Air Force Special Operations Command’s top enlisted airman was removed from his post Monday amid an investigation.
Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Green, AFSOC’S command chief, was relieved by AFSOC commander Lt. Gen. Mike Conley, the command said in a statement.
Conley told personnel in an email Tuesday that he relieved Green of his duties “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to fulfill his duties.” The email was posted to the unofficial “Air Force amn/nco/snco” Facebook page. AFSOC later confirmed the veracity of the email.
“I want to assure you that this decision was made only after careful consideration of the circumstances,” Conley said. “As airmen, we are entrusted with incredible responsibility 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.”
AFSOC spokesperson Lt. Col. Becky Heyse confirmed an investigation into Green is ongoing, but she could not comment on its nature or timing. She said Conley is “committed to the welfare of all airmen in AFSOC.”
AFSOC has about 21,000 airmen across 10 operational wings and two special operations groups.
As AFSOC’s command chief, Green served as its top enlisted leader and advised Conley on the readiness, training, education and resiliency of its enlisted airmen.
Green, who enlisted in the Air Force in 1995, began serving as AFSOC command chief in May 2023. He has served as a maintenance technician on multiple aircraft, including the C-130, and as a flying crew chief — a specially trained maintainer that flies on an aircraft to troubleshoot and fix any problems that might arise during a mission.
He previously served as the senior enlisted leader for force structure, requirements, resources and strategic assessments at U.S. Special Operations Command in Florida, as well as command chief for multiple units, including the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey.
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.
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