For thirty-one years, Brigadier General Christopher Sage dedicated his life to serving his country with unwavering honor. Now, on the precipice of a forced retirement, he faces a chilling realization: the very institution he swore to protect seems determined to silence him.
The ordeal began with a flawed investigation, riddled with legal errors, yet it inexplicably continued. Despite consistent support from his chain of command and recommendations for promotion, a shadow fell over his career when his opposition to controversial policies led to his removal from consideration for a two-star rank.
“Why is the Air Force still doubling down on this?” he asks, the weight of decades of service etched into his voice. “Why are they hellbent on retiring me? Why aren’t they honoring President Trump’s order?” These questions echo in the silence as December 31, 2025 – the date of his forced departure – draws nearer.
Ten members of Congress, including Representatives Eli Crane and Brian Mast, have demanded the investigation be dismissed and a formal inquiry launched into the Air Force Inspector General who oversaw the case. Their concerns were met not with accountability, but with promotion – the IG was elevated to a four-star general.
A memo arrived in March 2024, bearing the autopen signature of a former president, effectively removing General Sage from the promotion list. Yet, despite a direct call from President Trump to nullify actions taken by autopen, the Air Force continues to treat the document as binding, seemingly defying the Commander-in-Chief’s intent.
The question lingers: who is advising those in power? Are the same legal minds who justified the controversial policies of the past now shaping the decisions of today? Many believe attorneys within the system are actively working to force General Sage into retirement.
A glimmer of hope emerged in November when the Air Force Board of Correction for Military Records recommended dismissing the investigation, restoring his record, and reinstating his promotion. But that hope was dashed when a newly appointed Assistant Secretary, chosen by President Trump, appeared to abandon the fight, swayed by the counsel of the same Air Force attorneys.
A Department of War memo in May explicitly granted the AFBCMR the authority to rectify injustices from the previous administration. Undermining the board’s outcome directly contradicts President Trump’s and the War Secretary’s policies, yet the response has been silence.
“The same advisors who justified my initial investigation are still here,” General Sage laments. “How can any warfighter trust this system when it’s clear that entrenched bureaucrats are obstructing justice?” The demoralizing effect on those who have faced similar persecution is palpable.
After forty-six months of navigating a broken system, General Sage faces an unavoidable outcome. He will be forced out of the Air Force on Wednesday, a casualty of an investigation dismissed by the Correction Board and a document rendered void by presidential decree.
In a final plea, General Sage turns to the President of the United States. “President Trump, people are policy. Bureaucrats are obstructing your orders and your intent. You have stood between us and them before. I am appealing to you for swift intervention.”
He prays for “common sense, discernment, and justice” to prevail within Air Force leadership, hoping they will resist the influence of those who served the previous administration with unwavering loyalty. His story serves as a stark warning: a system failing to protect those who have dedicated their lives to its service is a system in peril.
General Sage wishes to emphasize that his views are his own and do not reflect those of the Department of War or the Department of the Air Force.
