The commander of the Combat Navigator Squadron at the Flight School, a lieutenant colonel, will be dismissed from his post after he authorized flight course cadets to consume alcohol during a weekend retreat as part of a captivity workshop.
Today (Thursday), a committee convened under the leadership of the Head of Personnel Command in the Air Force, and it was decided that the officer would not be able to continue serving in his position at the Flight School and would be reassigned to a different role.
The incident occurred about two weeks ago during a "captivity" workshop for the cadets of the 191st flight course, who are in the final stages of training.
The workshop took place at an isolated hotel and included classified content. However, in violation of regulations, the cadets had family visits and consumed alcohol - with the approval of the commander.
Fifteen of the cadets were sent to detention for 3 to 6 days, depending on the severity of their actions, after an investigation revealed behavior "contrary to the values of the Air Force."
The IDF emphasized that the family visits themselves undermined the objectives of the workshop, which was intended to take place in complete isolation. It was particularly severe that the commanding officer himself violated the regulations.
Air Force Commander Major General Tomer Bar praised the swift and professional response of the Flight School commander but stressed that even during times of ongoing operational pressure, there would be no leniency in matters of ethics: "There will be no leniency in issues of values that form the foundation of the Air Force's principles."
Additionally, the Air Force Commander instructed the strengthening of the role of commanders in all training frameworks and emphasized the importance of reinforcing the values that guide the IDF in general - and the Air Force in particular.