Col. Sheyla Baez Ramirez, the first woman to lead Fort McCoy, has been suspended from her position as garrison commander after a photo showing portraits of President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth flipped toward the wall went viral.
The image, posted by the Department of Defense on April 14, showed the official portraits turned backward on the base’s chain of command wall, a symbolic setup that traditionally displays the line of authority from the president down to the base commander. Alongside the photo, the Pentagon’s post on X read: “Regarding the Ft. McCoy Chain of Command wall controversy. WE FIXED IT!” The post also noted that an investigation had been launched to determine “exactly what happened.”
Baez Ramirez was suspended shortly afterward by Maj. Gen. Joseph Ricciardi, commander of the 88th Readiness Division. The Army confirmed the move, stating, “This suspension is not related to any misconduct,” and adding, “We have no further details to provide at this time while this matter is under review.”
Still, the timing raised eyebrows. Just days after the photo made the rounds online—drawing heavy criticism, particularly from right-wing accounts—Baez Ramirez was removed from her post. Despite there being no public evidence connecting her to the act, she became the target of a harsh and deeply personal online backlash. Much of the anger focused on her identity, with social media posts calling her a “DEI traitor” and some even making threats.
A separate statement released by the Army Reserve described the flipped portraits as “vandalism,” though there was no physical damage reported. “The Fort McCoy leadership team and the Army Reserve were unaware of the vandalism of the leadership board at a building at Fort McCoy, WI,” the statement read. “Once it was brought to their attention, the leadership at Fort McCoy took immediate action to correct it.”
Baez Ramirez took command of Fort McCoy in July 2024. Her military career began in 1999 after she earned her commission as a Military Intelligence Officer through ROTC at the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey. She holds a master’s degree in strategic studies from the Army War College and has earned multiple military honors, including five Army Commendation Medals.
Her removal comes during what many are calling a broader purge of senior military leaders—many of them women and minorities—under the current administration. Recent high-profile exits include Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown, and Adm. Linda Fagan.
For now, questions remain. No one has claimed responsibility for flipping the portraits. There’s no clear proof linking Baez Ramirez to the incident. And yet, she’s the one who paid the price.
Baez Ramirez could not be reached for comment. The base has not announced who will take over leadership duties in the interim.
