Air Force 'Lost Faith' In Col. Derek Stuart's Ability To Lead

The U.S. Air Force has relieved Col. Derek Stuart from his position as commander of the 14th Operations Group and Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi. The group oversees specialized training for undergraduate pilots.

The Air Force Times reports that Col. Stuart (pictured) was relieved by Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Craig Wills on January 2 "due to a loss of trust and confidence in his ability to command," according to an email from the Air Education and Training Command. AETC spokeswoman Marilyn Holliday said in the email that Lt. Col. William McElhinney has assumed command of the group.

The Air Force did not specify what led to the action. Stuart assumed command of the operations group in July, 2018. According to his official biography, he joined the Air Force in 1996, and is a command pilot with more than 3,200 hours flying the C-17, C-141, T-6 and T-37. He has served as an instructor pilot and flown combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Holliday said Stuart was not under any kind of investigation.

The 14th Operations Group and its six squadrons are responsible for the 52-week Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) mission at Columbus, MS. The group also performs quality assurance for contract aircraft maintenance.

(USAF image)

FMI: www.af.mil