The Air Force said this colonel was an incredibly toxic leader. Then she was promoted to one-star general
JEFF SCHOGOL
AUG 19, 2020 1:25 PM EDT
Air Force Brig. Gen. Jennifer Grant created the most toxic command climate that investigators had seen in decades when she oversaw the 50th Space Wing at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, according to a redacted copy of an Air Force Inspector General report.
A colonel at the time, Grant berated her subordinates both publicly and privately so frequently that the people under her command were terrified to give her any bad news, according to the October 2019 investigation, which was obtained by Task & Purpose.
Grant frequently reduced people to tears, caused many of her subordinates to leave, and one person whom she often clashed with later died by suicide.
“Witnesses, particularly Col. Grant's immediate staff, credibly described the environment as one in which Col. Grant failed in her responsibilities to pay attention to the welfare and morale of her subordinates, and failed to cultivate a climate of teamwork, cohesion, and trust,” investigators wrote. "Further, witnesses described failures in effective two-way communication and instances of a lack of self-control when engaging subordinates.”
Despite the investigation’s damning conclusions, Grant’s career has flourished. She was promoted to brigadier general on July 2 and is now assigned to Air Force headquarters at the Pentagon, said Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek.Grant led the 50th Space Wing from June 30, 2017 to June 24, 2019. Investigators concluded that during that time, Grant repeatedly violated Air Force standards by lashing out at her subordinates, including:
- Calling a subordinate in mental health treatment for suicidal ideations to criticize her for listing an enlisted service member on her safety plan, making the woman even more distraught.
- Lecturing a subordinate at her promotion ceremony for not personally informing Grant that a brigadier general would be the presiding officer at the ceremony.
- Berating her executive officer to the point that she crawled under her desk and cried.
- Publicly humiliating a briefer in front of investigators.
- Exploding at an enlisted airman for a get well card to the command chief before Grant could sign it.
“Col. Grant created an environment infused with fear and intimidation, which stilted communication and reporting, and undermined the welfare and morale of her subordinates,” the investigation said.
“In doing so, the AFSPC/IG [Air Force Space Command Inspector General] determined the conditions Col. Grant created were the worst the IG team had seen in 20 years.”