US Air Force disciplines 15 people following investigation into accused National Guard leaker Jack Teixeira

The US Air Force has disciplined 15 people connected to the intelligence leaks from Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, the service said Monday, after an investigation found that individuals “intentionally failed” to report documented concerns about Teixeira’s behavior preceding the leaks.

According to an Air Force release on Monday, 15 individuals from the ranks of staff sergeant to colonel received punishments ranging from being relieved from their positions to non-judicial punishment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

The commander of Teixeira’s unit, Col. Sean Riley of the the 102^nd Intelligence Wing, was relieved of command, the Air Force said. Commanders of the 102^nd Intelligence Support Squadron who had been suspended were “permanently removed.”

Teixeira, who served as a cyber systems journeyman with the Massachusetts Air National Guard’s 102^nd Intelligence Wing,  has been indicted on six counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information related to national defense.  He has pleaded guilty to the charges.

The Air Force’s investigation, released Monday, said that a “small number” of individuals in Teixeira’s unit had a “more complete picture” of his intelligence-seeking behaviors, but failed to report him appropriately, “fearing security officials might ‘overreact,’” the investigation report said.

“Had any of these members come forward, security officials would likely have facilitated restricting systems/facility access and alerted the appropriate authorities, reducing the length and depth of the unauthorized and unlawful disclosures by several months,” the report said.

This story is developing and will be updated.