LOL At this stage of my life I can only shake my head. I can recall a time when this would have made me crazy.
I remember when as an E-5 with no contracting authority that if I accepted more than a coffee cup or a pocket protector from a civilian tech rep I could go to prison,
"On Tuesday, we learned that four-star Gen. William “Kip” Ward, former head of Africa Command, will lose a star and pay a fine of $82,000 for cheating on government travel. Had Sgt. Peters done that, I would have gotten a dishonorable discharge and, probably, jail time.
Incredibly, Ward’s fellow generals closed ranks and argued it was unfair to take away a star because that would reduce Ward’s annual retirement pay by $30,000. Jumpin’ Jeepers in Jerusalem, Batman! The guy still gets over $200,000 a year in retired pay, plus the inevitable defense-industry handouts. And his buddy generals think it’s unfair to bust this jerk one grade?
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta — a good man — had to insist that Ward lose at least one star.
Every service has been hit by flag-officer scandals in recent years. One or two might be explained away, but there’s clearly a crisis of ethics atop our military.
Instead of going easier on the generals, they should face harsher penalties than the captains. Generals know better. But their sense of entitlement has murdered their sense of duty, honor, country.
Ralph Peters is Fox News’ Strategic Analyst and the author of “Cain at Gettysburg.”"
I think our whole echelon of leadership has this problem (Congress, CEOs), and it's why we need more turnover. Power corrupts, and his point that those at the top need to be handed stricter, harsher punishments I absolutely agree with.
"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
