I was an aide and later exec to a 2 star for 3 years in the Air Force. There is not one surprise in this piece! This is what you do, so let’s be real here it comes with the job.
3
Did this general attend the Scott Pruitt School of Perks?
7
I have not been in military and know few military folks.
But this officer did in a private corporation - he would be fired on the spot.
Sure, these officers need aides as it is a historical baggage within military for a long time.
But these are modern times and as it turns out there are indeed rules against this type of behavior.
Unfortunately, knowing recent patterns of Pentagon brass - where protecting pension and benefits over ride anything else - this officer will get off easy.
They will let him quietly retire.
He will move to DC
And as a lobbyist for rich contractors - will make handsome living.
Unfortunately for tax payers - our congress is so enamored with Pentagon that nothing will come out of it.
what types of jobs would an aide normally do?
I keep waiting for the "and" in this. SO WHAT? I was the Exec for an Army General a few decades ago. As a Captain I was making $40,000 a year. He was making $250,000 a year. I told him the first day, "Sir, your time is more expensive than mine. My job is to make your job easier. If you need me to get your car washed or to order your wife some flowers and pick them up or whatever, DONE. He gave me his personal credit card to order Diet Pepsi for his fridge and take care of that stuff. EASY JOB. Just crazy to me that people are so easily offended.
3
Aides should not be changing a general's sheets, nor paying for the General's $6 haircuts.
He literally got in trouble for this, bc it's against the rules. So speaking up and enforcing rules and regulations is now being "easily offended?"
I'm glad I never served with you.
18
". Just crazy to me that people are so easily offended."
Right, the idea of morals and standards in an Army job is nuts, right?
8
Courtmartial this guy ; he deserves to be thrown out of the military, stripped of his pension. He needs to start feeling a little bit humble.
2
I wonder what was going through this officer's head each time he decided to use a subordinate like a butler. Did he believe that with rank comes privilege? Did he believe that he had 'earned' such favors thanks to his ongoing service to our country? Did he genuinely not care about dragging the image of the Marines through the mud when recruitment numbers are down across all branches? It would be nice to know if he had any other response besides that unrepentant reference to how having a soldier as a servant enabled him to focus on "killing and the annihilation of ISIS/ISIL from Iraq,” but that seems unlikely.
16
Trumps next Military Advisor. In charge of manpower and budgeting.
Seriously.
8
Bad taste with a female aid. Probably treating him like his wife. Probably a bad idea to have a young female aid to a general.....in fact, the entire military is obsolete and the whole thing should be downsized as we move to a globalized world. The trillion per year defense budget would be better spent in Sub Saharan Africa or Central America providing schooling, food and health care for the starving masses.
14
My thought is “would he have asked the same of a male aide?”
14
Your comment is what continues to keep women out of positions of power. The article notes that these assistant roles are crucial for “up and coming” junior officers. If the senior men cannot handle having women assistants, then the women will never reach the ranks to stop this garbage from continuing. If a general cannot act appropriately with an assistant of any gender, he shouldn’t be a general.
5
Ah yes, the higher ups in govt once again trying to prove they are in the 1%. As federal employee, I see this all the time
16
You got it. Ever notice that when offenders are Federal there are rarely any consequences given other than it being brought to someone's attention or improvements are being made in the Unit/Agency. It's so blatantly lame, it's beyond belief. The Federal Government is very good at protecting itself as the golden calf & shielding their Internal rogues by shelving details under their over used, worn out & ever so convenient Fort called "classified or Legal Confidentiality. If it were you or I, it would be front page news. The testimony of FBI-Wray & IG-Horowitz to the Senate Judiciary Committee was a classic example. Abysmal with no concrete indications of indictments or consequences. The usual.
1