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2023 Stars and Stripes. Base officials said about 50 members of the 52nd Civil Engineering squadron and others from the wing filled and delivered over 1,800 sandbags to the surrounding communities. The wing also supports the Supreme Allied Commander by providing credible deterrence, delivering combat capabilities, executing joint reception, staging, onward movement, and integration, facilitating inter-theater airlift, and building partnership capacity. Off-duty time is for: During my time off, my wife and I like to run, bike and travel. [39][40] The plans to move 480th FS have been put on hold as the new Biden administration looks to review the previous administrations plans to move the squadron to Italy.[41]. 480 TFS F-4Ds were originally scheduled for redeployment to Holloman AFB, however, instead were distributed to bases throughout Southeast Asia: Clark Air Base, Philippines; Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base and Udon AB, Thailand; Da Nang AB; and Inspection and Repair as Necessary facilities (IRAN) at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base Taiwan. Maybe O'Mally's approach to announcing what has to have been heartbreaking news for Kotnik, regardless of the circumstances, stems from the fact that he helped mastermind and starred in the video below while serving as the Chief Weapons Instructor for the 35th Fighter Squadron, a unit based in South Korea. The venue was crowded, he said, and he turned his body sideways to move through a group of people. Lance Sijan, ejected from his disabled aircraft and was badly injured in North Vietnam. Gallantry: Biden presents Medal of Honor to retired Army Col. Paris Davis for his heroics in Vietnam, US to send bridge-launching vehicles for tank deployments to Ukraine in new $400M aid package, Japan complains to US over Utah senators remarks on imprisoned Navy officer, Pentagon tells service members to stop displaying giant US flags at major events, Israels window to strike Iran narrows as Putin enters equation, Air Force command climate investigation ends with Okinawa commanders removal, Military, VA provide troops, vets more gun safety options to help reduce suicides, K-Town Now features the latest news from the Kaiserslautern Military Community. On 1 April 1959, it was inactivated again due to budgetary reductions. Col. Peter M. Bilodeau, the commander of the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, was relieved of command on Tuesday after less than six months on the job because of loss of faith and confidence in his leadership, U.S. Air Forces in Europe announced. Gen. Kristin Goodwin, former commandant of cadets at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs,. Col. Peter M. Bilodeau, who assumed command of the wing in July, was removed by 3rd Air Force commander Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson, according to a U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa release. Col. Leslie Hauck accepted responsibility of the 52nd FW from Col. David Epperson in front of Airmen, local leaders and family, making him the 30th commander since its activation as the 52nd Tactical Fighter Wing in December 1971. By the time Retka returned to Spangdahlem as a group commander, he was viewed by some as a bully who had a tendency to mock, disparage or undermine his subordinates. Community for current, future, and past members of the US Air Force. Veterans Affairs drops mask requirement for all agency medical offices, Officials OK some hand and neck tattoos for airmen, Guardians, Perennial pilot shortage puts Air Force in precarious position, Healthy eating on a budget for busy military spouses, The impossible choice facing many of Americas military families, Tax scams How to report them Money Minute, Capitol Hill weighs action on two controversial topics: medical marijuana and abortion, Lockheed wins hypersonics contract | Defense Dollars, Go inside a secret nuclear fallout bunker sealed for decades, Another Air Force fleet grounded over fears plane tails may fall off, Pentagon orders engine vibration fix for entire F-35 fleet worldwide, Minot firings due to failed nuclear safety inspection, Air Force advisers study use of satellites for tracking moving targets. Jordana Kennedy said having to be around Retka and his wife was crushing and super-stressful. She began to skip group events with spouses to avoid running into the Retkas, and said she recently had a panic attack when she thought they might show up. fairport senior ball 2020 spangdahlem commander fired. I didnt want to make a big deal of it because the night had just started and I wanted to honor these nice people, Kennedy told Air Force Times. This new way of operating is still developing, but with the innovation and flexibility in your blood, Saber Nation leads the way in this new way of fighting, and the rest of us are following you.. June 2012 June 2014, Commander, 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev. 13. Hubert has been vice commander since July 2013. All Rights Reserved. On Tuesday, Dec. 30, Bilodeau was relieved of command and Hubert, the wing vice commander, was again named interim commander. This was not an easy decision to make, but I believe it is in the best interest of the men and women of the 52nd Fighter Wing, Roberson said. The rest are tools to accomplish that. My base had a squadron commander (Maj) that got relieved of command for the same "reason" given for this guy. Retka reportedly said, Yeah, whats your number? but apologized after being corrected by his wing commander. Its really devastating, said Malu Dreyer, governor of Rhineland-Pfalz state, which includes Spangdahlem. Hauck is a command pilot with more than 2,400 hours in the F-16 Fighting Falcon, including 285 combat hours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. May 1997 September 1998, student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla. 3. Army colonel who oversaw ground zero for US militarys COVID-19 cases is retiring, Gallantry: Biden presents Medal of Honor to retired Army Col. Paris Davis for his heroics in Vietnam, US to send bridge-launching vehicles for tank deployments to Ukraine in new $400M aid package, Japan complains to US over Utah senators remarks on imprisoned Navy officer, Military, VA provide troops, vets more gun safety options to help reduce suicides, Pentagon tells service members to stop displaying giant US flags at major events, K-Town Now features the latest news from the Kaiserslautern Military Community. Bilodeau has been immersing himself into the Spangdahlem community and learning first-hand about the many missions of the . We have never seen such a disaster. [28][29] The pilots who did not deploy were effected by the 2013 United States budget sequestration which led to a loss of multiple flying currencies, these weren't regained until August 2013 when flying resumed. The 480th Fighter Squadron (480th FS), nicknamed the "Warhawks", is an active United States Air Force unit operating the General Dynamics F-16CJ Fighting Falcon. [10] The reformed squadron retained the primary SEAD role of its previous incarnation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Col. Peter M. Bilodeau, the commander of the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, was relieved of command on Tuesday after less than six months on the job because of loss of faith and confidence in his leadership, U.S. Air Forces in Europe announced. 210320-F-LH638-1120. During this time it was equipped with the North American F-100D/F Super Sabre and Republic F-84 Thunderjet. You delivered on each and every priority at an astonishing pace, Epperson said. Bilodeau, a Distinguished Flying Cross recipient, flew F-16s at Spangdahlem for nearly three years in the late 1990s, when he served as an instructor pilot and assistant chief of weapons for the 23rd Fighter Squadron. The squadron was first activated by III Bomber Command as the 480th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 15 July 1942 flying the B-26 Marauder, assigned to the 336th Bombardment Group. Air Force Col. Joseph D. McFall, left, presents the Legion of Merit to Col. Kelly S. Passmore, at a change of command ceremony on June 10, 2014, at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. We have thousands of Airmen across our Air Force serving our country, and not one of them is perfect. Col. Peter M. Bilodeau, the commander of the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, was relieved of command on Tuesday after less than six months on the job because of loss of. Criminal charges were not filed against Retka, Myers said. [30], On 30 May 2014, the 480th FS deployed in support of 52nd OG Det 1 at ask for two weeks. [4] The squadron was deployed to Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam, on 5 February 1966 as part of the USAF buildup in Southeast Asia. (SrA Marcus Morris/Air Force). She spoke with Air Force Times Jan. 9 and agreed to be identified by name. Further, he supervises the support of the 31,000 local military retirees and 29 geographically separated units across nine states.". from around the world. Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, will keep its fighter mission after the Pentagon's Global Posture Review permanently reversed a Trump administration decision to shift the base's F-16 s to Italy and to cancel plans to move tankers and special operations forces there. "This was not an easy decision to make, but I believe it is in the best interest of the men and women of the 52nd Fighter Wing," Roberson said in the release. The 52nd Fighter Wing held a change of command ceremony at Hangar 1 here July 15. U.S. Air Force Col. Pete Bilodeau, 52nd Fighter Wing commander, salutes after his first flight in the Eifel as the wing commander July 14, 2014, at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. McFall, who was the 52nd Fighter Wings vice commander from July 2012 to June 2013, wont have far to go: Hes currently the commander of the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing at Ramstein Air Base, according to his Air Force biography. [24][25], In March 2012, the 480th deployed to Konya Air Base to take part in Exercise Anatolian Eagle 2012 with the Turkish Air Force, practising SEAD. U.S. Air Force Col. Jason Hokaj, 52nd Fighter Wing vice commander, gives a brief during the base Flight Commander's Leadership Course at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Dec. 1, 2020. All Rights Reserved. This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency. [12], On 19 September 1985, the history of the 480th Bombardment Squadron and 480th Air Resupply Squadron was consolidated with the existing 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron which had first formed in 1957. Kennedy said she is satisfied with how the investigation proceeded. Press J to jump to the feed. On 1 July 1958, the unit was redesignated the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron (480th TFS). Melody W. Howley), U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Randall Reed, Third Air Force commander (left), passes the guidon to Col. Leslie Hauck, 52nd Fighter Wing incoming commander July 15, 2021, on Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. October 1996 May 1997, Executive Officer, 71st Operations Group, Vance AFB, Okla. 2. If you were looking for passive leadership, then you chose the wrong person, Bilodeau said at the time. from around the world. Arriving at Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base, France, with the Republic F-84F Thunderstreak on 8 May. After assuming command, Hauck told his airmen: I know we are going to face trial and tribulations, but we will continue to conquer them and be 100% mission ready.. The wing also supports contingencies and operations other than war. An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. 2015 Distinguished Graduate, Master of Science degree, Strategic Studies, U.S. Army War College, Pa. 1. Hauck assumed command of an F-16 wing dubbed Saber Nation, which is headquartered in rural Spangdahlem. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. [18], The 480th FS participated in Exercise Red Flag 11-2 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, between 22 January and 4 February 2011. 8. Air Force). Szczepanski received the medal for his accomplishments as the 52nd AMXS commander. USAFE would not say which administrative action was taken against Retka, citing the Privacy Act. Its clear that this whole entire wing is flying in formation, and its apparent from your three consecutive trips to the finals of the Air Forces Spark Tank innovation contest, and it is truly impressive what youve done there. And the time when it was OK to pinch someones butt or rub up against someone or make a derogatory or misogynistic comment, I really want to see those days go away and be behind us.. He is headed to. The squadron commander was the only person strong enough to break Retkas hold on the pilot, witnesses said. I'm going to guess he failed a PT test. Melody W. Howley). Making mistakes is a part of life. Shortly after the Kennedys arrived and began chatting with other guests in the center aisle of the dining room, the report said, Retka walked up to the group and pinched or touched a male colonels rear end. On February 12, 2019, news that the first woman to lead an Air Force demonstration team was fired after just two weeks in the position sent shockwaves through the aviation community and made headlines in the mainstream press. Mike is a photographer in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Melody W. Howley), U.S. Air Force Col. David Epperson, 52nd Fighter Wing outgoing commander (center), passes the 52nd FW guidon to U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Randall Reed, Third Air Force commander (left), as he relinquishes command during the 52nd Fighter Wing Change of Command ceremony July 15, 2021, on Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. Col. Anthony Retka, who was commander of the 52nd Operations Group at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany, was disciplined with an administrative action after an investigation into allegations that. The base is poised to grow in the next five to seven years. [14], On 1 April 1994, the squadron was inactivated again as part of the post-Cold War force reductions,[4] being replaced by the 22nd Fighter Squadron who had relocated to Spangdahlem from Bitburg Air Base on the same day. I can see your link when I view your user profile but I still don't see it in the AF subredditweird. Technology, performance and design delivered to your inbox. 6. We still don't know what the cause was behind the firing, but it has come to our attention that the commander who did the deed made a very low-brow video with his squadronmates while deployed to Kunsan Air Base in Korea during the mid-2000s. 2023 Stars and Stripes. I would like to get my voice back, Kennedy said. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. He has covered stories for Stripes throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Afghanistan. While based in France, the 480th TFS underwent deployments to Wheelus Air Base in Libya as well as participating in USAFE exercises. Veterans Affairs drops mask requirement for all agency medical offices, Officials OK some hand and neck tattoos for airmen, Guardians, Perennial pilot shortage puts Air Force in precarious position, Healthy eating on a budget for busy military spouses, The impossible choice facing many of Americas military families, Tax scams How to report them Money Minute, Capitol Hill weighs action on two controversial topics: medical marijuana and abortion, Lockheed wins hypersonics contract | Defense Dollars, Go inside a secret nuclear fallout bunker sealed for decades, Another Air Force fleet grounded over fears plane tails may fall off, Pentagon orders engine vibration fix for entire F-35 fleet worldwide, Minot firings due to failed nuclear safety inspection, Air Force advisers study use of satellites for tracking moving targets. Spangdahlems previous wing commander, Col. Peter M. Bilodeau, was relieved of duties in late December, less than six months on the job. Stars and Stripes reporter Marcus Kloeckner contributed to this report. The mission of the 52nd Fighter Wing is to deliver airpower options to deter and combat aggression. U.S. Air Force Chief Toby Roach, 52nd Fighter Wing command chief, (left), holds the guidon while Col. David Epperson, 52nd FW outgoing commander, (center), and Col. Leslie Hauck, 52nd FW incoming commander, listened to opening remarks from Maj. Gen. Randall Reed, Third Air Force commander, during the 52nd FW Change of Command ceremony July 15, 2021, on Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. [9] Post-Desert Storm, the squadron's F-4Gs were transferred over to the 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron leaving the 480th as a sole F-16 unit. In 1979, the Warhawks converted to the F-4E Phantom II. 2 weeks (roughly) later the squadron had to go to this failed leaders promotion to Lt. Col. Smdh. Bilodeau assumed command in July 2014. . And thats why we achieved the things we achieved despite the pandemic and every other thing thrown our way these past years.. Commenters on the air base's Facebook page posted a few images of streets and backyards full of brown water. Organization: 52 Aircraft Maintenance Squadron The culture within the USAF has changed to some degree since its inception, but it stands as an incredibly stark reminder that really talented and valuable people can make really dumb decisions. It means nothing, and doesn't provide any answers. From what we can tell, even in the mid-2000s, this video caused quite a stir, although we are unaware at this time of the exact disciplinary actions taken by higher-ups in the chain of command. About 30 . The wing supports the Supreme Allied Commander Europe with mission-ready personnel and systems providing expeditionary air power. In a written statement to OSI, Retka denied he inappropriately touched Kennedy and that any contact was incidental and not done with the intent to abuse, humiliate or degrade her or for his own gratification. Since then, the video been referenced in multiple military and aviation forums around the net. But his family has lived in the region for 400 years and he refuses to be driven away even. The closure of Mildenhall is part of a sweeping reorganization of U.S. forces in Europe recommended by the Pentagon to consolidate infrastructure and save money. [35], From 2 to 22 February 2019, the Warhawks deployed 18 F-16s to Monte Real Air Base, Portugal, to operate alongside local F-16 squadrons (Esquadra 201 and Esquadra 301) of the Portuguese Air Force. Hauck will be taking command over the 52nd Fighter Wing, which has a total population of 5,000 Airmen and civilian personnel. Maj. Gen. Randall Reed, commander of Third Air Force at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, presided over the ceremony. Jordana Kennedy provided a copy of the investigation report to Air Force Times, which corroborated the report provided by another source. USAFE said Retka chose to retire several months earlier than expected. The 52nd Fighter Wing includes more than 5,500 military and civilian personnel who help maintain and deploy the units F-16 fighters and other military hardware. Maj. Gen. Randall Reed, the 3rd Air Force commander, lauded Epperson for his work, especially his efforts setting up a site to make sure airmen were free of the coronavirus before deploying to Africa and the U.S. Central Command area of operation. Wing commander briefed the squadron and said it was that he and the group commander "lost faith in his ability to lead." The 52nd Fighter Wing includes more than 5,500 military and civilian personnel who help maintain and deploy the units F-16 fighters and other military hardware.

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