Two Air Force bases on Monday announced the removal of squadron commanders in separate incidents.
F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming on Monday announced that Lt. Col. Nicholas Petren had been relieved of command of the 90th Security Forces Squadron there. In another release, Moody Air Force Base in Georgia announced that Lt. Col. Scott Rein had been relieved of command of the 41st Rescue Squadron.
Petren was removed by Col. Damian Schlussel, commander of the 90th Security Forces Group at F.E. Warren, “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to maintain a healthy command climate,” the release said. A spokesman for the base said that Schlussel ordered an inquiry into Petren, which concluded Sept. 9, but would not say anything more about what Petren allegedly did to prompt the loss of confidence or the inquiry. Petren is now assigned to another job at F.E. Warren until he is due to rotate to another duty location, the release said.
At Moody, Col. Daniel Walls, the 23rd Wing commander, removed Rein after “a loss of confidence in his ability to lead and command” and maintain a healthy work environment.
“Airmen need and deserve a positive work environment and it was determined that new leadership was a necessary first step to improve the squadron climate and unit morale,” 23rd Wing spokesman Master Sgt. Jeff Andrejcik said.
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Rein was never under investigation, Andrejcik said.
Lt. Col. Chad Kohout is now serving as interim commander of the 41st Rescue Squadron at Moody. F.E. Warren has put a temporary commander in charge of the 90th Security Forces Squadron, but did not say who that is.
Petren took command of the 90th in July 2018, according to a release from F.E. Warren last year. He previously served a tour at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan in South Korea as the Alliance Planner for Combined Forces, the release said, and began his career as a flight leader and executive officer at the 325th Security Forces Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida.
The 41st is an elite personnel recovery squadron that specializes in rescuing downed aircrews, during combat and with night-vision goggles if necessary, using their HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters.
The 90th helps oversee security for the 90th Missile Wing and its 150 nuclear-armed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as its 15 Missile Alert Facilities.
Rein is an 11H rescue pilot who has served on active duty since 2003, has received decorations including the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Air Force Achievement Medal, according to the Air Force Personnel Center.
Petren, a 31P security forces officer who has served on active duty since 2002, has received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and others.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
