, deploy a fighter jet to frighten demonstrators, The commander of the scandal-plagued California National Guard steps down, Californias top military brass rocked by homophobia, antisemitism, indecent exposure scandals, Turmoil shakes California National Guard with firing, suspension of top generals, California Guard members feared fighter jet would be ordered to frighten protesters, Spy plane was sent to monitor protest in affluent suburb, home to head of California National Guard, In California National Guard, whistleblower claims of retaliation go beyond Fresno, Head of California Air National Guard removed amid allegations of cover-up and retaliation, California Air National Guard removes commander over threats against whistleblowers, Must Reads: Someone urinated in a female sergeants boots.
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