A racially charged comment forced Maj. Gen. Michael Keltz to resign last week, according to Air Education and Training Command said.
While serving as the convening authority at a company-grade officer's Article 15 hearing April 9, Keltz said the accused he and another officer looked "drunker than 10,000 Indians" while referring to a photograph of the two officers. Blogger and former airman Tony Carr first reported Keltz's racially-charged comment on his John Q. Public blog, and AETC spokeswoman Maj. Toni Whaley confirmed the statement was made in regard to a photograph of the two officers.
As the convening authority in the officer's Article 15 hearing, which was to determine whether the accused officer's nonjudicial punishment for an unspecified offense was too harsh, Keltz essentially served as both judge and jury.
As the convening authority in the officer's Article 15 hearing, which was to determine whether the accused officer's nonjudicial punishment for an unspecified offense was too harsh, Keltz essentially served as both judge and jury. When asked if Keltz's comment showed that he was prejudiced against the officer in the case, Whaley said "I guess that would be fair." She did not know if the officer's defense attorney objected to Keltz's comments.
Whaley said that bBecause of Keltz's remark, the accused officer's Article 15 was terminated, his punishment was voided, and no decision was made at the hearing, Whaley said. That officer's case has now been sent back to his commander, who will look at the facts and decide what disciplinary action -- if any -- is appropriate, Whaley said. If the commander does decide to impose another punishment, and if the accused officer again feels it is too harsh, the officer could request another hearing. the accused officer will have another Article 15 hearing with a different convening authority, Whaley said. The new hearing has not yet been scheduled. It will remain in the same command, but will be with someone outside of the 19th Air Force chain of command.
As the convening authority in the officer's Article 15 hearing, which was to determine whether the accused officer's nonjudicial punishment for an unspecified offense was too harsh, Keltz essentially served as both judge and jury.
Whaley said that if Keltz's ruling in the case stood, it is possible that his remarks could later on be used as grounds for overturning his decision. When asked if Keltz's comment showed that he was prejudiced against the officer in the case, Whaley said "I guess that would be fair." She did not know if the officer's defense attorney objected to Keltz's comments.
AETC announced the resignation of Keltz, who was commander of the 19th Air Force, on April 30 and attributed it to an "inappropriate comment" in a public forum. Whaley at that time confirmed to Air Force Times that Keltz's comment had to do with excessive consumption of alcohol, but would not repeat what he said.
Carr said on his blog that multiple sources reached out to him with first-hand accounts of Keltz's comments.
In a statement provided by Whaley last week, Keltz took responsibility for his statement.
"I inadvertently made an unfortunate comment, I own it, and I hold myself accountable to the same high standards my subordinate commanders are held to," Keltz said. "As a result, I have tendered my resignation from command and requested to retire from service. [AETC Commander] Gen. [Robin] Rand has graciously accepted that request."
Keltz will retire after serving 34 years in the Air Force.
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.
