Fort McCoy Commander Suspended Over Missing Chain of Command Photos

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Colonel Sheyla Baez Ramirez, the garrison commander at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, was suspended Monday following an uproar over the absence of photographs of President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the military base’s chain of command wall.

The suspension, announced by the U.S. Army Reserve Command, comes as a result of the Defense Department’s investigation into why the wall displayed empty frames where these key officials’ images should have been. In a statement, the Army emphasized that the “suspension is not related to any misconduct” and offered no further details as the matter is still under review.

Defense Secretary Hegseth had shared a post on social media over the weekend, noting the situation: “Commander of Fort McCoy, whose base chain-of-command board was missing photos of Trump, Vance, and Hegseth, has been SUSPENDED.” This remark coincided with public interest following reports of the missing images.

A photo released by the Pentagon later showed the frames had been filled following public outrage. The Pentagon’s rapid response account on X, formerly known as Twitter, announced, “WE FIXED IT! Also, an investigation has begun to figure out exactly what happened.” This quick rectification reflects the heightened attention the incident received.

Colonel Ramirez assumed command at Fort McCoy in July 2024, following a career that included significant roles in Army intelligence and security at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Her suspension is part of a larger pattern of military leadership changes, with recent dismissals drawing scrutiny over internal communications and conduct.

Earlier this month, the Pentagon relieved Colonel Susannah Meyers of her command at Pituffik Space Force Base in Greenland. Like Ramirez, Meyers faced backlash for actions that were perceived as undermining Vice President Vance during a visit to the base, where she distanced herself from comments attributed to Vance related to Denmark’s involvement in Greenland.

In her email to base personnel after Vance’s visit, Meyers stated, “I do not presume to understand current politics, but what I do know is the concerns of the U.S. administration discussed by Vice President Vance are not reflective of Pituffik Space Base.” Such statements reportedly contributed to the loss of confidence in her leadership.

Furthermore, Secretary Hegseth dismissed four aides last week amid investigations into leaked communications related to a secondary Signal group chat discussing Houthi strikes. He attributed the leaks to “disgruntled employees” and stated that the discussions included family members and legal representation.

The ongoing investigations and leadership adjustments continue to reflect the challenging environment within military command structures as officials navigate both operational and political sensitivities.