Air Force Removes General Who Warned of ‘Treason’

WarthogBy Kristina Wong. An Air Force general has been removed from his position after warning airmen not to talk to members of Congress about the A-10 “Warthog” attack jet.

Air Force Maj. Gen. James Post III, a two-star vice commander at Air Combat Command, was under investigation by the Air Force’s inspector general for allegedly telling more than 300 airmen at a Nevada conference in January that they were not to talk to members of Congress about the Air Force’s attempts to retire the attack jet.

In response to a question about the A-10, Post discussed “the importance of loyalty to senior leader decisions and used the word ‘treason’ in describing his thoughts on communication by Airmen counter to those decisions,” the investigation found.

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 [Department of Defense] Directives, whether that was his intention or not,” said Air Combat Command (ACC).

His remarks had a “chilling effect on some of the attendees and caused them to feel constrained from communicating with members of Congress,” the command said. (Read more from “Air Force Removes General Who Warned of ‘Treason’ on A-10” HERE)
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Senator McCain, Ayotte “Outraged” by General’s Treason Comments

AirForceGeneralBy Jeff Schogol. Post’s “treason” comment outraged some in Congress, including Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who called on Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James to investigate the matter.

Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., has been the foremost opponent to the Air Force’s plans to retire the A-10. In January, Ayotte told Air Force Times she was “deeply disturbed” by what Post said.

“How could members of the armed forces exercising their lawful right to communicate with Congress be providing aid and comfort to our enemies?” Ayotte said in a statement at the time. “If the facts are on the Air Force’s side regarding its efforts to prematurely divest the A-10, what does the Air Force fear?”

On Friday, Ayotte issued a statement saying she was glad that the IG had affirmed the right of service members to talk to Congress.

“I appreciate the thorough investigation that the Air Force Inspector General conducted into Maj. Gen, Post’s comments,” she said in Friday’s statement. “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.” (Read more from this story HERE)

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