What's the biggest crock of s*** that you've seen done by an officer?

I'll start. I won't say his name, and he is not an Aggie.

2004 Anbar Prov. Iraq. USMC Capt Dbag put himself in for himself and received a Purple Heart for "temporary hearing loss" after an IED went off near his vehicle.

None of the other four Marines in the vehicle sustained or reported any injuries.

Needless to say, this made for an awkward awards cermony where many Marines in attendance had sudden uncontrollable coughing fits.

I saw Major Frank Burns win a Purple Heart for taking egg shell fragments

Carswell AFB, 1954. My mother is sitting on a bench in front of the commissary. A young airman walks out with a bag of groceries in each arm. A butterbar passes, the airman says "Good afternoon, sir" The Lt says "Put those bags down on the bench, airman!" He places them next to my mother. The officer then proceeded to chew his ass for not saluting him and made him salute 100 times and keep count. A Colonel was watching from inside the door and stepped out. "Leutenant, You know damned good and well that when a man's hands are full then a verbal greeting is sufficient. One thing you failed to do is return his salute, so I want you to stand there and return his salute 100 times and keep count. Then you can carry his groceries to his car for him."

It was all she could do to keep a straight face.....

someone knows the story of Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller and is trying to change it for the Air Force

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What's the biggest crock of s*** that you've seen done by an officer?

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I remember a Command Sergeant Major in USAREC that, despite being known as a completely toxic leader as a station commander, and as a First Sergeant, was promoted to E9 and given a Recruiting Battalion.

During the daily conference calls about production, he treated one of his E6's like a private, told him he was worthless and that he didn't deserve to wear his COMBAT PATCH (regardless of the fact that this Sergeant Major never served in combat and the Staff Sergeant had done 3 tours in Iraq and Afghanistan). In one of the meetings, he called him a worthless piece of **** and insinuated that maybe he should just off himself.

That's exactly what that NCO did. It was the fourth suicide in that Battalion since the arrival of that Command Sergeant Major and prompted an investigation led by Senator Cornyn and a complete overhaul of the USAREC work hours by the Commanding General as a result of the findings.

What was the worst thing an Officer did? That E9's Battalion Commander not only did not put a stop to it; he enabled it.

All but 2 of the companies were accomplishing well over 100% of their assigned mission with the other two accomplishing 90% or above, both at 33% strength.

You want bad leadership? Get an 79R E9 who thinks he can do no wrong and isn't put in his place.

I would have to say it was the time my Battalion CO decide he wanted to call a no notice roll out alert during a winter storm to show the post commander we could deploy under any conditions. 4 inches of ice on all the roads and only mission essential personnel who lived on post to report for duty, per the post commander. Our XO was on TDY and I was the senior staff officer in the Bn. I tried to talk him out of it (I lived 45 minutes from post) and when he was adamant, I told him I would make the call to the Bn HQ to initiate the alert (it was, after all, a lawful order) but my second call would be to Post HQ to let them know what was going on. After I told him that he backed down. I won't go into the meeting we had later. My actions could easily have gotten me court martialed but for some strange reason, the Bn CO liked me.

My LT in Iraq left the wire without his M4. He made the gunner of his HMMWV give him his weapon--a SAW.

I saw my share during my 21 year AF career, but none even compares to the "military war record" crap that John Kerry tried to foist on the American public.

/\ End thread. He should have never been in a position to lead, military or civilian. It's an absolute disgrace that anyone had to salute that sack of ****. Kerry and Watada are probably the two worst officers in the history of the United States military.

[This message has been edited by Ag of Northern Virginia (edited 3/4/2011 3:20p).]

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Kerry and Watada are probably the two worst officers in the history of the United States military.

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Not even close. You're forgetting "Major" Nadal Hasan.

/\ Wow. How did I leave him out? Hasan is inarguably the worst.

[This message has been edited by Ag of Northern Virginia (edited 3/5/2011 12:27a).]

Moral of the story here folks is that both officers and enlisted are both equally capable of being d-bags. I have served as both an em and an o type and can corroborate this as a fact so let's not just pick on one side and start another one of those us vs. them threads k, thanks.

I worked in an Acquisition unit (62E). While I was there, the CO retired and immediately went to work for our prime contractor...our sole sourced prime contractor.

I don't really need to say anything else, but I will leave you with this amusing telecon exchange that took place shortly thereafter:

Program Manager: ...and that's how we got to this point.

Ex CO: What dumbass made that decision?

<Awkward silence ensues>

PM: ...Uh...You did...

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Moral of the story here folks is that both officers and enlisted are both equally capable of being d-bags. I have served as both an em and an o type and can corroborate this as a fact so let's not just pick on one side and start another one of those us vs. them threads k, thanks.

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despite OP's intent, this is the truth

There was a Marine Major in NROTC at the Trigon in 02-03 who liked to hang out on the Quad and chew the ass of any cadet who didn't salute him if they came within 50 yards of his position. He did it especially if they turned and went another direction (i.e. made a corner). He would chase them down and make them salute him.

He did that to me one day when I was a zip and the conversation went something like this:

Him: (running up to me) Are you going to salute me or not?

Me: Pardon me, sir. (I stop and render the appropriate salute)

Him: Why the F didn't you salute me back there?

Me: Sir, you were about 120 feet away from me and I was going another direction.

Him: I don't give a F. Don't you know I'm a GD commissioned officer?

Me: Sir, in four years on active duty and three in the Corps, this is the first time an officer ever found it necessary to say that to me. Are you reminding ME or reminding YOURSELF that you're an officer? If you'll excuse me, sir, I need to get to class. (render salute)

He was pissed, but the commandant liked me and knew the guy was a dbag, so nothing ever came of it. But really - the guy was like a fresh butterbar running around enlisted basic training.

dp

[This message has been edited by Scimitar (edited 3/6/2011 12:16a).]

I think I know the MOI you mentioned...IIRC, he went on to MARSOC in Fla after A&M....hardly a d-bag billet

[This message has been edited by Scimitar (edited 3/6/2011 8:24a).]

I always did, and it was standard practice when I was on the Quad.

The guy had a Hispanic surname begining with R

I take that back...sorry, took me a second..I know who you're talking about...never heard anything bad about him

[This message has been edited by Scimitar (edited 3/6/2011 12:26a).]

I don't know, I always saw Cadets saluting. Its usually the fish who end up getting caught like deer in the headlights and forget what to do.

I always saluted and rendered greeting, even greeted enlisted personnel.

Ah, the salute argument. You know, when I went through basic training at FT Benning we were taught to salute about 6 paces (give or take I can't exactly remember)from an officer when we saw one. Of course I was assigned to the 82nd Airborne were we were told we had to salute officers upon recognition which led to some awkward moments of yelling "All the way Sir!!!" across parade fields and such. When I was a LT at FT Hood in the CAV I often had Soldiers stare at the ground as they passed by me and I would indeed stop and correct them....

When I did, I would tell them this though. The hand salute is a MUTUAL display of respect, I take just as much pride in saluting you back. You are a Soldier, the pride and joy of America. Thank you for your service (then I would salute them first). This always seem to work rather well (I could tell by the look in their eye, and because, you know, it's true!) On a daily basis I try and always initiate a salute when I pass subordinates, they get theirs up quick that way but also because I love our Army and I'm damn proud of the Soldiers that make it so special.






We keep you alive to serve this ship. Row well, and live!

CAVgrunt,

Thats good stuff man. So many young Soldiers have no concept that a salute is a mutual show of respect.

Good on ya.

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Ah, the salute argument. You know, when I went through basic training at FT Benning we were taught to salute about 6 paces (give or take I can't exactly remember)from an officer when we saw one. Of course I was assigned to the 82nd Airborne were we were told we had to salute officers upon recognition which led to some awkward moments of yelling "All the way Sir!!!" across parade fields and such. When I was a LT at FT Hood in the CAV I often had Soldiers stare at the ground as they passed by me and I would indeed stop and correct them....

When I did, I would tell them this though. The hand salute is a MUTUAL display of respect, I take just as much pride in saluting you back. You are a Soldier, the pride and joy of America. Thank you for your service (then I would salute them first). This always seem to work rather well (I could tell by the look in their eye, and because, you know, it's true!) On a daily basis I try and always initiate a salute when I pass subordinates, they get theirs up quick that way but also because I love our Army and I'm damn proud of the Soldiers that make it so special.

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You know how many officers forget the salute and what it means? Probably none, because officers are perfect and only enlisted would be stupid enough to make that kind of mistake. Right?

Thanks for stopping by to let us know how great y'all are.



[This message has been edited by cottonbeltboy (edited 3/7/2011 3:18a).]

You sure put that Field Grade in his place.

Successful troll.

Cottonbelt,

E1-E3 do have a tendency to not understand that the salute works both ways. No one is being critical of the enlisted folks.

I salute you gentlemen for this fine thread.

This thread has turned into a fine metaphor for the representation of the ontological asymmetry which shapes this whole matter. Well done lads!

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USMC Capt Dbag put himself in for himself and received a Purple Heart for "temporary hearing loss" after an IED went off near his vehicle

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If that's the case I need to put in for a retroactive Purple Heart. Gotta get that new license plate.

One that I remember in particular was my BN XO, when I was the S-4, order me to steal four generator lights sets out of Iraq when we redployed. All property was supposed to be given to incoming units for actual use, but he wanted to take them back to Ft. Riley "in case we got sent to Kosovo or Bosnia next year." I happened to mention it to the Property Book Officer in Kuwait and they came by and promptly took them off of our hands.

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USMC Capt Dbag put himself in for himself and received a Purple Heart for "temporary hearing loss"

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I have a cousin who was a medic in 'Nam. He claims to know a guy who was hauling @$$ to a bunker during a VC rocket attack. Said guy tripped, caught himself on his hands and skinned his palms on the ground. Supposedly received a PH.

Wonder how he tells that story to the grand-kids.

Cavgrunt, thanks for that.

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One that I remember in particular was my BN XO, when I was the S-4, order me to steal four generator lights sets out of Iraq when we redployed. All property was supposed to be given to incoming units for actual use, but he wanted to take them back to Ft. Riley "in case we got sent to Kosovo or Bosnia next year." I happened to mention it to the Property Book Officer in Kuwait and they came by and promptly took them off of our hands.

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I had a similar XO. He told me to put a commercial wireless access point off of the SIPRNET feed from our SEN. I told him that it was an unlawful order, illegal under AR 25-2. He said that "I'm an Infantryman, that regulation doesn't apply to me because it's a Sigo reg." I wrote a memorandum with his signature block directed to the Signal Battalion Commander informing him that, despite being aptly warned about the legal ramifications of this particular action, I (the XO's name) still insist on ordering my S6 to do this. I told him that I wasn't going to jail for him and that I'd only do it if he signed the memorandum.

Needless to say, he didn't get his wireless SIPRNET.

This same ass clown kept trying to go into the SEN shelter. I told their team leader to call their Battalion S3, XO, and CDR directly if it happened again and made sure my XO heard me say it. He also threatened to fire me when I told him it would take about a week to fully install an internet and phone center straight out of the box with 20 computers and 8 VOIP phones, including at least 2-3 to acquire the satellite and another 2 to ensure the proper configurations were made. Took me 6 days per system...next fastest in theater was 9 days and that S6 got an impact award...go figure.

I hope for the sake of his Soldiers that the person in question either retired or has changed his ways if the Army is stupid enough to make him a Brigade Commander. He's one of two people in the entire military that I cannot stand to be in the same room with.

[This message has been edited by CGSC Lobotomy (edited 3/9/2011 1:00p).]

At the risk of highjacking this thread (apologies in advance), the posts about jerk officers and Army equipment make me laugh.

I'm a retired AF weather weenie, and many of my friends over the years were assigned to Army support. (I never had that pleasure.)

There was a basically a "standing order" for weather weenies newly assigned to Army support billets:

DON'T SIGN ANY DOCUMENT TRANSFERRING ARMY EQUIPMENT TO YOUR UNIT WITHOUT SCOURING IT FROM BEGINNING TO END!

Apparently, Army folks were wont to add missing and/or unaccountable equipment to inventories assigned to weather weenie units and get some gullible newbie to sign off on it.

And no, I'm not making this up.

CGSC - the last I heard, that XO was a PMS for some ROTC program in North Carolina. Leading cadets in the wrong direction. I was a SC guy stuck in an FSB because we had nothing larger than a Signal Company at Riley.

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CGSC - the last I heard, that XO was a PMS for some ROTC program in North Carolina

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That's too bad. My idiot was a West Pointer as well.

The 0-6 CO at my last assignment (several months after I left) had a senior civilian whose clearance had expired and there was a delay in renewing it. This was an intel shop that dealt with some very specialized access programs.

The CO figured the clearance renewal would be a quick rubber stamp, so he decided to let the civilian keep his badge and his access to highly classified information and programs. Sure enough, there was a snag due to some questionable overseas travel and DIA ended up needing to take a closer look at the guy. They quickly realized he had access to the facility for a full two months without a valid clearance.

The CO had been on track for a star and it all disintegrated in front of his very eyes.