Colonels gone wild
According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, Air Force Colonel Eugene Marcus Caughey is facing charges of rape, assault and adultery, as well as taking nasty selfies. Caughey was the vice commander of the 50th Space Wing at Schriever Air Force Base and the charges date back to events that occurred years ago.
A 23-year Air Force veteran, Caughey was an up-and-coming space officer whose responsibilities had included running a 22-nation missile defense wargame in 2014 for U.S. Strategic Command. At Schriever, he was the No. 2 officer in the wing, which oversees the military’s constellation of navigation and communication satellites.
He was also a survivor of the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon….
Need an Army colonel’s career? Well, there’s Colonel Christopher Vanek, the former commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment. The Army Times reports that there was a bunch of sordid stuff that went on at officers’ functions that some wives didn’t like;
An impromptu round of “The Newlywed Game,” a Hollywood-themed party, at least two overpriced hotel room bills, and a tandem skydiving jump with a civilian were among the allegations of misconduct levied against the former commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
The allegations against Col. Christopher Vanek were outlined in an Army Regulation 15-6 investigation. Army Times obtained the report via the Freedom of Information Act.
Vanek was reprimanded as a result of the investigation. An Army official who spoke on background to Army Times said Vanek received a general officer letter of reprimand, which can often be a career killer.
Vanek relinquished command of the 75th Ranger Regiment, the Army’s elite raid force, in June. He is now the assistant chief of staff for U.S. Africa Command.
There’s a more in depth description of the behavior that got Colonel Vanek fired at the link. By all accounts, he was a very good combat leader, evidenced by that assignment.
Thanks to Bobo for the links.
Category: Dumbass Bullshit
Holy Shit!
I’d have to ask the question why a retirement eligible field grade officer isn’t immediately referred to a selective early retirement board when they receive a GOMOR? There are more than enough professionally qualified MAJ/LTC/COLs serving without stepping on their appendage to keep one who didn’t.
My guess would be scheduling and procedural issues for the board, L4C. It’s my understanding that setting up any board like that takes a bit of time. And referring someone out-of-cycle who’d already been through the prescreening process once might not be a good idea from a legal perspective.
My guess is COL Vanek is now a prime candidate for the next SERB board for his grade if he doesn’t put in his paperwork retire before then. I believe there’s also a chance he could be recommended for an admin elimination based on the 15-6 results (would have to check the reg on that to see for sure; I seem to remember that can happen, but can’t remember the details). However, the misconduct in his case doesn’t IMO seem egregious or serious enough for that to happen. It seems to me more a string of “sins by omission” than deliberate wrongdoing.
The AF Colonel, in contrast, may well be toast – particularly if his case goes to trial. Even if it doesn’t, I’m guessing he’s going nowhere from here on.
You are likely correct. While its easy to hold and out of cycle board (supplemental boards are done all the time as part of regular board processes), its not quite as easy when you are talking O-6’s and must have board members that are GOs.
Perhaps I’m more surprised that they gave him a joint/nominative position that could have been filled by an officer in greater need of that developmental billet. I’d think it would be better to send him to be the Senior Army Adviser to the American Samoa National Guard or US Army liaison officer at the Naval Station Diego Garcia.
well if walls could talk Lol…
Sad… the “little head” doing all of the thinking instead of the “big head”. But, military justice will take care of this “fairly”, right???
If you believe that, I’ve got some beachfront property in Arizona that I’d like to see you…
beachfront property???? in Yuma or lake havasu????? 🙂
Willcox maybe?
does that Playa ever have water in it ????
and is the salt content high because I’m game !!!!!
It’s pretty much all beach and no surf lol
http://www.azheritagewaters.nau.edu/loc_wilcox_playa.html
Actually, I’ve seen Wilcox Playa with water in part of it. Don’t think any of it was more than a couple of feet deep, though. Believe that was in the mid- or late-1990s.
That’s about right during monsoon. You really don’t want to drive out there, there’s a ton of UXO and it’s a swamp under the crust. It’ll swallow your truck.
Lots and Lots
And a huge number of sandhill cranes
Never did try to drive on it. The time I mentioned above, I could see the water from I-10. As I recall, that year did have an unusually wet monsoon season.
Vanek received a general officer letter of reprimand, which can often be a career killer.
“Often”…..hahaha
Holden
I guess DOD is really missing. You know everybody in both Col’s new Commands are saying in their heads. “I have to take orders from this asshole” How effective a leader are they noe. They have already proven they were lacking in that department.
Well I guess he will not be able to qual as a Space Shuttle Door Gunner anymore, such a shame.
9/11 Terror Attack at the Pentagon PTSD Made me do it in 3…….2……1…..
Nasty selfies and all that other stuff? Misbehavior at a party, among other things?
So these two guys are skanks, after all.
It actually sounds like the 1960s redux. I guess nothing has really changed.
All those PPPs are a waste of tax money, after all.
COL Vanek’s a stud, I have been to cavalry balls in the National Guard with worse shenanigans than allegedly happened at the Ranger Regimental ball. Besides, if you read the report, when the ‘worst of it’ took place, he was out getting more food because the caterer ran out. His only sin was not micromanaging the finest soldiers in the world when they were letting off some steam.
Yeah.
All I have ever heard is that he is a great guy and leader.
But on the flip side, if you want to play, do it AWAY from folks.
Out of sight usually equals no harm and no foul.
Re: COL Vanek – you work hard and you play hard. No animals were harmed, no missions compromised and the command climate described as good.
Rock on.
Yup. The AF COL deserves to spend time at Leavenworth. COL Vanek managed to get caught up in the wrath of the wife’s club PC police. If you think things are getting out of hand, go talk to the commander while it’s happening or vote with your feet and leave. If it’s not illegal or immoral, it doesn’t need to be taken outside the command. Compared to some of the stuff that happened in my command circa 1990, this would have been considered a slow Friday night, and I wasn’t a high speed low drag guy who spent 200+ days a year either in the field training or deployed.
Bobo, this is peanuts compared to stuff that happened in the 1960s, and most of that was on-base, at the various EM and O clubs.
True, Ex-PH2. But times have changed – as have what is acceptable and what is not.
DUIs and other significant alcohol-related events were at one time often survivable. Not any more.
And when members of a unit screw up in public, often the unit’s chain-of-command also pays for it.
I agree Hondo. God knows some of the crap I did as a wild ass Private would result in a pair of handcuffs and a dose of wooden shampoo today. Clearly Col Vanek was being groomed as a future Flag Officer.It’s unfortunate but there is no way he can recover from a General Officers Letter of Reprimand in todays military. From reading the article IMO in some of the incidents he was let down by some of his subordinates. The incident of the civilian tandem jump during a HALO trainup I’d bet money the female civilian was one of the guys wife or girlfriend. I’ve seen crazy shit like that back in the day (not the jump incident) of guys bringing civilians / dependents out to a range and letting them shoot. Range control is none the wiser to them they are just another soldier in a flight suit or fatigues sending lead down range. I don’t envy the many obstacles and career whirlpools soldiers must navigate but it is the operational environment today.
There was a day when it seemed like you had to have something like this in your record to get selected to Chief. By the time I made it, I was the exception. While getting to know the genuine Chiefs during my initiation (stole all of their service records from the ship’s office), it turned out that only 1 Chief on the ship had an NJP during his career and I was the only selectee with an NJP (three to be precise, two resulting in busts). Definitely the exception =).
COL Vanek’s stuff is so tame but absolutely right on for this PC crazy military of ours. I remember goingons at Korea hail and fairwells, as well as dancing on the DIVARTY Commanders roof after a hard night at the club in 1991. Good lord. What hath we wrought. Glad I retired in 2014.
Unfortunately, the military also requires you to behave in a professional manner.
Work hard, play hard is not enough. It is “discipline” and military bearing that set us apart.
No doubt another round of power point presentations will be composed for presentation to the enlisted ranks due to the inability of the senior rank to control their own primitive desires.
I’d like to tell you that I never see this horseshit in the dreaded private sector, but I’d be lying my ass off. One of my guys just went off the reservation with a female friend and ruined both marriages and managed to fuck up his job in the process due to absences, leaving early, inability to function etc…he’s on an unpaid leave of absence at this point, it remains to be seen if he can get his shit back together and come to work as a once again valued employee. Unlike the military I’m under no obligation to keep someone around who’s become a fucking
Bad marriages often make otherwise decent people act very thoughtlessly. The best advice I can offer people is when things aren’t going good at home either fix it or end it, but don’t go playing adulterer it just never works out well for anyone especially if you have kids.
The responses here are silly. Nothing that happened there isn’t something that didn’t happen when I was in, with the exception of over-charging hotel rooms or the jump training incident. Wild parties and foul language/topics are a part of Army life.
If the civilian population can’t accept that the men we send on the most dangerous missions (Rangers) are rough around the edges, then fuck the offended party, not the Rangers or their Commander.
I do not want a bunch of prissy man-babies who are worried about “offending” someone on the front lines in battle. I want guys who drink too much, have 3 ex-wives (and 8 girlfriends…at the same time )and insert “fuck” into every sentence.
It was a bunch of criminals and rogues who held the line against Marshal Ney’s cavalry charge at Waterloo. For most of them, it was their first battle since being recruited from the worst parts of London.
Yet it was drunks, thugs, rogues and whoremongers who not only held their infantry squares against the French Cavalry, but it was the same men who held the center when Napoloen put in his Imperial Guard just before the full arrival of the Prussians.
Except that these men and women agree to abide by specific set of rules. Man-babies or no the expectation is that you honor your agreement. That’s what honorable men and women are expected to do.
I don’t expect them to be choirboys either, but I expect them to be able to honor their word.
Adultery is a crime under the UCMJ whether we believe it should be or not is irrelevant at the moment because the current rules are the current rules.
Conduct unbecoming an officer is still conduct unbecoming an officer.
What’s acceptable when you are a private or 2nd lieutenant is hardly acceptable when you become a senior NCO or senior officer. That’s reality.
Just my opinion of course, it’s not worth much more than $0.02….
“Take me to the Brig. I want to see the “real Marines”.
Chesty got it.
We aren’t no thin red ‘eroes, nor we aren’t no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An’ if sometimes our conduck isn’t all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don’t grow into plaster saints;
While it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, fall be’ind”,
But it’s “Please to walk in front, sir”, when there’s trouble in the wind,
There’s trouble in the wind, my boys, there’s trouble in the wind,
O it’s “Please to walk in front, sir”, when there’s trouble in the wind.
Too many want the pristine Soldiers and don’t expect us to play hard…Kipling got it. I expect good conduct from a COL, but this is lame PC crap indeed, but all too typical nowadays.
Well said, totally agree with you.
No excuses.
Silly? I disagree. When you agree to a set of rules and values and then you don’t honor that agreement you pay the price. I don’t expect any military member to be pristine, but I do expect them to act like professional soldiers. And whether you agree with it or not the higher in rank you are the more it’s expected.
About half of Wellington’s army was German Or Dutch
More like 2/3 for the infantry: http://napoleonistyka.atspace.com/Waterloo_myths_2.html
Beer pong, Hollywood themed costumes, Newlywed Game oh the horror. If theses pearl clutching saints saw what goes on at the barracks on a given weekend they’d really faint. Everything under the sun short of ritual sacrifice. Utter chaos. This was probably because some uptight squawking FRG bitch saw everybody having too much fun. She had to do something. Her husband is a Major that works in the S shop after all. This guy doesn’t deserve to lose his career over this shit.
breaking news
https://www.facebook.com/USVetsFoundation/photos/a.727236894032384.1073741829.722509867838420/963751047047633/?type=3
It’s an American Tragedy when a Sheepdog Warrior is sacrificed by the lambs that he protects. He keeps them save and gives them the “freedom of speech” that they use against him. Shame on the author that not only has the audacity to write about this but to actually put their name on it as well. This is another example of our Political system that has bled into our military to destroy the Exceptional Leaders that we have left. People need to read this article and remember where they have been spending their time and lives for the past ten years while Colonel Chris Vanek has dedicated his life to leading our Nation’s finest and most daring soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq time and time again. He has been deployed in combat zones longer than he has been at home with his wife over the last decade yet others that choose a safer kinder life have the guts to ridicule him with this BS Investigation. I have served for and with Colonel Vanek since 1994 and he is by far the most Honorable, Professional soldier and Officer that I have ever had the honor to serve with. Questioning his integrity is non-sense. Ask any warrior that has served with him and they will tell you the same. Colonel Vanek is a soldiers Officer and has always and will always uphold the Ranger standard regardless of the adversity or challenges thrown against him. The United States is great ONLY because of men like Colonel Vanek. I pray that anyone who reads about this political BS will know in their heart that it isn’t worth the time spent in the investigation but they will be thankful that our beloved country has men like Colonel Chris Vanek being the Sheepdog that watches over us as we sleep. These accusations should be thrown away along with the general letter of reprimand by the Commanding General of USASOC.
I’ve read all of what everyone has said and I have to say horse shit. This men a human and they have a right like all other men to blow of stem. If the general public isn’t crucified for adultery or letting loss at a party then neither should our military men and women regardless of rank. So what if they had an affair like it not been happening for 100 of years big f..ing deal. Or throwing wild party’s that get out of control. People with there high tootie moral should throw stone in glass houses because chances are they aren’t perfect. People also shouldn’t judge others either before they know all the facts either. I bet with the Colonel some lame as bitch found out he was married or his ex found out about his affairs and threw a fit and made up some chump up charges just to ruin a man’s career and for what, revenge, some sick ass sense of gratification. Hell 50% of the military is doing something that doesn’t meet with proper code of conduct I’m sure, but what they don’t know can’t hurt them right. But if the truth came out of what really was going on with other officers the shit would hit the fan, but no let just not worry about the real crap that’s going on in the world and get ride of the.men and women who break code of conduct. Omg God for bid. We have better thing to worry about then spurred women or stupid military wives that don’t like it when things don’t smell all pretty and pink or come up like roses. Let’s focus on the real shit in the world and the men and women that are fitting and what it will mean by losing to good soldier to those men and women who are fitting and need there leadership. So fuck the the small shit and focus on the big picture people.
Paul: you’re entitled to your opinion. But I gotta tell you, it just doesn’t match up with reality today.
Regarding USAF Col. Caughey: the “everyone else does it” assertion doesn’t hold much water when the underlying behavior is contrary to the UCMJ. That’s true whether or not one agrees that the underlying behavior should be considered contrary to the UCMJ.
Caughey’s guilt or innocence will be determined at trial. His court-martial is scheduled to begin 8 Aug.
http://gazette.com/schriever-air-force-base-colonel-headed-to-trial-on-allegations-of-rape-adultery-dirty-selfie/article/1575767
Regarding COL Vaneck: yeah, he got the short end of the stick. But he was the CO. These days, the CO getting the shaft when his/her subordinates screw up in a highly visible manner of this nature is almost a given – whether it should be or not. The principle of “the CO is held accountable for his people’s mistakes” is an old one. Here, it was simply a modern-day “hot button” issue that triggered it.
So Paul here is condoning rape.
Well, OK then.
(Certainly – I insist upon a thorough investigation of any allegation of rape. Too often it is more a failure to pay kind of issue, but that should never excuse any criminal behavior.)
To be clear, Paul, not everybody commits rape or engages in other criminal behavior.
Omifoggy brain! Paul, don’t type when you’re stoned or drunk. And above all, don’t type with your thumbs in the dark.
And he killed himself….
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/09/26/air-force-colonel-who-faced-rape-charge-found-dead-in-home.html
So, where did Colonel Vanek end up? Still in armyour or retired?