The US Army has suspended Col. Sheyla Baez Ramirez, garrison commander of Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, after images of President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were missing from the base’s chain of command display.
The Army confirmed the suspension Monday but clarified, “This suspension is not related to any misconduct. We have no further details to provide at this time while this matter is under review,” the US Army Reserve Command said in a statement.
The move follows social media outrage and a formal investigation launched by the Department of Defense (DOD) into why the display wall featured empty frames where the images of Trump, Vance, and Hegseth should have appeared. The incident gained attention after Hegseth reposted a message on X that stated: “Commander of Fort McCoy, whose base chain-of-command board was missing photos of Trump, Vance and Hegseth, has been SUSPENDED.”
Shortly afterward, a new image was posted showing the wall had been updated. “Regarding the Ft. McCoy Chain of Command wall controversy… WE FIXED IT! Also, an investigation has begun to figure out exactly what happened,” the Pentagon’s rapid response team wrote on X.
Ramirez took over as garrison commander in July 2024 and had previously served in key roles, including at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Her suspension comes amid broader leadership upheavals in the military. Earlier this month, Col. Susannah Meyers was removed from command at Pituffik Space Force Base in Greenland after internal backlash to an email in which she distanced herself from remarks made by Vice President Vance during a visit. The Space Force cited a “loss of confidence in her ability to lead.”
In a separate controversy, Hegseth dismissed four aides last week following tensions over internal leaks tied to a second Signal group chat discussing Houthi strikes. The chat reportedly included Hegseth’s wife, brother, and personal lawyer. Hegseth attributed the leak to “disgruntled employees.”
