Hazing

Two 354th Fighter Wing squadron commanders fired over hazing culture

Two air support operations squadron commanders were fired this week after investigations found “a culture of hazing” in their units, the Air Force said in a Friday release.

Lt. Col. Robb Fiechtner, commander of the 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, and Lt. Col. Joshua Cates, commander of the 5th ASOS at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, were relieved of command, the 354th Fighter Wing at Eielson said in the release. The two squadrons are part of the 1st Air Support Operations Group, which falls under the 354th Fighter Wing.

“We’re better than this,” Col. Benjamin Bishop, the 354th commander who removed Fiechtner and Cates, said in the release. “Every airman has an obligation to prevent and stop any harmful or demeaning conduct toward fellow airmen. This is especially true for commanders.”

Command-directed investigations found airmen at those two squadrons commonly took part in, and encouraged, a practice called “rolling up.” That practice involved tackling or restraining an airman, binding the airman’s hands or feet using duct tape, and allowing the airman to struggle before being released.