Air Force's first female F-16 Viper Demo Team commander removed at Shaw Air Force Base

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An airman who was the first female to be certified as commander of the F-16 Viper Demonstration Team at Shaw Air Force Base has been removed from her position after two weeks.

Col. Derek O'Malley, commander of the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw, announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that Capt. Zoe "SiS" Kotnik had been relieved of her command position because he "lost confidence in her ability to lead the team." The F-16 VDT travels around the country to perform precision aerial maneuvers to demonstrate what the F-16 can do with a goal of inspiring the next generation of airmen and helping the public identify with the military.

"I know that loss of confidence is a common response from the Air Force whenever someone is removed from a command position, and I think it's important to understand why we take this approach," O'Malley wrote in the social media post. "We have thousands of airmen across our Air Force serving our country, and not one of them is perfect. As good people, like Capt. Kotnik, make mistakes, I want them to have the opportunity to learn from them without being under public scrutiny and to continue to be a part of this great service. They'll be better for the experience, and, in turn, we'll be better as an Air Force."

Kotnik is the Air Force's first female single-ship demonstration pilot. When she was certified for the command position on Jan. 29 by Air Combat Command  commander Gen. Mike Holmes, she had more than 1,000 flying hours in her eight years of military service.

Originally assigned to the 55th Fighter Squadron at Shaw, she completed four certifications, off-station training flights and more than 30 practice missions, as previously reported.

Her historic appointment was promoted by the Viper team in a Tweet that depicted Kotnik in a superhero stance in timing with an advertising campaign  for "Captain Marvel," a Marvel Studios movie whose protagonist is a female Air Force fighter pilot.

"In these types of situations, I never forget that we're dealing with real human beings that I care deeply about and that we are charged to take care of," O'Malley wrote. "This will be a difficult time for Capt. Kotnik, but she's surrounded by wingmen that will help her every step of the way."

The commander said he was excited to have the first female demo team pilot "here at Shaw" but that he is "also just as excited about the many other females that are serving with great distinction across our Air Force. I'm proud to serve with them, and I'm inspired by them. Even as I speak, another female pilot from the 20th Fighter Wing is flying combat missions in the Middle East."

Maj. John Waters, last season's team commander, has resumed that position, O'Malley said.

Waters was one of four pilots who comprised the United States Air Force Heritage Flight Program last year that performed the flyover for Super Bowl 52 in Minnesota.

"... The team is in great hands, and the show will go on," O'Malley wrote. "We're looking forward to another amazing season with this team."