Graft in the Military

Graft in the Military

While in Officer Training School I applied for a position as an Ethics Review Officer. Considering recent revelations, it’s probably a good thing I didn’t get that post. ~ Don Chapin

• The Pentagon’s Massive Accounting Fraud Exposed 

As reported at https://www.thenation.com/article/pentagon-audit-budget-fraud/

The long-awaited, Congressionally mandated DoD audit has been concluded, and $21 trillion of Pentagon financial transactions between 1998 and 2015 could not be traced, documented, or explained.

Quote from “The Nation”:

“For decades, the DoD’s leaders and accountants have been perpetrating a gigantic, unconstitutional accounting fraud, deliberately cooking the books to mislead the Congress and drive the DoD’s budgets ever higher, regardless of military necessity. DoD has literally been making up numbers in its annual financial reports to Congress—representing trillions of dollars’ worth of seemingly nonexistent transactions—knowing that Congress would rely on those misleading reports when deciding how much money to give the DoD the following year, according to government records and interviews with current and former DoD officials, congressional sources, and independent experts.”

• Senior military officials sanctioned for more than 500 cases of serious misconduct

As reported at https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/10/24/generals- sex-misconduct-pentagon-army-sanctions-hagel-gillibrand/794770001/

Quote from USA Today:

“What prompts these men at the pinnacle of their profession to take reckless risks with their families, careers and reputations? Several factors play a role, according to members of Congress, former top officials and officers. There is often a sense of entitlement that can stem from bosses with eager-to-please staffs and some military.leaders who view themselves as royalty, according to a former top military prosecutor.”

• Michael Flynn, a retired United States Army Lieutenant General , was President Trump’s former national security adviser, pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI.

With the stories above, is Flynn’s behavior any wonder?

Don’s Story

As a Second Lt (a ‘mustang,’ as the Army and Marines call it… being ‘demoted’ from SSgt to 2Lt as a result of an MS in aerospace engineering) and stationed at Wright Patterson AFB near Dayton, OH, I had a one-day assignment to the clothing design unit stationed there (I don’t remember the official name) where all new and special uniforms are designed for the Air Force. I was assigned to model a uniform to which they had affixed a one-star general’s rank and supporting medals. Of course pilot’s wings were included because you DO NOT get to that rank in the USAF without being ‘rated!’ (The other military branches also have their own ‘ring pass not’ criteria.) The ONE exception I saw was a one-star general who was trotted out during my USAF officer training as an exception. However, checking his bio, he had joined the USAF after earning an engineering PhD from MIT (HUH?).

Going to the Officer’s Club for lunch, there was one REAL colonel glancing very closely at my real name tag, the star on my shoulders and the ‘medals’ I’d supposedly ‘acquired.’ He finally got up the courage to ask me when I’d ‘made rank.’ Apparently (as an example of the political aspects of military promotions), as he explained with relief, he tracked the names and bios of his ‘competition’ for one-star rank and couldn’t ‘place’ my real name anywhere in that group, past or present…is that how he spent his time?

What Does This Mean For You?

Politics in the commissioned officer military is just as important for advancement as it is in the ‘outside/civilian’ world. Ergo, follow the orders, whatever they may be, or play the politics. In the enlisted ranks, technical-level tests (particularly in the Navy and USAF), achievements, and education—as well as some politics—are keys to advancement.

Also, know that the nature of warfare is constantly changing. From the guerilla warfare our farmer-soldiers used against the British and German forces in our own Revolution and which was successfully used against us in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan to the drones and Special Forces assassination squads we use today, the nature, technology and practice of killing others is constantly changing (i.e. becoming increasingly efficient). What hasn’t changed, long before and since then, is what Major General Smedley Butler wrote about back in the 1930s in his book, “War Is A Racket.” (Links to our post with a downloadable version of Butler’s book)

Understand, as you choose to browse among the categories offered, we cannot include all the references we’ve used through the years, simply because there are FAR too many and there just isn’t enough room. However, here is one brief yet important article you really should read from our sister site, light-path-resources.org, whether you are deciding whether or not to enlist or you already have: A Spiritual Directive, Avoid Giving Away Your Spiritual Power.