173rd Airborne Brigade Leader Relieved of Duty Due To Alcohol-Related Incidents

Command Sergeant Major Matthew Carlson, the senior enlisted leader of the U.S. Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade, was relieved of his duties on July 16, 2024, following an investigation into alcohol-related incidents. According to Army officials, Carlson’s removal was attributed to a “loss of trust and confidence in his leadership.” Sergeant Major Frank Batts, former Command Sergeant Major of the 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion, has been tapped to take Carlson’s place.

Carlson, who had been with the brigade since March 2023, served in various capacities within the unit, including time with the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, and the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment. His career, which began with his enlistment in 1999, is distinguished by multiple deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other regions, and he is a recipient of the Bronze Star. Despite his extensive service record, the incidents leading to his dismissal were serious enough to warrant his removal.

The specifics of the investigation remain undisclosed due to federal privacy laws, but the Army‘s decision underscores the importance of maintaining strict standards of conduct, particularly in leadership positions. Carlson’s firing is part of a broader pattern of leadership changes within the U.S. Army in Europe, reflecting the military’s ongoing commitment to accountability and professionalism.

Carlson has been reassigned to Headquarters, US Army, Southern European Task Force, Africa.

The 173rd Airborne Brigade, stationed in Vicenza, Italy, operates as a forward-deployed unit under the command of U.S. Army Europe and Africa. Recently, it has played a crucial role in supporting NATO initiatives, including participating in training exercises in Ukraine just before the Russian invasion in early 2022.

This incident follows other recent high-profile removals of military leaders, reinforcing the message that lapses in judgment, particularly those involving substance abuse, are incompatible with the responsibilities of senior military leadership.

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