The commander of a B-52 squadron at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, has been fired following a command investigation, Air Force officials announced on Tuesday.
- Lt. Col. Paul Goossen was relieved as commander of the 69th Bomb Squadron “due to a loss of trust and confidence from his failure to maintain a professional workplace environment,” an Air Force news release says.
- Goossen declined to comment on Tuesday through a spokeswoman for the 5th Bomb Wing, Maj. Natassia Cherne.
- Cherne told Task & Purpose she was unable to elaborate on what exactly prompted Goossen to be removed from command.
- “I can’t speak to that but I can tell you it was a commander-directed investigation,” Cherne said on Tuesday. “It was directed by Col. Bradley Cochran, and he is the 5th Bomb Wing commander. The decision to remove Lt. Col. Goossen came from the Air Force Global Strike commander, which is Gen. Timothy Ray.”
- Last Christmas Eve, Goossen led the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, when the unit received a call from President Trump.
- “Getting a chance to hear President Trump discuss some of our top issues was an exhilarating experience,” Goossen said in a Dec. 24 news release. “The 69th EBS wishes the President, his family, his staff, and all Americans back home a very Merry Christmas.”
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