An Inspector General’s report on comments made by Maj. Gen. James Post that officers would be “committing treason” if they spoke out against the USAF plans to scrap the A-10, has resulted in the firing and reprimand of Post according to Air Combat Command.
The Air Force Inspector General’s investigation into the matter determined that the remarks by Post, ACC Vice Commander, to a group of Airmen had a “chilling effect on some of the attendees and caused them to feel constrained from communicating with members of Congress.”
Post statements were first reported on the popular Air Force blog, John Q. Public, published by retired USAF pilot Tony Carr. In response to Carr’s post about Post’s comments at Nellis Air Force Base Tactics Review Board meeting, an Air Combat Command spokesperson told the ADI that the “general’s use of hyperbole in his comments during a recent discussion with attendees at a Tactics Review Board at Nellis were intended to communicate a serious point: the Air Force decision on recommended actions/strategic choices for the constrained fiscal environment has been made and the service’s position communicated.”
New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte then called for an investigation by the Air Force Inspector General’s Office. The IG’s report confirmed that Post did use the word “treason.”
An Air Combat Command news release says, “The IG report surmised that Post’s ‘choice of words had the effect of attempting to prevent some members from lawfully communicating with Congress,’ which is a violation of the U.S. Code and DoD Directives, whether that was his intention or not.”
The finding forced Gen. Hawk Carlisle, head of Air Combat Command, to remove Post as vice commander of Air Combat Command. Post also received a letter of reprimand.
Senator Ayotte responded to the news today, “I appreciate the thorough investigation that the Air Force Inspector General conducted into Major General Post’s comments. I hope this unfortunate incident will eliminate any doubt regarding the legal right of a service member to lawfully communicate with Congress about the A-10 or any other issue of concern.”
Carr told the ADI today, “When I heard what he’d said, my intuition was that he was using his position to shut people down. That robs Congress of the information it needs to make the right decisions about national defense. When we have officers afraid to share their opinions about defending the country, we end up with an unhealthy civil-military divide, and bad decisions that hurt us all. I wanted the Air Force to investigate it and see what the evidence showed, and I’m heartened that it happened.”
“In studying the law, I’ve come to view it as our way of governing power through reason. Otherwise, we’re just a collection of interests subject to the whims of whoever happens to be in charge,” continued Carr. “But I’ve also realized that our laws are only as good as our willingness to enforce them against everyone, regardless of status or position.”
“Our country needs and deserves a superior Air Force in return for the resources it devotes. Our Air Force can only be great if we expect and demand solid leaders who conduct themselves above reproach. The service’s willingness to hold one of its senior officers accountable is an important stride in that direction,” concluded Carr.
The IG report surmised that Post’s “choice of words had the effect of attempting to prevent some members from lawfully communicating with Congress,” which is a violation of the U.S. Code and DoD Directives, whether that was his intention or not, according to a USAF press release.
In taking the action against Post, General Carlisle noted that he had carefully considered the information laid out in the IG report, discussed the matter with his Staff Judge Advocate, and reviewed General Post’s response to the complaint and action before exercising his professional military judgment to reach a decision.
“General Post understands the impact of his actions and has expressed his sincere regret to me, a regret he extends to all Airmen,” said General Carlisle.
In his statement, Post tried once again to minimize the efforts behind the USAF’s Operation Destroy CAS.
“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. This has served as a distraction from the important work of the command. The objective of my comment was simply meant to focus the attention of the audience on working within the command’s constraints. It was sincerely never my intention to discourage anyone’s access to their elected officials. I now understand how my poor choice of words may have led a few attendees to draw this conclusion and I offer my humble apology for causing any undue strain on the command and its mission. I absolutely respect and understand the decision made by General Carlisle and I hope my departure from ACC will enable the command to refocus on the mission as soon as possible. I have the utmost respect for the Combat Air Forces’ Airmen who work every day to protect and defend the constitution and citizens of the United States.”
“While the Major General Post situation is unfortunate, what is truly treasonous is ignoring the ground troops when they tell you that the A-10 saves lives and dismiss them as emotional. Contrary to the USAF party line, the supporters of the A-10 are not emotional about a plane, they confuse emotion with passion. That passion is for the Close Air Support mission, and that mission is driven by a dedication to the troops on the ground and the desire to ensure that we do not make Gold Star families out of the families of the sons and daughters fighting for our country,” stated former A-10 pilot, Lt. Colonel (ret) Tom Norris.
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