“I removed Capt. Kotnik from her position as the commander of the Viper Demo team [Monday], because I lost confidence in her ability to lead the team,” said Col. Derek O’Malley, the 20th Fighter Wing commander in a statement, according to Fox News.
“I know that loss of confidence is a common response from the Air Force, whenever someone is removed from a command position, and I think it’s important to understand why we take this approach,” he added. O’Malley suggested Kotnik, who was named to lead the demonstration team on January 29, made mistakes during her short-lived tenure, but said he wishes Kotnik “continue to be a part of this great service.”
In May, the sixth woman to attempt to complete the U.S. Air Force’s battlefield airman training dropped out of the program, reported Military.com.
“The sixth woman who entered the pipeline self-eliminated and is no longer in the pipeline. There are currently no females in TACP training,” said 1st Lt. Geneva Croxton, a spokeswoman for Air Education and Training Command.
In addition to the self-elimination, the two other females attempting to become TACP specialists failed the training.
Good luck to her in the future
I’m sure it’s all because of toxic masculinity and the patriarchal leadership of the AF, creating a hostile work environment.
In a totally unrelated story, Col. O’Malley has been reassigned to Antarctica.
As a former TACP member, (Det 2, 507th TAIRCW) I wish her continued success with her career. However, I believe that combat roles in the military should not be an experiment in gender equality. Maybe I’m too old school in thinking that women should be a protected part of society and not thrust into harms way. Women combatants captured by an enemy will be subjected to much harsher treatment than men. Feel free to disagree with me. Just my opinion on the matter.
Some women have the moxi and some don’t. This one has grit, first female Blue Angel’s pilot:
https://medium.com/@ABorderLife/https-medium-com-aborderlife-blueangel-7b76d6e2e28f
I saw her fly at the San Francisco Air Show a couple of years back. I’ve also seen women commercial airline pilots, been on flights with them in command.
“Women combatants captured by an enemy will be subjected to much harsher treatment than men. Feel free to disagree with me. Just my opinion on the matter.”
They should know this going in, let them choose their fate. I’ve seen women kick boxers beat the crap out of guys. They messed with the wrong chick. Thank you for your service Bayouwulf.
Wouldn’t the maneuvers have to be changed to accommodate for the difference in upper body strength between men and women?
I don’t believe sex had anything to do with it, though that’s the gist of the story. (They had to write something)
“Mistakes were made” in a discipline where no mistakes can be made. Absolute total faith in your leader must be had if you’re going to live on a knifes edge.
@Goldenfoxx, your welcome. Thanks for paying your taxes, otherwise, I wouldn’t have a paycheck. 😉
@TonyR – that would have happened if a dem was president.
@Gladys…
If it were President Cankles, that colonel would have taken a ride on the Ron Brown Express 2.0
And Kotnik is probably still a better pilot than McCain was. Or W, for that matter.
@Bayouwulf February 13, 2019 at 11:03 am
> Feel free to disagree with me.
Waiting for you to finish.
(Shouldn’t be doing the work. But should be in charge of the work?
A little premature to agree, or disagree, with less than half an argument.)
@Goldenfoxx February 13, 2019 at 11:08 am
> They should know this going in, let them choose their fate.
That’s the exact same argument in favor of drunk (including school bus) drivers. Until it’s not just their fate.
“I’ve seen women kick boxers beat the crap out of guys.”
Not the issue.
Can a woman kick-boxer beat the crap out of a similarly trained guy kick-boxer?
THAT’S the issue.
When it comes to defending MY ass, Affirmative Action has no place.
We have to assume that opposing Air Forces are going to send their best.
izlamo delenda est …
@Tim February 13, 2019 at 12:43 pm
> We have to assume that opposing Air Forces are going to send their best.
NO WAI! The only people that hate us are stupid, jealous capitalists! Who are on the wrong side of history. Marching forward, to the glorious, right side of history, everybody (who matters) will be ruled by wymyn. Who will all love, and nurture, us. It’s science!
I don’t think our enemies care if it’s a man or woman behind the controls, so neither should we. If women can’t cut it — based on real requirements — they can’t cut it. If bogus requirements are in place to keep them out that’s another matter that should be investigated.
@AbigailAdams February 13, 2019 at 1:09 pm
> If bogus requirements are in place to keep them out that’s another matter that should be investigated.
“Bogus” according to who? “Investigated” by whom?
And, please, answer quickly. There are so few available, competent, people currently in line — to do the job, according to current, deeply eroded standards — that we need to know who to rule us, in the next, great, cleansing.
Anonymous
I’m reading what AA wrote and not sure where your heart burn is coming from.
To summarize, Best person for the job, judged equally.
What’s your beef jerky? Answer quickly, I have more people to flame.
PS. Get a real identity.
If only that could have been done to Barry Soetoro, just imagine.
@Anonymous – AA can run circles around you, so you might want to make sure you comprehend what she is saying before you make any derogatory comments in that direction.
Why does the scum media keep stirring up this kind of bullshit? Obviously the other team members were scared to have her lead them. So what? You wanna get them all killed with your stupid?
@Bad_Brad February 13, 2019 at 1:59 pm
> Anonymous
(out of order)
> Answer quickly, I have more people to flame.
> PS. Get a real identity.
Got a life. Only so many hours in the days.
> Best person for the job, judged equally.
If judged, then by whom? The recently “re-assigned” “journalists” Post Huffington? Whoever “rubs” Obama the “right way”? Some Boomer who “qualified” (in a biplane)? The spawn of some “hero” who rode to the Moon?
As a goodthinker once said (on teh internetz, so it must be true) “Don’t matter who’s takin’ the test. Only matters who’s ‘scoring’ the ‘test’.”
@Gladys February 13, 2019 at 2:56 pm
> @Anonymous – AA can run circles around you, so you might want to make sure you comprehend what she is saying before you make any derogatory comments in that direction.
Uhm… I’ll keep that in mind.
” I’ve also seen women commercial airline pilots, been on flights with them in command.”
I’ve walked onto quite a few flights where the Captain was a woman. And maybe a surprise for some here, but those women, their affect, their presence as I boarded gave me the warm and fuzzies. I have some knowledge of what a Part 25 Pilot in Command certificate requires. I know what they went through to get that left seat.
I’ll sit in the back girls, you drive. I’m good with that.
The problem isn’t that her commander removed her — for whatever reason. Had he changed his mind about a guy, it wouldn’t even be a story. The problem is the yet another idjit brouhaha that was made over clapclapclap a woman “first”. This rot did her no favors.
Equal treatment means you do your job, and are judged equally on your job, without special kudos for your chromosomes.
Bad_Brad –
It does no good to read/respond to ‘anonymous’. Is it anon 1, 2, 3, 4, or 9?
They so badly want to be heard and be a part of us, but they truly smell like they just shit their pants…and hope no one notices.