Senior US Air Force Special Ops Leader Fired—Internal Email Leaked

The senior enlisted leader of U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), which oversees roughly 20,000 personnel, has been relieved of duty due to a “loss of confidence in his ability to fulfill his duties,” officials said in a statement. Command Chief Master Sergeant Anthony Green was removed from his position on Monday, according to a spokesperson for AFSOC.

Green has been reassigned outside of AFSOC headquarters at Hurlburt Field, Florida, while an investigation is underway. Officials declined to comment on the nature of the investigation.

“AFSOC is committed to the welfare of our Airmen and maintaining good order and discipline which is necessary to preserve the trust placed in us to execute our critical global missions,” the statement said.

In an internal memo distributed across AFSOC and later leaked to a social media site popular with airmen, Conley said the decision to relieve Green “hadn’t been taken lightly” and came “after careful consideration of the circumstances.”

The memo, which was first posted on the widely followed Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page, was confirmed as authentic by an AFSOC official, according to Task & Purpose. The exact circumstances surrounding Green’s removal have not been publicly disclosed.

The email penned by Conley and distributed AFSOC-wide, in its entirety, reads:

“Air Commandos,

“Last evening, I made the decision to relieve Chief Master Sergeant Anthony Green of his duties as our AFSOC Command Chief, effective immediately. This action was taken due to a loss of confidence in his ability to fulfill his duties. I want to assure you that this decision was only made after careful consideration of the circumstances.

“As Airmen, we are entrusted with incredible responsibilities and held to the highest standards of conduct. Upholding these standards is non-negotiable, and maintaining good order and discipline is fundamental to who we are. Although there will be questions, we will not be able to answer them right now.

“Our mission continues, and I have full confidence in each of you to remain focused, professional, and ready to answer our Nation’s call.

“As always, I remain humbled and honored to serve as your commander.”

Green began his Air Force career in 1995, serving in a variety of roles over the years, including as a maintenance technician on C-130 aircraft and later as a flying crew chief. His broad experience across different operational capacities paved the way for his rise through the enlisted ranks.

As a command chief master sergeant, Green held one of the highest enlisted positions in the Air Force. The role is reserved for airmen at the rank of chief master sergeant who serve as senior advisors to commanders at the highest levels of leadership. Green was one of just 11 command chiefs serving at the top of each of the Air Force’s major commands.

Green assumed the role of AFSOC command chief in May 2023 during a formal ceremony at Hurlburt Field, where he emphasized the mission-driven identity of the command’s personnel.

AFSOC is responsible for the Air Force’s special operations forces, overseeing five wings spread across Hurlburt Field, Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom, and additional units in Japan.

Among its aircraft are the AC-130J/W gunships, MC-130H, CV-22 Osprey, U-28A, MQ-9 Reaper, and C-146A, which are used to support global special operations missions.

Newsweek have reached out to the Air Force for comment.