Army War College will judge Walsh
Yesterday, we repeated the Associated Press article that reported the Department of Defense had claimed jurisdiction over the investigation into the plagiarism case involving Montana Senator John Walsh and his thesis at the Army War College. It seems that the DoD has walked back their involvement, according to another Associated Press article in Stars & Stripes sent to us by Chief Tango.
The U.S. Army War College will have the final say over whether any punishment is warranted in a plagiarism investigation against Sen. John Walsh of Montana.
[…]
Provost Lance Betros previously said the Defense Department had asserted jurisdiction over the investigation because it involved a member of Congress, and the department would decide any sanctions.
According to that article, the school will begin their investigation on August 15th. I predict that the investigation will last until after the election, at about the time the Montana voters have forgotten all about their lying thieving Senator appointed by the governor. I hope their investigation includes Walsh’s medical records to verify that he has ever been diagnosed with PTS since he brought it up.
Category: Shitbags
If voters in Montana are stupid enough to have forgotten about this shit stain’s dishonesty and elect him anyway, they deserve him.
Yes, but the rest of us don’t. Think how clueless Nevada voters sentenced America to six more years of Harry Reid…
The new found silence of his defenders is deafening. Looks like the left has correctly read the tea leaves….he’s done, and not worth any additional expenditures of equity or visibility.
The AWC will substantiate the charge and his diploma will be revoked. As he is actually a “Gray Area” retiree, the Army can take some further administrative/disciplinary action on its own that would down grade his retirement to O-5.
Given the quick turn around between DOD taking then walking back jurisdiction, I wonder if some senior uniformed leaders did the right thing here and placed the future needs of the institution over their own careers?
Either that, or a few highly-placed political hacks in the 5-sided asylum did the same analysis you did above and decided to cut their losses.
“5-sided asylum”
That’s awesome Hondo. I’m stealing that one.
Climb to Glory: I can’t truthfully claim that one, amigo. I heard or read that a number of years ago as a reference to the Pentagon and have used it periodically ever since. My impression is that it is a fairly old, if somewhat uncommon, reference to the Pentagon among those who’ve worked there or had to visit often.
Earliest use I can find is this one by David Hackworth:
http://www.hackworth.com/dt023.html
I don’t know if Hackworth originated the phrase or not. But I think the phrase is quite a bit older than Nov 2002.
As someone with 3+ years in the Pentagon and now several years service in a full security in-patient psychiatric facility (not as a patient), it’s an apt description, and likely dates to the founding of the building.
Brent Glines: perhaps. But what he does as a US Senator affects the rest of the nation as well.
The rest of the nation deserves better, even if MT’s voters are OK with electing someone like that. And, frankly, I don’t think MT’s voters are that clueless and gullible.
This should be the first venue followed by others depending on how large the scope of the cheating and the accolades gained through impropriety are learned.
The hard part here in on the AWC Commandant. This could be a career ender depending on the decision, outcome and political pressure.
Theoretically that could happen, GT. He’s technically not yet fully retired – he’s on the “reserve retired list”, AKA in the “gray area” (no jokes about which of the 50 shades, please – smile). As such, he’s still technically subject to recall.
It’s entirely possible that the DA or DoD IG may do its own independent investigation of the misconduct after the AWC does theirs. It may turn out that this invalidates his “successful service” for retirement – and costs him retiring as an O6.
In a just world, exactly that would happen. However, given the guy’s political affiliation and current realities, I’m not sure it will.
Regarding the AWC Commandant: that’s MG Tony Cucolo. He’s a 1979 grad of West Point. He’s been a GO for over a decade now; AWC Commandant is doubtless his terminal assignment. He may well be willing to say “screw the consequences” and do the right thing regarding the plagiarism investigation. But he won’t be the one determining retired grade; I believe that’s the SA’s call.
Earlier this year, Walsh (then Montana’s Lt Gov) was appointed to replace Max Baucus who is now the US ambassador to China or, as I like to say it, Chiner. Anyway, Walsh would like a term of his own and is running against republican Daines, a member of the House. Walsh was trailing Daines but began closing on him before this story broke. I can find no updated, legitimate poll whose sampling was done since Walsh’s dishonesty was broadcast. However, in one story I read, a Democrat source said, “It’s over.” The source was anonymous b/c the party is pretending the cheating was of little or no import. Nice.
Not trying to sound like a dick but he was a freaking COL in Iraq. Yes he got a CIB but he was a COL and I doubt he was leaving the wire everyday. I am sure he had some bad nights but in all seriousness the guys who are going outside the wire on a regular basis during my 2 deployments where E-7 and below and O3 and below.
Our Lt. Col got his CAR so did our SGM but they got it from an IED and small arms fire on Route Michigan ONE TIME and that’s the only contact they ever had from some IDF at the TQ. By all means they deserved it and rated the award. Top leadership during both my deployments did come down range intermittently but they were not the ones patrolling the IED infested routes, and staying down range for weeks at a time picking up the dead bodies of Iraqis who had killed each other.
When I was at Walter Reed I did see a few field grade officers and SNCOS who had been injured in country but by comparison the ratio of E-6 and below to field grade officers and E-8 and above was few and far between. Yes I do know the military is mainly comprised of E-5 and O-3 and below.
The point is I doubt this guy experienced much contact being a COL in country. His experience is more like go to the Green Bean get a coffee, go to the PX and buy some DVDs, and get a tan while sleeping in my nice conex box.
I’m no fan of the guy, but he was a BN commander (LTC not COL) in Iraq, met the requirements for the CIB, and received 2 ACOM OERs from the Division commander. Regardless of what he did at the AWC, his service in Iraq is legit.
Luddite, you are spot on, his tour as a Bn Cmmdr should not be forgotten and in my opinion makes his plagiarism and subsequent blaming of PTS all the more despicable. He has no doubt been in contact with soldiers who had no shit PTS and his using it to excuse his moral failings is beneath contempt. I am hopeful that he will get what is coming to him, 1. His AWC diploma taken away and 2. the loss of his Senate seat. That would be appropriate penance to my mind.
It never ceases to amaze me what senior folks will risk throwing their careers away for.
While I might like some additional punishment, such as reduction of retired rank to O-5, I believe that the loss of his diploma and public shaming will serve as a large deterrent to some other jackass who might be tempted to try this same course of action.
The other ditinguished jerks at least got some ass for their trouble. Walsh got a degree that will not be his much longer.
Not sure I agree about the deterrence part, Luddite4Change. Over the past couple of decades, this seems to happen on average about every 3 years at the War College (6 previous occurrences since the early 1990s).
Those 6 examples didn’t deter Walsh. I doubt adding Walsh’s example to the list as #7 will deter the next dishonest tool who thinks he can get away with it.
I’m sure he wasn’t the only one in the last decade or so to get think he got away with it.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a movement to screen all papers going back, X number of years through one of the anti-plagarism programs available.
As the papers are in the public domain, the Army could crowd source the work. It can be like folks watching TV and calling the PGA when they see a pro not appropriately following the rules during a tournament.
His secondary 11B MOS, was withdrawn in 1987. Did he regain his 11B status prior to taking over the battalion in Iraq?
Otherwise, all his training and MOSs were in supply and maintenance.
Tell me if I’m wrong, but if he was not MOS slotted as Infantry, he does not qualify for the CIB.
He was an infantry Battalion Commander in Iraq
His campaign website has a link to his entire 400 pages military records.
Like many National Guard Officers he changed branches multiple times during his career. His transfer to infantry was legit, he attended the Infantry BN Commanders Course, and occurred before the deployment to Irag. I’ve seen a few NG branch transfers that look a little shady and make me question if the officer was just changing to hunt for an EIB. This didn’t strike me as one occasions when you view the totality of his record and the fact that he was recommended to command that unit several (at least 4) years prior.
Senator Walsh is a highly decorated officer who according to his military records is what we called a water walker. He could do no wrong. In any case, I have a problem with the way he was transferred into the Infantry branch. Senator Walsh’s branch transfer into the Infantry was the result of what I consider to be a bizarre loophole effectively available on an exclusive basis to Army National Guard officers. He has never attended either the Infantry Officer Basic or Advanced Courses. He was either a supply or an armor guy for almost 24 years before he was magically transformed into an Infantry officer in command of an Infantry Battalion after a one week course for field grade commanders. In 35 plus years, I have never seen this done before, period. He was essentially anointed after attending the “Infantry Brigade and Battalion Command Course”. This was a one week course according to his records. I have never heard of this course and it is not in ATRRS any longer if it ever was. His records have a diploma demonstrating completion of this course on page 205. Oddly enough, there is no DA 1059 demonstrating completion of such a course in his records. His records also show an NGB FORM 89 that approved the branch transfer to Infantry after completing the one week course. Any ordinary soldier, enlisted or officer, would have to go through an elaborate branch transfer process in order to become an Infantryman. For junior leaders, that process is usually immediately denied due to personnel and budgetary constraints. Further, the process would normally fail had they not completed an approved and evaluated course of instruction that produced an Infantry MOS after carrying a ruck sack and a rifle and leading fellow students for several months. In my opinion, the regulations then and now put the cart before the horse. The Infantry branch transfer process should minimally require every Army National Guard commissioned officer to complete the Reserve Component Infantry Officer Advanced Course. Ideally, they should be forced to attend the Active Component Infantry Officer Advanced Course… Read more »
Breaking news update: Army War College has revoked John “Copy&Paste” Walsh’s degree:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/army-war-college-revokes-senator-john-walshs-masters-degree/