‘Unprofessional relationship’ led to removal of lt. col.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Scott Foley, 633rd Security Forces Squadron commander, explains the training concept of deployment and sustainment for security forces at Langley Air Force Base, Va., Feb. 10, 2012. Foley participated in a telephone interview with Airman Magazine about SFS training and the end of operations in Iraq Feb. 13, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kayla Newman/Released)

The commander of the 802nd Security Forces Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland was removed due to an unprofessional relationship and an inappropriate communication with a subordinate.

Lt. Col. Scott Foley was removed from command May 10 by Col. Michael Gimbrone, commander of the 502nd Security Forces and Logistics Support Group, due to a loss of confidence, the 502nd Air Base Wing said May 21.

The base did not say anything further about what led to Foley’s removal in that May 21 email, due to an ongoing investigation into his actions.

But in subsequent comments, officials at Joint Base San Antonio provided more context to Foley’s removal.

“Lt. Col. Scott Foley was removed as commander of the 802nd Security Forces Squadron based on evidence of an unprofessional relationship,” Brig. Gen. Robert LaBrutta, commander of the 502nd Air Base Wing and Joint Base San Antonio, said in a statement provided to Air Force Times on Thursday.

“The initial investigation revealed evidence that Lt. Col. Foley engaged in an inappropriate electronic communication with a subordinate,” a base spokesman also said. That communication was not sexual, the spokesman said, but he did not know what was inappropriate about it.

The spokesman said the base will be able to say more about what led to Foley’s removal after the investigation is completed, but did not know when that might be.

Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.