Murder/suicide at Lackland AFB
On Friday, Technical Sgt. Steven D. Bellino killed Lieutenant Colonel William “Bill” Schroeder, commander of the 342nd Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base. Bellino then turned the gun on himself. The Washington Post says that Bellino was an FBI agent and an Army veteran of the Iraq War before he joined the AIr Force to become a pararescue “PJ”.
Bellino, first identified by The Washington Post early Saturday afternoon, had previously worked for less than two years in the FBI, partly in the New York field office. It was not immediately clear how Bellino obtained the rank of technical sergeant, a mid-ranking enlisted airman, after serving in the Air Force for less than a year. But the Air Force does have a program that allows veterans with previous military experience to join the service full time to take specific jobs that are hard to fill, including pararescueman.
The San Antonio Express-News says that Bellino went AWOL after failing the water endurance test and he was facing disciplinary proceedings the morning of the murder/suicide.
On Friday Bellino came to Forbes Hall on the pretext of accepting nonjudicial punishment, according to the blog and law enforcement and military sources who spoke on background because of the ongoing investigation.
[…]
When the assailant, armed with two Glock handguns, produced a weapon, Schroeder told the senior NCO, a first sergeant, to run.
During the struggle, the technical sergeant fired at the first sergeant but missed her as she fled. Schroeder then fought with the assailant and was shot three times in the arm before being shot in the head.
The account could not be confirmed by Air Force officials at Joint Base San Antonio, which is handling the case. The San Antonio Express-News asked to speak with someone from the command, but they declined to respond.
Category: Air Force
Rest in peace, Colonel.
…There has got to be a LOT we ain’t hearing about this yet, not least of which was EXACTLY how this guy (former FBI agent or no) got 5 stripes walking in the door. I suspect we’re going to find that a lot of questionable people have gotten into PJ this way, the same way SEALs were told to ramp up and PDQ.
Mike
It says that he was prior service Army. So he was probably an E-6 from his army days, and when he decided to go go USAF he retained his previous pay grade. Happens everyday
An Air Force Staff Sergeant is an E-5.
Not only that, usually guys who come in from Army are knocked down a rank. So if a E-5 came into AF from AR, they are usually knocked down to E-4. Only people who usually bypass this rule are Band members I think.
yes, but the article says tech sgt., so he was an E-6
You’re right, my bad.
“Bellino, first identified by The Washington Post early Saturday afternoon, had previously worked for less than two years in the FBI….”
Hmmm. He “worked for less than two years in the FBI.” Talk about downplaying something. That’s a goodie. He worked IN the FBI. What was he, a clerk, an admin assistant, a contractor? Maybe he just worked in an FBI building and wasn’t an employee at all. No, he was an FBI Agent. And then there’s the “less than two years” part. I like that. In other words, dismiss the fact that he was an FBI agent. He wasn’t in long enough to even bother with it. Even the WaPo doesn’t want to piss off the FBI, I guess, with a screaming headline or a lead paragraph that IDs the shooter as a former FBI agent.
CNN identified Bellino as being a former FBI Special Agent for less than 2 years, who left the FBI to “join the military”.
However, the article (link below) also says Bellino didn’t go on active duty with the military for over 2 years after leaving the FBI (resigned from the FBI in May 2013, went on active duty with the USAF in Jun 2015). So I’d take that “left to join the military” rationale for his departure with a rather large grain of salt.
I would love to know the precise details regarding his departure from the FBI, and his detailed employment history prior to 2011. I’m guessing those are both quite relevant here.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/09/us/texas-lackland-shooting/
Anyone who resigns during his initial contract almost certainly doesn’t do it wholly voluntarily.
Media Base (Lackland AFB), my old base before I left active duty.
If the story turns out to be true, that the female first Sergeant was fired at one time and ran out of the room while the Commander was struggling with the assailant, then that does not speak well for the first-shirt. I think I would have stayed and helped my commander as he was repeatedly being shot in the arm (three times) and then the head.
My view of USAF first sargents was formed by watching the AFN commercials trying to sell Airmen on becoming first sargents. It’s the only branch I’ve seen that has to ask it’s enlisted to take that kind of leadership position.
BS!!!
First Sergeant Recruiting Seminar at Ramstien. I couldn’t find the commercial that AFN was running at about the same time, but it was along the same lines.
http://www.ramstein.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123130324
Isn’t 40 years old a bit long in the tooth to start PJ selection?
Apparently he failing Indoc went AWOL and then after a few months turned himself in under pretext of accepting Article 15 punishment.
The rank was for being prior service Army although TSgt rank for prior service enlistment is not the norm.
Rest Well Coloenl…
Salute..
Is the Air Force so hard up for people these days that they ignore red flags? The grunts who posted above saw it yet the experts getting paid big bucks (e.g., DAF civilians) missed it.
What follows is not going to be totally popular but it speaks to women in combat and men worrying about them. Would the colonel told a male 1SGT to run? Would a male 1SGT not jumped into the fray to save the colonel? I’m not trying to take anything away from the colonel’s bravery and none of us were in the room. Most first shirts I served under would have run towards the gunman and not the other way.
Most 1SG I knew would not want the stigma of having their BN Commander killed because they ran away…
Did the CO tell the 1SGT to run? I’m not sure I would have run while my commander was being shot repeatedly. I think the military is losing it’s “hard core” warrior spirit.
I made a similar comment when the news broke. Any 1SG I worked with would have been in the fight with me, then throat punched me for telling him to run away after it was finished.
All of the First Shirts I served with would have stomped the guts out of shooter. Many were WWII and Korea veterans and would have beaten the guy to a bloody pulp and then cussed him. Men of their generation just didn’t run away from danger. Nor women either.
I find it disturbing that the First Sgt is now the bad person here. It’s bad enough she’ll deal with the guilt of whether she could’ve done something to save someone’s life for the rest of her life. The last thing we need is to make comments that put the responsibility of a man’s death on her shoulders. We are not trained to run at people with pistols in their hands when we are not armed up ourselves.
“But the Air Force does have a program that allows veterans with previous military experience to join the service full time to take specific jobs that are hard to fill, including pararescueman.”
Did you READ that you STUPID MOTHER FUCKING HILLBILLIES!!!!
That information is indeed in the article. It is also insufficient to answer questions pertaining to why the individual (a) apparently entered the USAF as an NCO vice an E3/E4, and (b) why he was allowed to start Pararescue training at a relatively advanced age for doing so (approx 40).
Now, “Bill” – or should I say, AKA “Paul”, commenting from the Denver, CO, area – how about you answer this question for us. Are you being an ignorant, loudmouthed pr!ck in comments here by choice, or are you so freaking dumb you didn’t realize the above?
Welcome to T A H newbie. What the fuck planet are you from? If the T A H crowd is all hillbillies, what the hell does that make you…other than a loud mouth know it all self important Lars wannabee? Bub, you just fucked up for your first post. You failed to read the entire header, being….”But You Can See It From Here”. You found it, now expect to have it shoved up your ass. Surely you can find other sites more compatible with your intellect. Try “Michael Jackson and His Intellectual City Boys Who Like To Talk Tough About Tender Rectums”. Tough and smart guys like you will love the discussions made for your ilk. Settle down with a can of spray cheese and dick-shaped ice cream cone. Are you fucking Gainey on steroids by any chance?
Gainey on steroids. That’s funny.
GREAT way to step on your dick with your first post, Bill the Brainiac!
Way to go Top!! She went from “right hand man” (sorry I meant person) to Blue Falcon as fast as her feet could carry her!
What they didn’t state here, and seem to be reluctant to state, is that TSgt Bellino was a decorated army vet of 20 years, who served in the Army Rangers, combat specialist; completed more than 10 tours in Iraq/Afghanistan. After completing 20yrs of service, he joined the FBI, didn’t care for the NYC office and so resigned. Knew becoming a PJ at 41 was a long-shot, felt fit enough to try but was prepared for the possibility he couldn’t might not make it. My question if he is the shooter and things went down as they claim, wtf happened to that made failing a water endurance test such a tragedy he not only walked out on the test he went AWOL. Then he’s brought in for admin sanctions, not court martial, NJP, and this vet with 20 yrs of service feels his only options are murder-suicide. There’s a hell of a lot wrong here and it’s been wrong for awhile. That CO they’re dolling up was no angel and the 342nd needs to answer some serious damn questions about what’s going on at that base.
After reading what is published about this incident, I have more questions than answers. During the immediate investigation, LE is under no obligation to inform us, but the explanations for the behaviors of several beg to be made clear. Maybe some day we will know.
In total agreement O W B. Not withstanding the hasty exit by the Top, but just for starters….former F B I agent goes in as an enlisted man? Ditto for same level of character going AWOL. Blaming a C O for one’s failure to pass the Water Endurance Test…..that likewise makes no sense. Hell, I’d have loved to have been a SEAL. Reflecting back with an honest opinion of my ability and willingness to conform at that age, I seriously doubt my chance of succeeding. Little doubt in my mind that my failure would have even vaguely given thought to this dude’s actions…no such chance.
Forbes Hall. I spent many hours there during OTS back in the day. It was our classroom building. Lots of questions to be answered, for sure.
According to what I’ve read, Bellino was also a green beret and after 10 years became a reservist or guard. He attained SFC/E7. Typically there is a reduction in grade when entering another service; especially when having reserve component time. RUMOR is that he was belittled by trainers when he was unable to complete underwater swim requirements. By all accounts Lt Col Schroeder went down swinging. As for the First Sergeant…was this a female??
San Antonio Express News says the First Sergeant was a female…
Might be old news to some of you now, but here is more info on the shooter:
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-green-beret-shooting-20160412-story.html
Former Ranger and SF (so says his lawyer)
Yeah, and defense lawyers never
baldface lie aboutoverstate things regarding their clients’ “inherent goodness” or past record/accomplishments, either.Forgive me if I wait for formal verification of the guy’s military record before I buy this claim.
Standing offer: anyone comes up with DOB, POB, and Firstname/MiddleName/LastName and I’ll be happy file a FOIA concerning Bellino’s Army and ARNG records. SSN would be a plus, but probably isn’t absolutely necessary.
I heard rumors of Bellino being prior Army SF before the LA times article, from different sources. Many things with this story are not adding up. It’s very tragic that the LtCol was killed. But (if his career record is correct) , why would a prior Ranger/Sepecial Forces/FBI employee do this ? He had already been through some serious training and proven himself with groups who the PJs themselves support. It’s a hard pill to swallow. When I 1st heard about the shooting, I assumed that yes, a disgruntled new Airmen who couldn’t make it went full metal Jacket on one the cadre. But as slow and hard to come by details emerge, the story gets weirder…