Marine officers on the town in Bogota
HMC Ret sends us a link to the story of three married Marine officers who have found themselves being investigated for a February night in Bogota, Colombia where they were attending a conference but decided to go into an off-limits area of the city and brought some of the local ladies back to their hotel rooms and soon found themselves drugged, robbed and in the emergency room.
The report recommended that Marine Col. Roger T. McDuffie, a Harrier pilot who serves as the chief of operations at the unit known as MARFORSOUTH; Maj. Andrew L. Mueller, described as a theater security cooperation planner; and Maj. Mauricio Saenz, exercise planner, face “appropriate administrative or judicial proceedings.”
[…]
At least two of the officers blacked out in their rooms, apparently in the company of two local women, while another officer drew cash advances off his U.S. government travel card and brought two prostitutes to his room, according to the report. Some of the Feb. 3-4 activity was captured on hotel security cameras. The three officers walked four women through the hotel lobby at about 4:30 a.m., past fellow Marine officers who were mustering for a van ride to the airport at the end of the conference.
They were acting just like privates only with more money and credit cards.
Category: Marine Corps
What a disappointment! Are they married?
All three. The pain is only beginning when the Corps get through with them.
They’ll probably wish that they only faced the wrath of the Corps…
HELL HATH NO FURY…
Yea. That’s a resume generator right there. Probably the most expensive poontang they ever almost got. And on the govy card to boot. This might sting for a bit…
FULL BLOWN IDIOTS! Throw away, family, career, honor, integrity…all of it for what??
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
Were they previously in the Secret Service before joining the Marines?
No, but that may be their next job!
Those were not prostitutes, they were Liberty buddies.
All three are old enough to know far better. IMO all three deserve to be hammered, hard.
I don’t much care that they were “playing around”. In my book that’s between them, God, and their spouses.
But I do care bigtime about their being field grade officers and thumbing their noses at lawful orders/regulations regarding off-limits areas and the use of Govt credit cards.
And prostitution which is against the human trafficking prohibitions
NO SHIT, all those Death by Power point briefings that Enlisted Personnel have to endure about Human trafficking…
I am mystified by why enlisted and NCOs think that officer’s don’t have to sit through that shit too. Sometimes 2-3 times more often. Usually by the time they are enjoying it with the troops it is the second or third time for them.
It works about as well on officers as it does on everyone else. People do whatever stupid shit people do.
“Horn-Dawgs” are gonna let their peckers think for them, just look what that did for “Blowjob Willie”.
I used to think that way, Old Maj, even though they were all present for the January briefs. But then, ‘Ret suddenly got promoted to WO, and became a Platoon Commander! WooHoo! Yea. Not only did he have to review the briefs pre-drill, he had to provide point papers with comments and recommendations. . The Green Weenie grows ever larger…
I get it when it’s in the field, under fire. We had that discussion.
But this???? You guys let me know when (some of) you relocate your brains from your crotches.
“They were acting just like privates only with more money and credit cards.”
I’ve known privates and NCOs who committed much less egregious violations of liberty regulations and came out of their Article 15 with loss of rank and on restriction. Unfortunately, I suspect that all these men will experience is either an earlier retirement than they had planned or, if they stay on active duty, nothing more than a reprimand.
Different spanks for different ranks.
So private goes from E3 to E2 because he did something dumb and retires as an E9 25 years later. Because whatever he did as a private simply disappears. An NCO can even go from E6 to E5 and recover. An E7 or up will likely be in the same boat as the officer.
An officer gets a GOMAR and it is game over for his career. If he does not get forced out down the road he will not see promotion again anyway.
I worked both sides of the house, I know quite about how this works.
I don’t know; and since I’ve been retired for over 20 years, things may have changed. I have seen many Airmen denied re-enlistment because of article 15 punishments. One cannot make E-9 if one has been denied re-enlistment as an E-4. Quality force and all that.
Back in the day, even brig time would not automatically kill a career. It was just accepted that some guys are great Marines in the field, but are shit in garrison. You could even pop hot once on a piss test and still bounce back, as long as you didn’t fuck up again. Those days are long gone. These days are you are one and done. Sometimes that is a good thing, getting rid of shitbirds; and sometimes it’s a bad thing getting rid of a Marine that made one bad judgment call. The best thing to do is not fuck up.
at least for pissing hot, that was an ’80s thing…early ’80s if I recall, the word went around that if an NCO pissed hot, he was history. While at Benning’s School for Boys a real stud in the other company, SF fast-track NCO, came back hot from the first day’s golden flow (took a coupla months to get results then) – he didn’t stop bouncing till he was a civilian. Was one of those ‘you just know he’s gonna wind up an ex-enlisted general types’. No second chance.
Well, should officers NOT be held to a higher standard? They get paid more and tend to be responsible for more lives than the run of the mill enlisted puke.
Maybe it’s just me, but how is someone who displays such poor judgement supposed to lead troopers? Very few E-3’s are in charge of dozens of other E-nothin’s. On the other hand, very few O’s are not in charge of a bunch of E’s, and maybe quite a few other O’s as well. You’d think most of those O’s would be smart enough to realize that the rules are not just for their subordinates.
Yeah, slam them for being so willing to violate every rule that they violated. Nothing else makes any sense.
‘and before they’re dismissed; make them do details, e.g. latrine, fatigue, what ever menial detail the most non-sucking up to O’s SNCO in the unit can think of.
Agree OWB. And I was one (officer)
1. Off limit areas – bad and foolish. And so many cool on limit areas to choose…
2. Using your government credit card for anything but air, lodging, rental car and meals. Very bad. Don’t these guys have their own credit card? Have they not read the news on other idiots?
3. What rule was broken bringing some ladies to your room? They could say they are all gay anyways but afraid to come out due to Trump. Or they went trans. So nothing was going to happen except girl talk on some makeup tips…
Well, since all 3 were married, Article 134 (Adultery) comes to mind – though that alone is typically never prosecuted, as proving impact to military order and discipline can be difficult. And as O-4E notes above, if it was “pay for play” then it violates current laws/policies/regulations/directives concerning human trafficking as well.
One may not agree with a particular law, order, or regulation. (FWIW, I personally have philosophical problems with with both of those and how they’re applied.) But whether we approve of them or not, laws/orders/regulations remain in effect until they’re either changed or invalidated by the courts.
Pretty High ranking officers with important billets and security clearances passing out with foreign nationals in their room.
Not only is it in violation of articles of the UCMJ, its just asking to be comprised by a hostile nations intelligence force.
Line up and get your clearances yanked, a horrible fit rep, relieved of duty and get a Special Courtmartial.
Be glad you can retire, and forget about any job that has a security clearance.
Wonder if the 2 majors are even retirement eligible or at least within a couple years of the finish line. I’m thinking a grade determination board will hammer them even if allowed to retire.
Can they work at All Points Logistics? That company is not very selective, they had a senior executive with a string of bankruptcies, assault charges and DUIs.
MAYBE they could get hired by your Woman-owned Company selling outdated software to the US Government? Just let them know they will start out on a two year period of double-secret probation and JUST think about what your employer will save on their benefits!
Yeah, these three deserve everything they have coming. No sympathy. You have to wonder if any of the three ever presided over punishment for a young enlisted Marine for similar dumbassery.
This will sound strange to some but as a former Marine Officer I have to condemn the officers that stood by while these three committed professional suicide. If they indeed walked by fellow Marine officers with these hookers and no one tried to intervene then there are more problems than just these three horn dog idiots.
Adulterers usually have other character flaws to go along with their promiscuity and I doubt this behavior is a one off or first time event. Something tells me if you dig deep enough you would find few people surprised at their behavior.
Yeah. I can see a marine CPT telling a LTC he is making a mistake…
You are then clueless about Marine Officer dynamics.
Well, as a CWO by myself, I might have approached just to say ‘hey, what’s up gents?’, knowing three senior officers against one CWO wouldn’t be much, but maybe could persuade either a Col or Maj to rethink some shit. But they went past several officers, rank not specified. Two or more of my peers, or a senior SNCO to back me up, I might have been more persuasive. I’m a damn good cock-block, but I don’t know what the situation was. Approaching the senior member – a Col- and his two Maj cohorts I may not have done more than above – ‘hey gents, what’s up’ kind of thing. Safety in numbers. Wish someone would or could have stepped in, but yea. Dynamics. And now it’s public. Too late.
Dumbasses.
Weapons grade stupidity. That flushing sound is three careers going down the pipes.
IMHO they are self-inflicted career wounds.
“How was Columbia, honey? Did you get anything while you were there?”
“Yeah, I got a drunk on. I got the clap. And I got some really cool charges. How are the kids?”
Yeah. I know a Marine Major who went to Thailand to participate in Cobra Gold, picked up a STD, returned to the states and passed that STD on to his wife.
His wife divorced him, and I hear he was encouraged to resign his commission.
Not sure what happened to him beyond that.
Marines gonna Marine
Oorah.
I bet those ladies were so “deployment hot” that the Marines couldn’t resist.
What’s the fuss? They were out of their zip code. Oh, they are the first Marines to ever do such a thing, well then, through the book at them.
*SARCASM WARNING SARCASM WARNING SARCASM WARNING*
Colombianas are legendarily hot. Shakira, Sophia Vergara, and Paula Garces are a few examples.
Lets not forget the hot chick living in Tulsa from 90 Day fiancé too.
When I first read the article I assumed they were junior officers. I was surprised to see that one was a Col. At the very least I would expect that someone with that much time in the service, some of it presumably supervising and disciplining subordinates who misbehaved, had seen enough to avoid stepping on their dongs.
As Guard Bum says, this is probably not out of character for them. Hang’em.
I guess this is better than them bringing four dudes back to their hotel room.
Morons.
If it was four guys brought back, and Obama was still President, he would have said that they were serviced with honor and distinction.
‘serviced’. I LOL’d my ass off Hack.
I’ll bet my next paycheck that neither Gen Neller nor Gen(Ret) Mattis are smiling tho…
Could be wrong, but I’ll still bet.
When Dad bailed out of his B-29 over Iwo Jima WWII, it was a platoon of Marines who braved the Japanese occupied part of the island and saved his life.
I grew up as the son of an Air Force Colonel Japan, Turkey etc.
But,as a lowly US Peace Corps volunteer (GS-7) serving in Costa Rica for two years and then having various careers that included motorcycling 55,000 K through 8 south American countries, Mexico and all of Central America many times… and then another 50,000 K in Europe and Asia for a total of more than 30 years living in foreign countries, – every man I met in a foreign countries knew that some prostitutes world wide drug and steal.
How did our our Secrete Service miss this fact when on assignment to Colombia? And, with the sterling example of our Secrete Service, how did three Marine officers , one a colonel, not understand the risk they were taking to their nation, to the Corps, their families and their personal safety by picking up prostitutes in Bogota?
Perhaps Anti Terrorism Level 1 training is not the answer, Marines assigned to Colombia might have a little chat with returned Peace Corps volunteers who have served in Colombia , etc…
Of course they knew. They just didn’t think they would get caught. I saw an Army LTC end his career TDY to Ft. Lewis. Took a government van, in uniform and tried to pick up a hooker who turned out to be a Pierce County deputy.
Before the GWOT most officers in Leavenworth were there for sex related offenses. I think lately corruption has been winning out.
But if you are thinking this is something new, I have news for you: It ain’t.
What was that LTC, a Brain Surgeon visiting from another Post?
For those interested, here’s a link to the B29 and her crew to which Ed George referred. His dad, Lt. Col. Harry H. George, who passed away last year at the tender age of 95, was the co-pilot
http://philcrowther.com/6thBG/6bgplane37.html
Nice link. Thanks Air Cav. And thanks for the input, Ed. Stick around here. This isn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last time, that you read about career Marine/Navy/Army/Air Force members curb-stomping their own junk for no possible good reason. I nearly ended my career as a PFC in ’88. I retired 01 Apr 2014, but ONLY because I had some pipe-hitting NCO’s back then that refused to let me self-mutilate. I can’t thank you enough Cpl Chris Richmond (and friends).
Thanks Francis, Dad was interviewed several times on the History channel / was 6th bomb group – also with Paul Tibbets – but you won’t find that easily.
also served under General Gibson in WWII and in Ankara, Turkey 1960s. I graduated HS in Ankara.
My Mother’s wedding grown was made from the silken parachute that plunged him to safety from his crippled B-29 .
FYI A Marine grabbed the parachute while his buddies grabbed Dad for a bomb crater while under fire…..
That silk parachute was mailed to my Grandmother and she made my Mother’s wedding gown.
Not too surprised. When I was in III MEF TECG we had equally lurid stories about our numerous tours in SE Asia. Although the command constantly reminded us that “y’all will catch the HIV if you sleep with a bar girl, it supports human trafficking, blah blah” the reality is that a lot of those girls are from the countryside and come to the cities willingly to earn far more than what they would be earning on some farm or factory working 12 hour shifts for 5 bucks a day. Yes, there are some who end up in the world of crime. No, most don’t have STDs. It’s bad for business. Everybody participated too. Married officers, young and single enlisted, didn’t matter. It was accepted that what happens there stays there.
Sounds like their mistake was getting caught or going to a bad area. Marines aren’t Secret Service agents jumping in front of the President to catch a bullet. Whatever job they do is to directly kill or facilitate the killing of America’s enemies. There is a lot of machismo associated with that culture and it’s no surprise to anyone who has been there and done that.
Yea. It’s all fun and games… Until someone gets drugged, gets conned into a cash advance on a govt credit card, gets a govt laptop and govt BB/IPhone stolen. Then shit gets real. And then: “Hey daddy, whacha bring me back from overseas?” I’m not busting your balls so much, but the ramifications are beyond ‘country and Corps’. What do they tell their wife kids? They are all married. They’ve just destroyed three families, one way or another. Oh yea, they also missed a movement by not catching the plane while detoxing in the hospital. We’ll be reading more about this here, PowerPoint presentations for all Marines over there.
“wife and kids”.
/dumbass
Well said, I take it Sorenson45 must live a carefree life or never hade a clearance. Its not all fun and games when work phones and work computers are taken and you just destroyed OPSEC lessons for a BJ.
It almost sounds like Sorenson dude is spokesmen for prostitution and wants to justify doing dumb stuff.
Yeah its gonna happen, you will/will not be punished for mental lapses.
Embarrassing matter to the families I imagine.
Funny, after getting out of AD. Working as a contractor in Kuwait. Our head training guy was a Vietnam vet and apparently was suppose to be teaching human trafficking to new employees. 4 days after the guy trained me on human trafficking, he gets his ass whooped by Chinese triad and stole about 3k dinar which was a good 8k to 9k dollars. They also knocked out a few of ole boys teeth.
Looking bad, dude didn’t take training people serious, trying to point to us where prostitution spots were and best way to pick up a hooker.
Definitely not a “Boys will be boys” thing.
The mistake these Marine officers made, was not “getting caught” but faulty judgement in executing the engagement. Deciding to visit a “restricted” area is a determination that includes calculating the risk/possibility of “getting caught.” Imagine if other marines lives depended on an officer unable to access the risk of an operation/engagement accurately. It is not “getting caught” it is a lack of awareness resulting in getting caught that was the mistake.
It is very unfortunate for the prostitutes entangled with these Marines. I have no doubt retribution will be swift by Colombian authorities or others. And, this gives a black eye to those prostitutes legally and safely working in hundreds of countries. I wonder if these Colombian prostitutes targeted the officers for more than bang for bucks and were actually intel assets.
Sorensen45, are you equating “machismo” with buying a woman for sex ??? and visiting a military restricted area??? Or, did you mean it is macho to kill people? Exactly what is your definition of machismo?
Old Maj, I think some Marines believe in sex before marriage too.
I wouldn’t get too preachy, Ed. As for “buying a woman for sex,” that’s called marriage. Renting one is much cheaper. Lighten up, Francis.
2/17 Air Cav
Who called in the Cav?
Perhaps someone should have done a little preaching in Colombia, at the officers mess. Might have helped.
And you should lighten up – calling wives and mothers prostitutes, that might be a bit heavy even for this blog. What are you thinking, or are you? Ed
Ed, I think you’re new here. We don’t preach much, nor do we judge people. However, to quote a great man: “I’m not here to judge you, or even condemn you. That’s God’s decision. I’m just here to administer the penance.” Pretty much all we do here. We’re the ‘social penance’ crew. These guys bring it on themselves – mostly it’s dickwads with Stolen Valor. But we will eat our own, when warranted. These three got it coming. And it’s coming hard and fast. TAH is probably the least of their worries at this point.
Good to know someone is fighting the good fight on earth… Let me know how I can help? Your are right, I had no idea what this blog was all about, just ended up here by chance. Let me know if I fight too hard. ed
A primitive man sees a beautiful primitive woman and expresses his excitement with the now famous word: “Tah”
Tah is the first word spoken by man. It was an expression of excitement.
Or,did I miss your point/power point?
ed
I’m not sure at all Ed. TAH is ThisAintHell (but you can see it from here). PowerPoints are presentations we all get to endure because someone fucked up. Like I said above, we ain’t here to judge nobody, just administrate some goddamn penance.
CWORet,
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=tah
See definition #2 will send you power point presentation if needed…. been through many myself… have powerpoint-will travel…
Has anyone asked how you determine who needs penance without judgement?
When homo sapiens lose their ability to make judgements – TAH (but you can see it from here)
Couldn’t resist, no judgement intended, it’s just, I am part anthropologist – Ed
In answer to your question, the typical power point presentation having to do with social issues is given to those who least need it while carefully avoiding those who violate social norms most.
OWB, based on your power point comments – obviously you have read Joseph Heller’s 1961 novel Catch-22 about Capt Yossarion US Army Air Forces bombardier stationed on the small island of Pianosa, off the coast of Italy during WWII.
But, have you ever wondered about Heller’s fictional character Snowden as a foreshadowing event for the non fictional NSA character Edward Snowden?
As a veteran power point presenter, I am very much aware of power point presentation effectiveness.
What is needed by the today’s military is a face to face presentation by Colombian whores explaining in great detail the risks and tricks. At least they will have the attention of the audience.
Or, let the Colombians take care of Colombia!
As in “War is a Racket”
by Gen. Smedley Butler, US Marine Corps Major General and at the time of his death the most decorated Marine in US history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler
or listen to a professional reproduction of his speech here:
You need to lighten up Ed, you are stepping on peoples feet here with all that seriousness.
Roger that Houston, Over and Out! Ed
Tah is the first word?
That’s probably why human babies start babbling with toothy consonants…oh wait they don’t have any teeth so the first rudiments of speech are always from the lips and palate.
So considering such standard development…where are you getting this info?
IDC SARC, just following orders to “lighten up” my reference was the “urban dictionary – see original post for link.
Check the link I post with the comments…. if you really want the footnote. actually it was a joke and you – apparently were the only one who got it….Ed
“Who called in the Cav?”
Backup is not called around here. It just shows up. Speaking of buying things, try aisle 15 at Walmart, the party-supply section. Next to the balloon machine you’ll find 8 oz. bags of senses of humor. Grab a few and then come back.
When three Marines arrived at the front door of a Colombian whorehouse they found a new sign. What did the sign say?
“Beat it – we’re closed”
How’s that agin Air Cav? About the party supply aisle?
If you think a marriage is only about the sex and are naive enough to think that continues apace through the marriage – you’re single, right? (Plus I suspect there at least a few married or formerly married women around here who might take offense at your characterization.)
I don’t know if I can live in a world where you can’t trust a Colombian prostitute.
Is dumbass one word or two?
Isn’t it one for officers and two for enlisted?
It’s a no brainer, as Curtis Sliwa (NYC guardian Angels) when he was on the radio used to say-Keep your rocket in your pocket.
These wankers probably popped xanax while out drinking lost their tits chasing some tail who wanted a green card, and the guy who didn’t get any decided to bring 2 hookers home. Classy shit. They get robbed and make up part of thr story. Not surprising Marine Corps had to throw in the lack of Antiterror training, as if it has any base on not getting caught being a jackass.
Hope the book is thrown at them, we don’t need officers that get caught with their own dirty deeds.
Ha ha, fucking jarheads!
Semper Fi!