Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Carlson,the former senior enlisted leader for the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Europe, has been relieved following a completed investigation into alcohol-related incidents, said Neil A. Ruggiero, a spokesman for U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, or SETAF.
No further information about the alcohol-related incidents was immediately available. Carlson has been temporarily reassigned to duty at SETAF headquarters in Vicenza, Italy, Ruggiero told Task & Purpose on Thursday.
Military.com first reported on Monday that Carlson had been fired, and Military Times first reported that the investigation into Carlson looked into alcohol-related incidents.
Task & Purpose was unable to reach Carlson for comment on Wednesday.
Carlson was relieved on July 16 “due to a loss of trust and confidence in his leadership,” said Army Lt. col. Alex C Tignor, who is also a spokesman for SETAF.
Subscribe to Task & Purpose today. Get the latest military news and culture in your inbox daily.
The military branches routinely use the “loss of confidence” euphemism to explain why commanding officers and senior enlisted leaders are fired. The vague statement covers a wide range of issues including leadership failures, having an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate, and being arrested for drunken driving.
Carlson became the 173rd Airborne Brigade’s top enlisted leader in March 2023. He enlisted in the Army in 1999 and went on to serve with the 3rd Ranger Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment and at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, according to his official biography, which has been removed from the 173rd Airborne Brigade’s website.
He deployed three times to Afghanistan in Helmand Province, Bermel, and Wardak, his biography says. Carlson also took part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq; he has deployed Latvia and Lithuania, and Colombia; and he has assisted U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in Texas.
Carlson’s military awards include three Bronze Star medals, seven Good Conduct Medals, six Meritorious Service Medals, five Army Achievement Medals, four Army Commendation Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal. National Defense Service Medal, and Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three bronze stars. He was also awarded Colombia’s “Faith of Cause Medal,” the highest award that the country gives to foreign service members.
Other military leaders who have recently been fired include Air Force Col. Mark Kimbal, who was relieved as commander of the 28th Operations Group following a investigation into a B-1B bomber crash in January; Air Force Col. Jeremiah Hammill, who was fired as commander of the 96th Test Wing Civil Engineer Group just three days before a scheduled change of command; and Navy Capt. Lenard C. Mitchell, who was relieved as commanding officer of the USS Hershel “Woody” Williams’ Gold Crew following an investigation into how the ship ran aground in May.
UPDATE: 08/08/2024; this story was updated with comments from Neil A. Ruggiero, a spokesman for U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa.
The latest on Task & Purpose
- Top U.S. special ops units held a major exercise off Alaska, 45 miles from Russia
- An Army officer is one of the stars of the U.S. women’s Olympic rugby team
- Army marksmanship instructor wins Olympic medal in rifle event
- Inside the recovery of MIA Americans from a secret jungle base
- Pentagon orders review of Medals of Honor given for Wounded Knee Massacre