{"id":27975,"date":"2020-03-16T15:53:41","date_gmt":"2020-03-16T15:53:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/03\/16\/promotion-delayed-for-army-colonel-involved-in-niger-ambush\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:40:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:40:42","slug":"promotion-delayed-for-army-colonel-involved-in-niger-ambush","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2020\/03\/16\/promotion-delayed-for-army-colonel-involved-in-niger-ambush\/","title":{"rendered":"Promotion delayed for Army colonel involved in Niger ambush"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Senate lawmakers temporarily blocked the promotion of an Army colonel formerly in charge of 3rd Special Forces Group to brigadier general, the New York Times first reported<\/a> Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Col. Bradley Moses was one of the Special Forces officers involved in the ambush that took the lives of four U.S. soldiers<\/a> outside of Tongo Tongo, Niger<\/a> on Oct. 4, 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moses was expected to make brigadier general following an assignment in Afghanistan, but Senate members are delaying the matter, the Times reported, though he could still ultimately be promoted. Members of 3rd Group wrote to lawmakers calling for Moses to be punished, people familiar with the matter told the Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The investigation following the Tongo Tongo ambush was criticized for placing much of the blame onto lower ranking officers. The leader of the ambushed ODA, Capt. Michael Perozeni, shouldered much of the blame until it was revealed that he asked not to continue the mission<\/a> prior to the attack, according to the redacted investigation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ODA was told by Moses\u2019 subordinate and battalion commander, Lt. Col. David Painter, to continue the mission, a decision Moses also approved, according to the Times. Painter was punished following the ambush and not ultimately promoted to full colonel<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family members of the fallen soldiers and lawmakers have long criticized the Pentagon\u2019s handling of the investigation<\/a>. The ambush itself highlighted institutional problems within the U.S. mission in West Africa, to include poor resourcing of medical evacuation capabilities and a lack of air support for troops on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\t