Army recruiting fraud investigated
Army recruiting Command is investigating about 38 recruiters in the Denver area for falsification of discharges (DD214) and other documents used for enlistments;
Those documents could include items such as phony diplomas and other altered records. The investigation was confirmed by Douglas Smith, a spokesperson for the United States Army Recruiting Command Public Affairs office at Fort Knox Kentucky. There are presently 307 recruiters in the Denver Army Recruiting Battalion. The number under investigation represents more than 10 percent. The recruiters work out of offices in Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, Kansas and a small part of Iowa.
CBS4 Denver report;
Of course the numb-nutted Left will charge that this is a result of Army policy, but like everything else that the Army has been accused of since 9-11, they’ve already begun their investigation and the only reason the media has a story is because they caught a whiff of the inquiry;
CBS4 Investigator Rick Sallinger learned of the Army probe through an internal email he obtained. It had been sent by the battalion commander Lt. Col. William Medina to his staff. He writes of an investigation involving “new suspected impropriety” and some recruiters “tarnishing the reputation of us all.”
The commander’s internal email adds, “leaders at any level who actively or passively condone, encourage or turn a blind eye to violations will be held accountable for failing to do their duty.”
I never spent a minute recruiting (except as an ROTC instructor) so I have no idea.
H/T to Casey
Category: Military issues
Given the example in the news report it is hard to blame the recruiters. If the service member modified his DD214 it is not the recruiters job to act as some sort of CSI to determine if it was forged or not. There was no indication in the report that the recruiters changed anything, rather they accepted what was presented.
I did my time in recruiting, and there was one motto we lived by. “Recruiters are always guilty, even when proven innocent.”
I also did a tour as field and Nuclear recruiter before I got out. Sad to say, there were some idiots out there. Certainly not to that extent, but when you’re rolling a “doughnut” for the month, and the Chief Recruiter is on your ass, the temptation to break the rules is there.
Sadly, what the CRF (career recruiting force) types seem to never realize is that those guys and gals whose arms they had to twist and get to fudge this or that at MEPS are usually the ones who are the problem children, attrite before shipping, or cop to some incredible shit at boot camp during “moment of truth.”
If it was an internal email; how did the investigative reporter get his grimey paws on it?
Unfortunatately, I can’t see the video right now, so I may post again later. The BC’s “staff” could mean battalion staff, which includes alot of civilians, and/or company level leadership, either of which may have disseminated the email down to Recruiter level. Someone obviously forwarded the email to the reporter.
I plan to leave here with two things, my integrity and my rank. If I “roll a donut” it is fine by me, just pick up and strive to make up next month.
Ughh! Awful memories of my company command time in recruiting land back in the Clinton era. FM 2176 is right on though; in the end all that you have left is your integrity. No recruit is worth that.
Hard to believe that 30+ recruiters involved and there was nobody at company or battalion level who knew. 1SGs and/or company commanders track every packet going to the MEPS. Applicants suddenly being ready to floor at the MEPS who otherwise had document issues would be an indicator of something wrong. People copping to pleas on the floor, fauling to ship, or breaking down at basic would be huge red flags that would at least prompt a commander’s inquiry.
Now the battalion provides the MEPS counselors who validate packets, question applicants, and process them for enlistment. It is highly unlikely the alleged fraud could be conducted without complicity of the battalion ops section.
Having done more than my share of recruiting impropriety investigations in the day I cant think of one that was limited to a single recruiter. There was always somebody else who aided, or turned a blind eye to the fraud.
The sad part is that most of these kids could have probably been properly enlisted, it would just take longer. The pressure on recruiters to produce is unbelievable. I found a not-so-hidden use of coercion and itimidation by career recruiters against detailed recruiters when I first arrived in command. Those detailed recruiters who will not convert to permanent recruiting status are immediately pegged as second class citizens. This behavior is incredibly corrosive and my case, resulted in the relief or reassignment (with the appropriate NCOER) of a station commander and 1SG.
While the guilt or innocence of the accused remain to be proved, I’m not optimistic of the outcome. USAREC has long been a bastion of negative leadership. Overmissioned and underresourced, this command has always been a step away from these type of events.
#3 OT,
My thoughts exactly. Who leaked the memo? And WHY, for G**d’s sake, to the Leftist Libtard MSM? The person who did so should be fired from their job with extreme prejudice. If they’re will to do that, what other sensitive and/or secret information, possibly even important security information, would that person also be willing to leak?
B Woodman:
I don’t know if you’re seen the video, but it looks like you have the case all wrong. Some lady is getting a divorce. In the process of going through her husband’s paperwork, an investigator found the fraudulent documents. You’re out here trying to blame this on inside leaks and the “Leftist Libtard MSM” when it looks like a simple case of a woman scorned. I wouldn’t be surprised if she made, or directed the investigator in the video to make, this information public in order to ruin her soon-to-be ex’s current military career.
tj:
Nothing has changed from the Clinton era in terms of recruiting. The first thing the SgtMaj said to me when I checked in at RS Atlanta after he found out I was recruited from there was, “I bet we’ve got your fraudulent ass package around here somewhere.”
Everyone knows it goes on, but people don’t generally care unless it is something particularly egregious. If they’ve got to modify a little paperwork to get a kid to DEP or ship faster, then that is just what has to happen in order to make mission.
I’m just surprised to hear about this kind of situation coming up right now. My understanding is that with the economy as bad as it is and with the war in Iraq winding down, people are packing in recruiting offices. Like you said, a lot of the bad paperwork gets filed on people who could probably get in the right way with wavers and everything, but folks fraud documents to get them in there in time to make that month’s mission. With a bigger pool of qualified prospects due to the poor economy and imminent end of the war in Iraq, such ethical dilemmas should be infrequent.
Cases similar to this can affect an area and people long after the guilty parties are caught and punished. Just before I came down here a National Guard Recruiter was caught faking GEDs. From what I understand, a few active component Recruiters were punished as well for creating false diplomas a few years back. I found this out a few months ago when a young man walked into the office asking about his education credentials. He got off of active duty last year and applied to a college only to find out that his “diploma” was not recognized. He told me his Recruiter at the time had recommended Baker Home School to get his diploma immediately although he only had a few weeks left in school at the time. From what our Reserve Recruiter (who has been here almost ten years) says that “school” consisted of a long-gone group of those investigated. Sitting at a daiquiri shop last week the guy next to me brought up a former co-worker who was facing the same dilemma. It may have been the same guy, who knows? I have met a few Prior Service guys I wish I could help, most of whom were discharged for medical reasons. There was one 20-year-old I talked to who had joined the Army at age 17 and gotten an RE-4 less than a year later. Though I wish I could have helped her I had to tell her that she had very little chance of ever serving again. That said, I have yet to meet a Recruiter who would falsify a DD-214, period, much less for a person discharged for misconduct or similar reasons. All of us are NCOs, and only the most alienated 79Rs forget what it’s like to have problem soldiers. In today’s USAREC, the “old school” “leaders” that TJ remembers are being shown the door, at least around here. Since the problems in Houston Battalion a multitude of changes have taken place, from a CG-directed time-off policy effectively creating a 38-hour work week (not counting PT or the occasional weekend event) to multiple… Read more »
Having been in the BN in a senior position from 2005-2009, I can tell you the BN had problems back in 2005 as well with recruiter improrties. The BN CSM at the time did his damnest to run the BN With the utmost of integrity. However when the BN CSM retired in 2007, so did the climate. The new CSM led from the bottom of the integrity well. He fostered a climate of “mission first, integrity second”. The new BN commander stepped back so as to deny any knowledge of wrongdoing, he let the CSM do his dirty work. On several occasions he told us not to initiate any action regarding improprieties. In fact he launched an investigation upon myself for busting a soldier for drug use. Of course I had everything in order and the investigating officer cleared me of any wrongdoing. I can cite numerous cases were recruiters were forging documents, using photoshop to alter documents, ECT, ECT. I’m just glad I retired and got the hell out of there. I know have a low stress job and want nothing to do with recruiting command.
I’m a recruiter currently. The dirty recruiting is I’ve and well in all branches and all states. And at all levels. From the recruiter on street to the MEPS, it’s all about numbers and for most, integrity is exchanged for that damn badge! I will never be a top recruiter, but my integrity is in tact and I sleep well at night
In response to the story at: http://shine.yahoo.com/work-money/gay-waitress-not-tipped-because-she-affront-god-162900644.html. DearnDayna, Serving in the military is a noble cause but surely you must realize by now that fighting illegal wars is hardly a noble use of noble men and women. The US military has become a machine of death for the deceiver to use at his will, All the noble men and women (such as yourself) are just cogs in that machine to be used as a tool to further the deceivers reach of spreading death and despair. Killing innocent men, women and children is hardly the proper use of a powerful military dont you think? The deceiver has Gods children killing each other and he is very sad to see this happening. The love God has for you and I is uncomparably opposite to the hatred the deceiver has towards us. Being in the military has given you a view of the physical battlefield but are you aware of the spiritual battlefield? Yes believe it or not there is a battle for our souls. You are a fallen soul who has fell victim to the deception of the world. Your choice to be lesbian is only supported by the world because the world is of deception. You are losing this spiritual battle, at this point you are an asset for deceptive forces. The deceiver is using the popularity you brought to this story to further push his agenda to destroy mankind. You are being used as a proxy warrior for the deceiver. Come back to God repent of your sins (as us Christians do everyday) and let the Love of Jesus fill you. We Christians still love you and are sad to see a fellow human consumed by deception. Come back to your natural state and start fighting the good fight. Us Christians will be here in the trenches to risk our lives with you in this spiritual battle. There is no higher power than the power of God. Love, Your Fellow Christian. PS. “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their… Read more »
Yes, the same military currently doing disaster relief in The Philippines. The same military that provided tsunami relief in Southeast Asia a few years back. The same military that led rescue efforts in Haiti and protected supplies from marauding gangs of looters. Valero Donar, go fuck yourself, and the next time an earthquake hits the Berkley CA area, ask the dumb bitches from Code Pink to dig their asses out.