UPDATE: Cause now known as to why 2017 Thunderbirds commander was relieved of duty
A year after Lt. Col. Jason Heard was removed as the commander for the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, new details are coming out as to why he was let go.
The Air Force Times is reporting Heard was fired after getting into a physical altercation with another pilot in September of 2017.
The Times outlines how several witnesses believed Heard was violating safety regulations, even during Thunderbirds performances.
The magazine adding how Heard and an unidentified pilot had a “tense relationship” and the pilot was concerned Heard “was going to kill him” during a flight.
The relationship came to a breaking point at a bar following a demonstration by the team, when witnesses saw Heard put his hands around the unnamed pilot’s neck.
November 2017 Story:
The commander of the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, famously known as the Thunderbirds, was relieved last week after the Air Force determined it had “lost confidence” in his leadership style.
Lt. Col. Jason Heard is the first Thunderbirds commander to be relieved of duty.
The Thunderbirds, based at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, are the Air Force’s flying aerobatic team. They perform for audiences across the country.
According to an Air Force press release, Heard lead the Thunderbirds “through a highly successful show season,” but Brig. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt, 57th Wing Commander, “lost confidence in his leadership and risk management style.”
“This was an incredibly difficult decision to make, but one that is ultimately in the best
interests of the Thunderbird team. I am personally grateful for Jason’s dedication to the
2017 season,” Leavitt said.
Lt. Col. Kevin Walsh, the Thunderbird’s 2016-2017 Operations Officer, has temporarily
assumed responsibility of the team until a new commander is selected.
