Fort McCoy’s first female commander suspended for Trump photo ‘vandalism’

Colonel Sheyla Baez Ramirez, the first woman to serve as garrison commander at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, has been temporarily removed from her position. The Army has stated that her suspension is not related to any wrongdoing but is pending a review.

As reported by The Sun, this decision comes after a dispute over missing photographs of President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth from the base’s chain of command display.

After the photos were noticed, the Department of Defense (DOD) started an investigation. Later, a post on the DOD’s rapid response X account showed “before” and “after” pictures of the wall, with the “after” image displaying the correct photos in place. The post said, “WE FIXED IT! Also, an investigation has begun to figure out exactly what happened.”

Army Base Commander suspended over Trump photo

The Army Reserve Command also released a statement, saying that senior leaders at Fort McCoy were not aware of the changed display and acted quickly to correct it once it was discovered. The Army launched its own investigation to determine the facts of what happened. The Army Reserve stated they would take “all legal and appropriate actions” to uphold the highest standards of conduct.

Ramirez took on her role at Fort McCoy in July 2024. Before this, she had a long military career, including serving as chief of the Reserve Program at the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, as well as holding other positions in the Army and Army Reserves. She started her military service as a military intelligence officer after earning her commission in 1999.

Her previous assignments included being a platoon leader at Fort Stewart, Georgia, commanding a regiment in Puerto Rico, and serving as chief of operations at Fort Liberty, North Carolina. She also deployed overseas to Bosnia and Herzegovina and received multiple awards and medals during her career.

While this might sound silly, Trump is considered a commanding officer and must be treated with respect by all military personnel. I signed the contract myself when I was younger, and it is clear that you are the property of the US government when you are in the military. This means you can be in serious trouble for what may be small on the civilian side, including disrespecting those above you.

The investigation is still ongoing. The reasons behind the missing photos at Fort McCoy, the intentions of those involved, and any possible disciplinary steps are still being reviewed. The Army’s statement about Colonel Ramirez’s suspension makes clear that no misconduct is currently being alleged.