Members of the 144ths security forces, who police the base, conducted two investigations, according to internal investigative records obtained by the Times. Gen. Gregory Jones two months after a newspaper. 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 guard member discovered urine in her boots. One of the jets was a single-engine F-16C Fighting . When it comes to protecting U.S. Air Force's military assets, the responsibility falls on the Security Forces Defenders. Our traditional members serve one weekend each month and about two weeks each year, with opportunities for full-time employment. In 2020, in response to another Times report, Newsoms office denounced the Guards decision to send a military spy plane to suburban El Dorado Hills, where Baldwin lived, to help civilian authorities monitor demonstrations over the police killing of George Floyd. 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. All Rights Reserved. At least five Guard members, including a pilot who was killed in October in a crash during a training mission in Ukraine, from the 144th wing filed formal complaints. Garrison did not act alone in this. Captain Nehring is an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot with California Air National Guard's 194th Fighter Squadron in Fresno. ID cardquestions and appointments: Based on this article, and in addition to other evidence collected, it would appear that there is a culture of reprisal, or at a minimum the perception of reprisal, that has a long stemmed history within the 144th, the inspector general report states. Baldwin later removed the commander of the Guards air side, Maj. Gen. Clay Garrison. ", By A guard spokesman on Friday, April 5, 2019, confirmed the shakeup, but did not have additional details. She also signed off on the request to discard the evidence. Must be between the age of 17 and 40. Magram had generally confirmed the members accounts of running errands for him, according to the report. (559) 454-5274 Federal investigators on Thursday arrested a 21-year-old air national guardsman who they believe is linked to a trove of leaked classified U.S . Magram became the focus of more upheaval last summer, when The Times disclosed that an internal probe found that he had on-duty Guard members drive him up to 120 miles round-trip to personal dental and medical appointments at Travis Air Force Base, according to a confidential report on the inquiry. Members of the Guard described a "climate of retaliationand mistrust. See Why Customers Flocked to Fresno Cannabis Store on Day 1. Paul Pringle is a Los Angeles Times reporter who specializes in investigating corruption. First published on April 5, 2019 / 7:29 PM. The scandal dates back to March 2015, when Staff Sgt. Garrison's only guidance, Johnston wrote, was that he first confer with the 144th's judge advocate general at the time. News, Latest Jennifer Pineda found out someone urinated in her uniform boots. An internal inquiry also determined that Sikora improperly excoriated a retired pilot for speaking to The Times, the report said. Both were inconclusive, and the case was closed. General requirements include: AGE. Please enter valid email address to continue. The first of three investigations launched right after Staff Sgt. 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. Based on this article, and in addition to other evidence collected, it would appear that there is a culture of reprisal, or at a minimum the perception of reprisal, that has a long stemmed history within the 144th, the inspector general report states. He says new rules instituted in 2016 might make the incident a more serious crime, which would've brought in more seasoned investigators. 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." In a report released after the ousters of Garrison and Col. Dan Kelly, the commander of the 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno, the Military Department inspector general cited findings of a Times investigation two months ago that detailed the whistleblower allegations. The following year, officers at the 144th destroyed the evidence collected from the crime scene, saying it was old and no longer needed. News Then something changed, Most of Yosemite Valley is closed due to potentially perilous snowpack and flooding, 7 hospitalized after driver in stolen car runs red light in San Bernardino, police say, Barstow police investigating after officer caught on video hitting man with a baton, Man found guilty of murdering teens who ding-dong-ditched his house, Sacramento, San Francisco mayors take shots at each others city before NBA playoff game, Unseasonable rain, cooler temperatures in forecast for Los Angeles this week. He flew the F-16 Viper for more than 15 years, before converting to the F-15 Eagle. Magram said in his statement that he was late in completing the training because of a tremendously busy operational tempo.. In early 2019, a Times report disclosed internal complaints of reprisals against whistleblowers and allegations of a cover-up of misconduct among the Guard leadership. 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. Sikora was suspended as the wing's Operations Group leader in December. U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Loh paid a visit to the California Air National Guards 144th Fighter Wing where he engaged with Airmen during their drill Feb. 4, 2023, at the Fresno Air National Guard Base. Local An F-117 Nighthawks at the Fresno Air National Guard Base in California, September 15, 2021 . Woodside says it should've been handled differently from the start, especially since people in command positions might've been involved. Chris Drudge), U.S. airman killed in training exercise in Ukraine confirmed from 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno. Maj. Dan Woodside, a retired 144th fighter pilot who is a witness in an inspector general's Pineda investigation and has complained about how she was treated, said Guard members were afraid to approach Garrison with any reports of wrongdoing, fearing they would be punished. Members of the 144th Medical Detachment 1 recently completed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IX California Homeland Response Force (HRF) external evaluation March 30, 2023, at Camp Roberts, California. The scandal dates back to March 2015, when Staff Sgt. FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno's 144th Fighter Wing is under scrutiny from the U.S. Air Force Inspector General's Office because of a disgusting discovery four years ago. 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. At least five Guard members from the 144th wing, including a pilot who was killed in October in a crash during a training mission in Ukraine, filed formal complaints. The preferred location for the new F-35A squadron is Barnes Air National Guard Base, Mass., while the F-15EXs are slated for Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, La., and Fresno Air National Guard Base, Calif. All three bases currently operate older F-15C/D model fighters which the Air Force wants to retire in the coming years. How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! Alene Tchekmedyian And Paul Pringle, Los Angeles Times This website is managed by the Public Affairs Office. Baldwin said the fact that he resided in El Dorado Hills, where the protests were small and peaceful, had no bearing on the deployment of the RC-26B reconnaissance plane. Garrison ran the base at the time of the incident. 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, By Mercedes Taylor. Fresno Weather: Its a Dry Heat. When I say particular, it had to be at Whole Foods. FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno's 144th Fighter Wing is under scrutiny from the U.S. Air Force Inspector General's Office because of a disgusting discovery four years ago. But everybody else.. Weeks later, the longtime head of the Guard, Maj . 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. Garrison was removed because the California Military Department, which oversees the air and army branches of the Guard, had lost faith, trust and confidence in his ability to lead, a spokesman said. 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. Zakaria: These Revolutions May Help India Really Take off at Last, Future of California at Risk if CEQA Environmental Law Remains Unchanged, California Tax on Booze Would Double if These Activists Get Their Way. Public Affairs Office: The inquiry also determined that Magram failed to complete his annual cybersecurity training and thus had lower-ranking Guard members each day request that headquarters temporarily restore his computer access. "They're scared to speak up so I'm speaking for them," said Maj. Dan Woodside. As part of the Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force, the wing is operationally gained by the Air Combat Command . FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - The skies above Super Bowl LVI were safe Sunday thanks to tactical fighter aircraft based in Fresno. FRESNO, Calif. The head of the California Air National Guard, Maj. Gen. Clay Garrison, was relieved of command and replaced by Brig. Gavin Newsoms office and Baldwins successor, Maj. Gen. Matthew Beevers, the Guards acting adjutant general. 4/23 update:The LA Times has dug into the California Air National Guard scandal. It just took her a long time to decide what she wanted, a lot of comparison shopping amongst products.. Both were inconclusive, and the case was closed. A guard spokesman, Lt. Col. Jonathan Shiroma, on Friday confirmed the shake-up, but he did not have additional details. Off the Bottom Rope At least five guard members from the 144th wing filed formal complaints. (559) 515-6008 Most of the allegations against Magram were first disclosed in a Times report in June. Magram, who was once director of the Guard's air staff, is the fifth general to resign, retire or be fired in the wake of scandals exposed by Times investigations of the organization over the last four years. 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.. 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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 guard member discovered urine in her boots. Jerry Brown. They patrol state airspace and stand ready to respond to natural disasters and large-scale terrorist attacks. 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. Members of the 144th's security forces, who police the base, conducted two investigations into the Pineda incident, according to internal investigative records obtained by The Times. Keegan said the department had lost faith, trust and confidence in Garrison's ability to lead. The command change follows aLos Angeles Timesreport on allegations that whistleblowers at the guard's Fresno base suffered reprisals for questioning actions or conduct, including an incident in which a female guard member discovered urine in her boots. The 144th is renowned for its F-15 pilots working to protect California and the country. Most of the allegations against Magram were first disclosed in a Times report in June. Keegan said Garrison will retire in the coming weeks. Forensic analysts say urine can be tested for DNA, but it degrades faster than other tissue and bodily fluids. In California, he held various positions at the 146th Airlift Wing at Port Hueneme before heading the 129th Rescue Wing in the Mountain View area. Friday's report said that Sikora's conduct also had a chilling effect on Guard members by discouraging them from exercising their rights to seek redress through the organization's inspector general, their representatives in Congress or the news media. 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. Since early 2019, The Times has investigated a wide range of alleged misconduct by high-ranking officials of the California National Guard. Maj. Gen. Clay L. Garrison, the top commander of the 4,700-member air guard, was dismissed for being unable to maintain a positive command climate, said Lt. Col. Thomas Keegan, spokesman for the California Military Department. Published Apr 15, 2019 10:00 AM EDT. NORTH DIGHTON, Mass. The scandal dates back to March 2015, when Staff Sgt. Members of the 144th's security forces, who police the base, conducted two investigations, according to internal investigative records obtained by the Times. Troy Havener, 144th Fighter Wing commander, said, "We have the distinct honor of being the . Two of those were related to the urine incident, including one filed by Pineda. It's all part of. He said he believed the allegations were lodged by someone who overheard and misconstrued a conversation he had with a chaplain. 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. 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. Latest Entertainment 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. Here's what we know. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. All Rights Reserved. Except When Its Not. 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. He said the same about his decision to fire Maj. Gen. Gregory Jones, commander of the air wing of the Guard. The Times reported last year that an internal inquiry substantiated allegations that Brig. The two-seat Su-27UB went down on Tuesday in western Ukraine. The California Air National Guard is the second largest unit in the Air Guard, a force of more than 100,000 pilots, other officers and enlisted people. Members of the 144ths security forces conducted two investigations, according to internal investigative records obtained by the Times. The Fresno Air National Guard base hosted a ribbon cutting for its new fuel storage facilities, featuring tanks with increased capacities. 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. 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. You must meet certain enlistment criteria to qualify for the Air National Guard. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. News, Appetite for Fresno California Governor Jerry Brown and the First Lady also extended their deepest condolences to Nehring's family and friends. An F-15C air-to-air combat jet was placed on alert in case of unrest over the pandemic or election, sources and records say. Our mission is to promote positive support for the 144th Fighter Wing and the California Air National Guard by providing accurate, relevant and timely information to our members, their families, our local community, our state and our nation. Responding to a subsequent Times query, the Guard confirmed in June that Hawkins had resigned. Latest, Latest The document also cites the cybersecurity episode as grounds for dismissing him, stating that he let a subordinate click through the training questions and obtain a certificate of completion for you., The memo further recounts that a 2021 survey of Guard members found that they experienced significant issues with unit cohesion, good order, and military discipline because of [Magrams] conduct.. Will Political Reality Shape a Mighty Morro Bay Wind? A guard spokesman, Lt. Col. Jonathan Shiroma, on Friday confirmed the shake-up, but he did not have additional details. Stunning 4K videos show F-117s operating in California more than a decade after the stealth jet retired. "This is not a problem with the rank and file, the rank and file pilots or the great people that do their job out there every day," he said. 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. She wanted the DNA test to clear her name. Nehring began his career as an enlisted crew chief before being selected as a pilot. Baldwin denied that the jet had been prepared for such a deployment and said the move against Magram had nothing to do with the report. The 194th Fighter Squadron (194 FS) is a unit of the California Air National Guard 's 144th Fighter Wing (144 FW) at Fresno Air National Guard Base, California. Col. Jeremiah Cruz was named Kelly's interim replacement. The Guard memo obtained by The Times says Magram on several occasions wrongfully encouraged or requested subordinates to perform tasks or run errands for him outside their military duties, such as giving him rides to personal appointments. California National Guard members watch over an access point to the Capitol in Sacramento. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. Crime The evidence included Pineda's boots and a vial of urine collected from the bathroom floor that was never tested for DNA. "This is a problem with their leadership.". Magram attained the rank of assistant adjutant general and had been part of Baldwins inner circle. FRESNO AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Calif --. The speech was clearly directed at me and a few other people that have pursued justice through the IG.. Hawkins received a letter of reprimand as a result, the Guard said. The commander of the 144th Fighter Wing at the Fresno base was also removed. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. What Dyer Had to Say. However, Magram had been counseled in 2017 that tasking Guard members for rides to personal appointments was inappropriate, the report stated, adding that his wingman argument rings hollow. The investigation similarly faulted him for using an underling to work on his travel awards accounts, including for personal trips.