Mystery at Fort McCoy: Missing Photos Lead to Colonel’s Dismissal

Soldier using laptop with US flag patch visible.

Fort McCoy’s commander Colonel Sheyla Baez Ramirez has been suspended after photos of President Trump, VP Vance, and Defense Secretary Hegseth mysteriously disappeared from the base’s command board, sparking a Pentagon investigation and swift disciplinary action.

Key Takeaways

Col. Sheyla Baez Ramirez was suspended after photos of President Trump, Vice President Vance, and Defense Secretary Hegseth vanished from Fort McCoy’s chain of command board.
The U.S. Army Reserve Command stated the suspension is not related to misconduct and remains under review.
The missing photos were discovered through social media posts showing empty frames, prompting immediate Defense Department investigation.
This incident follows other recent military leadership changes, including the removal of Space Force Col. Susannah Meyers for undermining VP Vance.
The photos have since been replaced on the command board following widespread attention.

Command Board Controversy Leads to Swift Suspension

The U.S. Army has suspended Colonel Sheyla Baez Ramirez from her position as garrison commander of Fort McCoy after photographs of President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth went missing from the base’s chain of command display. The mysterious disappearance came to light when empty frames were spotted where the officials’ photographs should have been displayed. Fort McCoy, located in Wisconsin, serves as a major training center for the U.S. military and maintains formal displays showing the military chain of command as standard protocol.

The U.S. Army Reserve Command confirmed Ramirez’s suspension but emphasized it was not connected to misconduct. Major General Patrick J. Reinert, representing the Command, stated, “This suspension is not related to any misconduct. We have no further details to provide at this time while this matter is under review.”

Army suspends commander after Trump, Vance, Hegseth vanish from command board https://t.co/VNNBHktVDp

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Investigation and Response

The incident gained significant attention after photographs of the empty frames circulated on social media. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth himself reposted news of the suspension, writing, “Commander of Fort McCoy, whose base chain-of-command board was missing photos of Trump, Vance and Hegseth, has been SUSPENDED.” The Department of Defense promptly launched an investigation to determine how and why the photographs disappeared from their designated positions on the official display wall.

According to Army Reserve officials, the chain of command board was vandalized, and Fort McCoy leadership claimed they were unaware of the situation until it was brought to their attention. Following the investigation’s initiation, new photographs showing the properly updated display with all appropriate photos in place were released. The swift correction underscores the seriousness with which military leadership viewed the incident.

Pattern of Leadership Changes

Colonel Ramirez had assumed command of Fort McCoy in July of the previous year. Her suspension comes amid a series of leadership changes throughout the military. In a separate but similar incident, Space Force Colonel Susannah Meyers was relieved of command at Pituffik Space Force Base in Greenland for reportedly distancing herself from Vice President JD Vance’s statements about Denmark’s oversight of Greenland. In justifying her removal, Space Force officials emphasized leadership standards.

The Pentagon has experienced additional personnel changes in recent weeks. Defense Secretary Hegseth dismissed four former aides following an investigation into information leaks, demonstrating the administration’s emphasis on information security and chain of command adherence. These rapid leadership adjustments reflect the Trump administration’s focus on maintaining discipline and loyalty throughout military ranks, particularly regarding the proper representation of civilian leadership in military installations.