Posted on Dec 22, 2016
Wyche squadron commander reassigned
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The squadron commander of the 4th Security Forces Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina has been reassigned after the squadron's security forces manager was charged in a fatal drunk driving accident.
Maj. Gilbert Wyche has been temporarily reassigned to his wing's mission support group, Tech. Sgt. Phillip Butterfield, a spokesman for the 4th Fighter Wing, said in an email Tuesday.
Chief Master Sgt. Hector Soler, the squadron's security forces manager, allegedly drove drunk on Dec. 10 and hit 17-year-old Johny Robert Watson, who died five days later. An accident report states that Soler crashed into the back of Watson's Jeep at 70 mph around 11:30 p.m. Dec. 10, launching the Jeep 159 feet into a utility pole, according to a report by the Goldsboro News-Argus. Soler has been charged with felony death by motor vehicle, failure to reduce speed and driving while impaired with a blood alcohol content of .16.
"Due to the proximity of Maj. Wyche's and Chief Master Sgt. Soler's positions, Maj. Wyche has been temporarily reassigned outside of the 4th Security Forces Squadron and into the 4th Mission Support Group until a thorough review of all the information connected to the incident is complete," Butterfield said in a Wednesday email, after being asked whether the reassignment was related to Soler's arrest. "Pending review of the evidence found in this investigation, a determination of his duty position will be made."
The unofficial Facebook page Air Force amn/nco/snco first mentioned that the squadron commander had been removed on Monday.
Maj. Gilbert Wyche has been temporarily reassigned to his wing's mission support group, Tech. Sgt. Phillip Butterfield, a spokesman for the 4th Fighter Wing, said in an email Tuesday.
Chief Master Sgt. Hector Soler, the squadron's security forces manager, allegedly drove drunk on Dec. 10 and hit 17-year-old Johny Robert Watson, who died five days later. An accident report states that Soler crashed into the back of Watson's Jeep at 70 mph around 11:30 p.m. Dec. 10, launching the Jeep 159 feet into a utility pole, according to a report by the Goldsboro News-Argus. Soler has been charged with felony death by motor vehicle, failure to reduce speed and driving while impaired with a blood alcohol content of .16.
"Due to the proximity of Maj. Wyche's and Chief Master Sgt. Soler's positions, Maj. Wyche has been temporarily reassigned outside of the 4th Security Forces Squadron and into the 4th Mission Support Group until a thorough review of all the information connected to the incident is complete," Butterfield said in a Wednesday email, after being asked whether the reassignment was related to Soler's arrest. "Pending review of the evidence found in this investigation, a determination of his duty position will be made."
The unofficial Facebook page Air Force amn/nco/snco first mentioned that the squadron commander had been removed on Monday.
Wyche squadron commander reassigned
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Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 13
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For those who are asking, this is how it was (I've been retired for some time). When someone got a DUI/DWI it was up to the Commander how to deal with it. I told my squadron right up front, this was not going to be tolerated. We issued "taxi chits" and the first sergeant, myself and one other trusted acsenior NCO all took turns on weekends being available for "pickup duty" That meant, you could call the one on duty and we would get you and bring you back to our barracks to sleep it off, no discipline. However, if you still chose to get behind the wheel of your vehicle and you had an incident/accident and you were over the limit, you got a guaranteed article 15 with a loss of rank. I had three people try me on it over a four year command stint...I had the lowest DUI rate on base. We gave lots of rides, paid for and were reimbursed for lots of taxis but that's okay.
Sgt Albert Castro SSG Franklin Briant Sgt Jim Belanus 1stSgt (Join to see) SGM Bill Frazer MSG (Join to see) Sgt (Join to see) 1LT (Anonymous) LTC Vincent Moore Sgt Vance Bonds SGT Philip Keys MSgt Gloria Vance SGT Vicki White MSG Roy Cheever SSG Bill McCoy SPC Jeff Daley, PhD Col Robert Wallace COL John McClellan SFC Ralph E Kelley SrA Ronald Moore
Sgt Albert Castro SSG Franklin Briant Sgt Jim Belanus 1stSgt (Join to see) SGM Bill Frazer MSG (Join to see) Sgt (Join to see) 1LT (Anonymous) LTC Vincent Moore Sgt Vance Bonds SGT Philip Keys MSgt Gloria Vance SGT Vicki White MSG Roy Cheever SSG Bill McCoy SPC Jeff Daley, PhD Col Robert Wallace COL John McClellan SFC Ralph E Kelley SrA Ronald Moore
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SPC Nancy Greene
Lt Col Charlie Brown that type of policy was in effect while I was Active duty both stateside and in Germany
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MSG Roy Cheever
Only good leaders take responsibility to provide guidance, encouragement and basic needs, to their subordinates, peers and superiors.
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GySgt Thomas Vick
It's just plain ignorant for anyone, much less a Squadron Comdr. to go out and get a DUI, I would've hope that he would show more leadership than that. You had a fantastic policy, that most leaders who cared about their subordinates would have had.
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SSG Franklin Briant
I gave my number to my troops and checked to ensure they had it before the weekend. I got out of bed many nights while in and prior to leadership roles. I have really never been a big drinker and on different occasions one of my other leaders in the platoon would relieve me so I could have a break. We would pick up anyone who called dependents included.
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It is interesting that the file picture of USAF Maj. Gilbert Wyche depicts him as Capt. Gilbert Wyche. In any event it is sad that the squadron's security forces manager Chief Master Sgt. Hector Soler allegedly drove drunk on Dec. 10 and hit 17-year-old Johny Robert Watson, who died five days later.
It is in interesting that Maj. Wyche is being transferred because of the proximity of his work assignment to the accused. SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
"Due to the proximity of Maj. Wyche's and Chief Master Sgt. Soler's positions, Maj. Wyche has been temporarily reassigned outside of the 4th Security Forces Squadron and into the 4th Mission Support Group until a thorough review of all the information connected to the incident is complete."
I realize that a Commander is responsible for all his or her unit does or fails to do; but, I find it strange that a fatal DUI by the senior NCO [who should have known better] results in the suspension of the Squadron commander.
LTC Stephen C. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Christopher Mueller Capt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) SGT (Join to see) SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT Forrest Stewart SGT John " Mac " McConnell SGT Robert George SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Kim Bolen RN CCM ACM
It is in interesting that Maj. Wyche is being transferred because of the proximity of his work assignment to the accused. SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
"Due to the proximity of Maj. Wyche's and Chief Master Sgt. Soler's positions, Maj. Wyche has been temporarily reassigned outside of the 4th Security Forces Squadron and into the 4th Mission Support Group until a thorough review of all the information connected to the incident is complete."
I realize that a Commander is responsible for all his or her unit does or fails to do; but, I find it strange that a fatal DUI by the senior NCO [who should have known better] results in the suspension of the Squadron commander.
LTC Stephen C. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Christopher Mueller Capt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) SGT (Join to see) SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT Forrest Stewart SGT John " Mac " McConnell SGT Robert George SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Kim Bolen RN CCM ACM
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It appears to me that there is a lot of info missing from this story. It is not normal to relieve the Squadron Commander for something one of his NCO's did, even if it is his Senior NCO. If the commander was aware of a problem and failed to act, that would explain it, but there has to be more to this story!
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