A viral photo snapped inside a Fort McCoy facility has stirred online outrage after eagle-eyed service members and veterans noticed something glaringly absent: the official portraits of President Donald J. Trump and newly confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Instead of proudly displayed images of the Commander-in-Chief and SecDef, the frames appeared turned around, face-down against the wall.
Conservative circles on X (formerly Twitter) and other social platforms exploded with claims that the base’s new Garrison Commander, Col. Sheyla Baez Ramirez, intentionally defied longstanding Army protocol by refusing to display the portraits — a visible tradition observed across every installation in the force.
Under Army Regulation, portraits of the sitting President and Secretary of Defense are to be posted in high-traffic command buildings and official spaces. The viral image, which appears to show a deliberate omission, has led to calls for Col. Baez’s removal, with hundreds of users accusing her of letting politics override duty.
How the fuck does an officer commissioned since 2000 and through the entirety of the GWOT not have a single deployment? Like, you have to actively work to avoid deployement to make that happen. How does this person not get separated but gets promoted to O6 instead? pic.twitter.com/IcWYko8rRq
— Brand al'Thor (@HammerheadA2) April 14, 2025
Some defenders of the colonel suggested the issue might stem from bureaucratic delays — namely, that Fort McCoy had yet to receive updated portraits following Hegseth’s recent Senate confirmation. Others, however, allege the frames were already on hand and deliberately hidden, citing insider claims that Col. Baez had them turned to face the wall.
The Army has not released an official statement clarifying the situation.
Who Is Col. Sheyla Baez Ramirez?
Col. Baez Ramirez took command of Fort McCoy on July 19, 2024, just months before the viral incident. A career military intelligence officer with a string of high-level assignments under her belt, Baez has held key roles at Fort Belvoir, Camp Humphreys, and Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg), among others. Her record includes humanitarian work, cyber operations, and leadership of intelligence units both stateside and abroad.
Some veterans were quick to point out that, despite more than two decades of sustained combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, she appears to have never deployed to a combat zone. Her service record also shows no Bronze Star — a common award for combat deployments — and her only overseas campaign medals are the Korean Defense Service Medal and the NATO Medal (Yugoslavia).
A native of Puerto Rico, she holds a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College and brings 25 years of experience in uniform. At her first town hall in July, Baez emphasized her people-first philosophy, urging everyone on post — military, civilian, and contractor alike — to lead from wherever they stand.
“I care about people,” she told the audience during the change of command ceremony. “You are the center of gravity of what we do.”
While Baez spoke of inspiration, community outreach, and mission focus, critics now accuse her of politicizing her role, suggesting that her refusal to display Trump and Hegseth’s portraits is a quiet act of resistance — one unbecoming of a commander entrusted with representing the Army in the public eye.
Fort McCoy: A Small Base in the National Spotlight
Fort McCoy, located in the heart of Wisconsin, is the Army’s only installation in the state. Though small by active-duty standards, it plays a critical role as a Total Force Training Center, supporting over 100,000 service members from all branches annually.
It’s not often a base like McCoy finds itself in the national spotlight — and certainly not for something as symbolic as framed portraits. But in a hyper-polarized environment where military neutrality is more scrutinized than ever, even the positioning of a picture frame can launch a firestorm.
What Happens Next?
Whether the omission was an oversight, a logistical hiccup, or a deliberate act of protest remains to be seen. If the latter proves true, it would mark a serious breach of military custom — one that may prompt disciplinary review or even command repercussions.
The Salty Soldier reached out to Fort McCoy for comment early Saturday morning. However, due to it being the weekend, we do not expect an official response until Monday at the earliest.
On April 14, the Army Reserve confirmed the photograph of the missing/turned around photos was real.
“The Fort McCoy leadership team and the Army Reserve were unaware of the vandalism of the Leadership Board at a building on Fort McCoy, WI,” the statement read. “Once it was brought to their attention, the leadership at Fort McCoy took immediate action to correct it. Additionally, the command initiated an investigation to determine the facts and circumstances surrounding this incident.”
In a time when Americans — especially veterans — are looking to their military leaders for accountability, transparency, and tradition, many are watching closely to see what leadership looks like when the walls go bare.
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