| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front: WoT |
| First female Viper demo team pilot relieved of command after two weeks |
| 2019-02-13 |
| [Air Force Times] Capt. Zoe Kotnik, the first female pilot to head the F-16 Viper demonstration team, was relieved of command Monday. "Col. Derek O'Malley, 20th Fighter Wing commander, relieved Capt. Zoe Kotnik from command Feb. 11 due to a loss of confidence in her ability to lead and command the Air Combat Command F-16 Viper demonstration team," said Col. Allen Herritage, director of public affairs at ACC, in a statement. "The Viper demonstration team is working to minimize impacts on scheduled performances and looks forward to inspiring crowds around the country during the upcoming season as soon as a new commander is selected." Herritage would not comment further on what led to Kotnik's removal, citing privacy concerns. The 20th, which is located at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina, said in an email to Air Force Times that Kotnik declined to comment. Capt. Alannah Staver, a spokeswoman for the wing, said that Kotnik is no longer performing with the team, but "will continue to serve in a non-supervisory role in the 20th Fighter Wing." In a statement on Shaw's Facebook page, O'Malley alluded to "mistakes" on Kotnik's part, but expressed hope that she will continue to serve in the Air Force. |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #7 ...20FW and the 55FS (CAPT Kotnik's home unit) were my last assignment in the USAF before I retired. Not at ALL sure what happened here, but I am suspecting that there was a near-miss of some kind and she tried to cover it up. There's no mention of any UCMJ procedures pending, and no indication of anybody else on Viper East being yanked out, which you'd see if there was a zipper failure. It's a shame; she had a hell of a career ahead of her. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2019-02-13 17:15 |
| #6 Turns out she doesn't know how to fly? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2019-02-13 12:43 |
| #5 DUI on the way home from her change of command would do it... |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2019-02-13 12:28 |
| #4 For the military to remove a waaamon from a historic role that quickly, she must have really fucked up. Like fucking the commander's under age son/daughter. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2019-02-13 10:50 |
| #3 On the job for 2 weeks then gone? Must have been some serious (and un-PC) disruption leading up to her, assumably, "lateral" move to a non-supervisory role. |
| Posted by: Vast Right Wing Conspiracy 2019-02-13 10:37 |
| #2 I recommend Alaska Paul be put on orders until a suitable permanent replacement can be found. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2019-02-13 09:45 |
| #1 What? You mean you are not going to follow the Navy's program of awaiting a disaster before acting? |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2019-02-13 09:42 |