Crew chiefs place wheel chalks under an A-10 Thunderbolt II at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., on March 1, 2011, after a training mission.(Photo: Tech. Sgt. Michael R. Holzworth)
WASHINGTON — Air Force officials announced Friday that they have fired a two-star general who told junior officers they would be committing "treason" by speaking with members of Congress about attempts to retire the A-10 attack plane.
An investigation found that the effect of remarks made in January by Maj. Gen. James Post, a senior officer at Air Combat Command, had a "chilling effect" on some of the 300 airmen who heard them and their lawful right to express their concerns to Congress.
Air Force leaders want to retire the A-10, its main warplane for close-air support of troops on the ground, and use the $4.2 billion saving to help pay for the F-35 fighter. The F-35 was designed for multiple roles, including close-air support. Supporters of the A-10 say it was built specifically for close-air support and does that job better and cheaper than the F-35.
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A prominent A-10 supporter, Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican who chairs the Armed Services Committee, asked for the investigation into Post's remarks, which were made at a conference in January at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
McCain believes the Air Force made the right decision in firing Post, according to Brian Rogers, a spokesman for McCain.
Post, in a statement released by the Air Force, acknowledged that his "impromptu remarks" had caused the controversy and that he did not intend to prevent airmen from speaking to Congress. He apologized to the airmen and said he agreed with the decision that he should be fired.
The Air Force inspector general concluded that Post's remarks had not prevented airmen from going to Congress with their concerns because none of the witnesses interviewed had expressed an interest in doing so. But his position and choice of words could be viewed as an attempt to squelch criticism.
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