Air Force colonel fired days before handing off command duties

An Air Force colonel was fired from his post at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, just days before he was scheduled to depart via a July 18 change-of-command ceremony, Air Force officials confirmed.

Col. Jeremiah Hammill was relieved of his duties as commander of the 96th Test Wing Civil Engineer Group on July 15 due to a “[loss of] confidence in [his] ability to lead,” an Air Force Materiel Command spokesperson told Military Times in an email.

Hammill’s actions, which service officials did not detail, “raised concerns about good order and discipline within [the unit],” the spokesperson said. “At this time, we are not going to comment further on the circumstances leading to this decision.”

Col. Michelle Sterling, who was already slated to take Hammill’s place at the time of his firing, has assumed command. Sterling was previously the commander of the 324th Training Squadron out of Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Mid Bay News was first to report on Hammill’s firing.

When asked about the possibility of charges, the Air Force Materiel Command spokesperson said it would be inappropriate to speculate.

“In accordance with Air Force regulations, relief of command may be used as a basis to support subsequent collateral adverse administrative action in some situations,” the official said.

Hammill first assumed command of the 96th Test Wing Civil Engineer Group in June 2022. The unit tests and evaluates “Air Force air-delivered weapons, navigation and guidance systems, command and control systems, and Air Force Special Operations Command Systems,” according to the Air Force Test Center website.

The wing provides services to the Air Force, other segments of the Department of Defense, and U.S. agencies, such as the Department of Transportation and NASA, among others. The group currently oversees 11.6 million square feet of physical plant and over 3,200 facilities, according to the unit’s website.