Lackland training chief is ousted

Col. Glenn Palmer, commander of the 737th Training Group at Lackland AFB, speaks Friday March 2, 2012 to trainees during so-called Zero Week activities. Col. Glenn Palmer, commander of the 737th Training Group at Lackland AFB, speaks Friday March 2, 2012 to trainees during so-called Zero Week activities. Photo: William Luther, William Luther/wluther@express-news.net Photo: William Luther, William Luther/wluther@express-news.net Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Lackland training chief is ousted 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

An Air Force colonel was relieved of his command Friday amid a growing sex scandal involving basic training instructors and recruits at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

Col. Glenn Palmer lost command of the 737th Training Group, which trains more than 35,000 airmen a year at Lackland.

He was removed by Col. Eric Axelbank, commander of the 37th Training Wing at Lackland.

The San Antonio Express-News was told Axelbank “lost confidence” in Palmer, a point man in the base's efforts to identify and remove instructors who may have been involved in sexual relationships with recruits, many of them in basic training.

He also has worked to protect recruits from similar incidents.

Palmer is the second Lackland commander to be relieved in a scandal that has seen 15 instructors fall under investigation.

Lt. Col. Mike Paquette lost his job June 20 as commander of the 331st Training Squadron after Axelbank also lost confidence in his continued leadership. The Air Force has listed 38 trainees as victims.

Axelbank, the wing's commander for just over a year, will leave his command for a Pentagon job Sept. 4.

Collen McGee, a spokeswoman for the 37th Training Wing, said Axelbank is not being forced out as a result of the scandal.

“Changes of command happen in leadership sometimes in one year, sometimes in two years,” she said. “There's not a set time on when they change.”

The Air Force launched an investigation into instructor misconduct after former Staff Sgt. Luis A. Walker was accused 13 months ago of having illicit sexual contact with 10 female recruits.

Walker was given 20 years in prison July 21 for his role in the scandal, which included having intercourse with four women in basic training.

Another trainer, former Staff Sgt. Peter Vega Maldonado, cut a plea bargain with prosecutors that gave him three months in jail and 30 days hard labor for having sex with one trainee.

In return, he promised to testify against two other instructors he befriended while all were under investigation.

Later, in an evidentiary hearing for one of them, Vega dropped a bombshell, telling the court he actually had improper relationships with 10 women.

The Air Force has yet to say just what Vega did.

Not all of the women were involved in sexual relationships. Some instructors violated Air Education and Training Command rules forbidding social media contact with trainees.

A former Air Force basic training instructor, Tech. Sgt. Christopher Smith, was given 30 days in jail Aug. 2 and reduction in rank to airman first class, a penalty that will permit him to stay in the service.

He was convicted of trying to start a romance with a 19-year-old trainee and having an unprofessional relationship with a second recruit.

Jurors cleared him of charges of obstruction of justice and making sexual advances toward the woman.

Trainees under Smith's command testified he hid them in the back seat of his car and drove them to a house off base, where they were joined by a fellow instructor, Master Sgt. Jamey Crawford.

Crawford, who's charged with having sex with another recruit at the home, goes on trial Sept. 5.

The investigations started last summer shortly after Palmer and Axelbank took command. Air Force officials repeatedly have said both worked to counter the problem once they became aware of it.

Palmer in November started addressing recruits in their first week of basic training, telling them, “You are my neighborhood watch” and urging the trainees to report any instructors who make sexual advances toward them.

Palmer and Axelbank also reviewed security measures that would include more locks on doors, security cameras around dormitories and ensuring two noncommissioned officers are on charge-of-quarters duty — a job that requires the NCOs to ensure the safety of recruits.

They also recently decided that one woman trainer will meet at least once a week with all female flights to act as a role model for the young airmen.

“The decision to remove Col. Palmer is a part of Col. Axelbank's deliberate effort to fit the right leadership with the 737th Training Group in order to move forward in light of the continuing investigation,” said McGee, the wing spokeswoman.

“Col. Palmer did not create the environment that resulted in the misconduct,” she continued. “But Col. Axelbank wants a different leader to implement the changes that will be needed in basic military training.”

sigc@express-news.net