Air National Guard colonel demoted, retired over dinosaur puppet video

A colonel with the Tenneseee Air National Guard who led a re-enlistment ceremony during which a non-commissioned officer (NCO) performed her oath with a dinosaur puppet has immediately retired after being demoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

A Facebook post from the Guard on Wednesday announced that the former colonel, whose name was not released, was “immediately retired” following a brief investigation of the incident, which stems from a viral video showing Master Sgt. Robin Brown reciting her oath while mouthing the words using the puppet.

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“I am certainly aware of a recent Facebook video post depicting a Tennessee Air National Guard Senior NCO re-enlistment,” Army Maj. Gen. Terry Haston, adjutant general for the Tennesee National Guard, said in the post.

“I am absolutely embarrassed that a senior officer and a senior NCO took such liberties with a time-honored military tradition,” he added. “Not taking this oath solemnly and with the utmost respect is firmly against the traditions and sanctity of our military family and will not be tolerated.”

Brown, whom Haston says had the video recorded by a third NCO to show her young children, will be allowed to remain in the Guard. The unnamed third NCO who filmed the video “has been removed from his position as a unit First Sergeant and has received an official reprimand,” according to Haston, but will also remain in the Guard.

The colonel was also criticized by some for not stopping the ceremony and appearing to not have the oath memorized, instead reading it off of a piece of paper. He also did not raise his right hand in the video.

The National Guard’s commanding Chief Master Sgt. Ronald Anderson also commented on the video in his own Facebook post, expressing “dismay” over the behavior of the NCOs.

“Many of you have sent me FB messages or commented within FB threads, clearly that same video has struck a nerve within our community ― rightfully so,” Anderson said. “This act in no way represents who we are as a force.”