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. First published on April 5, 2019 / 7:29 PM. 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. 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. The 20,000-member Guard serves a dual stateand-federal mission that includes responding to emergencies in California, such as earthquakes, wildfires and civil disturbances, and assisting U.S. armed forces in military operations overseas. 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. Members of the 144ths security forces conducted two investigations, according to internal investigative records obtained by the Times. The report was prepared by Brig. The 194th is equipped with the F-15 Eagle and like its parent wing, the 144th Griffins, is operationally-gained within the active U.S. Air Force by the Air Combat Command (ACC). The document quoted one unnamed Guard member as saying he did not want to drive Magram because my job is to take care of the airmen in the state of California and not be a chauffeur for a general.. Attempts to reach Magram for comment were unsuccessful. The scandal dates back to March 2015, when Staff Sgt. The familiarization flight was part of a joint military training exercise called Clear Sky 2018, which kicked off last week. Local Most of the allegations against Magram were first disclosed in a Times report in June. The following year, officers at the 144th destroyed the evidence collected from the crime scene, saying it was old and no longer needed. The 144th Fighter Wing (144 FW) is a unit of the California Air National Guard, stationed at Fresno Air National Guard Base, California. Unprofessional leadership cited in Air National Guard whistleblower 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.. Jones has served as assistant adjutant general since December 2017. This website is managed by the Public Affairs Office. However, in 2021, Baldwin suspended him with pay and reassigned him after a Times report that Guard members were concerned that their leaders had readied an F-15C fighter jet for a possible mission in which the aircraft would fly low over civilian protesters to frighten and disperse them. 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. The speech was clearly directed at me and a few other people that have pursued justice through the IG.. In interviews with the Times, several current and former members of the guard described a culture of retaliation by high-ranking officers and mistrust in the inspector general system intended to hold them accountable. Jennifer Pineda found out someone urinated in her uniform boots. 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! Several Guard members took Sikora's remarks as a criticism of people who had filed complaints with the inspector general. Swertfager could not be reached for comment. FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- If you were near Fresno Yosemite International Airport Wednesday morning, there's a good chance you saw and heard plenty of military aircraft activity. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? 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. Both were inconclusive, and the case was closed. The Guard denies it. Our traditional members serve one weekend each month and about two weeks each year, with opportunities for full-time employment. Both were inconclusive, and the case was closed. A mystery at a California military base led to claims of a cover-up. Navin denied any involvement, according to Guard records. 144th Fighter Wing - Wikipedia Chris Drudge), U.S. airman killed in training exercise in Ukraine confirmed from 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno. The Air Force says that Nehring was handpicked to take part in Clear Sky due to his more than 20-year career as a pilot flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15 Eagle aircraft. A Guard spokesman, Lt. Col. Jonathan Shiroma, on Friday confirmed the shake-up, but he did not have additional details. 144th Fighter Wing - AF They patrol state airspace and stand ready to respond to natural disasters and large-scale terrorist attacks. He flew the F-16 Viper for more than 15 years, before converting to the F-15 Eagle. 144th Fighter Wing Public Affairs. The head of the California Air National Guard, Maj. Gen. Clay Garrison, was relieved of his command and replaced by Brig. The scandal dates back to March 2015, when Staff Sgt. "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. Here's what we know. (559) 454-5274 Gen. Gregory F. Jones, who has served as an assistant adjutant general in the Guard since December 2017, was appointed to replace Garrison. A guard spokesman, Lt. Col. Jonathan Shiroma, on Friday confirmed the shake-up, but he did not have additional details. Gavin Newsom referred questions about Friday's shakeup back to the Guard. The guards function as state militias whose leaders report to their respective governors. News 'Double-dipping' probe targets Air National Guard pilots in Fresno 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. Members of the 144th's security forces, who police the base, conducted two investigations, according to internal investigative records obtained by the Times. Nehring was a fighter pilot with the California Air National Guard's 194th Fighter Squadron, part of the 144th Fighter Wing based at the Fresno Air National Guard Base, located on the southeast corner of Fresno-Yosemite International Airport. A U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle fighter jet assigned to the California Air National Guard's 144th Fighter Wing has made some passes and garnered attention on the internet recently, after . Kelly's future in the Guard has yet to be determined, Keegan said. One of the jets was a single-engine F-16C Fighting . 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. Both were inconclusive and the case was closed. A guard spokesman on Friday, April 5, 2019, confirmed the shakeup, but did not have additional details. 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 The scandal dates back to March 2015, when Staff Sgt. FRESNO, Calif. (AP) The head of the California Air National Guard, Major General Clay Garrison, was relieved of his command and replaced by Brigadier General Gregory Jones two months. Keegan said the department had lost faith, trust and confidence in Garrison's ability to lead. U.S. Air Force Col. News, Latest At least five guard members from the 144th wing filed formal complaints. It's all part of. 4/23 update:The LA Times has dug into the California Air National Guard scandal. Consent from a parent or Pineda filed a whistleblower complaint, in which she wrote that she feared she'd be forced out of the military because some had speculated that she urinated in her own boots for attention.. Some in the wing refer to the scandal as Pissgate., The saga dates to March 2015, when Staff Sgt. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 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. ", By 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. 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. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Magram, who was once director of the Guards 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. 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Except When Its Not. DSN 839-5246, Crash Survivors Meet Indiana Airmen Who Rescued Them, Joint, International Southern Strike 2023 Exercise Wraps Up, Alaska Guardsman Helps Keep Pave Hawks Flying, New AF surgeon general program enhances support for EFMP families, Airmen, Guardians, Air Force modernizes nuclear security with advanced JLTV vehicle, Effective June 1, First Term Airmen can retrain into AFSCs under 90% manning in lieu of separation, An official website of the United States government. Jennifer Pineda found that someone at the Fresno base had urinated in the boots she had left in a bathroom overnight. The 144th is renowned for its F-15 pilots working to protect California and the country. 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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