Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. – U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Ivan Pennington, 1st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander, was removed from his assignment on March 25.
Col. Pete Fesler, 1st Fighter Wing commander, relived Pennington due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command and lead his unit.
“We hold commanders to the highest standards, and when they fall short of these expectations, they must be held accountable,” Fesler said. “The 1st Fighter Wing continues to execute its mission of operating and maintaining the F-22, and providing 5th generation combat capability to fly, fight and win. It’s unfortunate that I’ve had to relieve an officer who has had an otherwise commendable career.”
Maj. Jason Moehle has been named the interim 1st AMXS commander.
The Air Force says 1st AMXS is the focal point for the 1st FW’s combat sortie generation operations. The 1st AMXS directs the efforts of nearly 400 aircraft maintenance and support personnel; manages a $23-million equipment inventory to sustain more than 45 F-22A aircraft valued at $6.5 billion; and ensures mission-capable aircraft are available to support the wing’s training to deploy for combat operations.
