Major General Joseph Harrington aka “Jody”
Bobo sends us a link to the Army Times report of Major General Joseph Harrington, the commander of US Army, Africa, who communicated his innermost desires to a subordinate’s wife on the Book of Faces;
Harrington’s messages escalated from business-like to personal, USA Today reported, from commenting on the woman’s appearance to acknowledging that her husband wouldn’t appreciate their communication.
At some points, he encouraged her to delete the messages altogether.
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For more newsletters click hereThe married general could face Uniform Code of Military Justice action for his conduct, though USA Today reported that the relationship never became physical.
The target of his affections shared the messages with USAToday;
The messages, many sent late at night, veer from the mundane to the personal. Harrington oversees the Army’s activities in Africa from a post in northern Italy. In some texts, he complained about travel and getting sick on local food.
In others, he doted on the woman’s appearance, referring to her as “HOTTIE,” and “looking good for sure.” In another series he wrote: “You seem to have a great modeling resume! Truly! Though I hadn’t noticed! Where is your hubby tonight? Work?”
When she replied that she’d fought with her husband, and that he was asleep, Harrington responded: “I’m sorry! Make up se…x is fun”
Harrington suggested “U can be my nurse,” and added, “I’d enjoy being in a tent with U.”
Facebook is the tool of the Devil, especially after the sun goes down.
Category: Army News
Leavenworth. The long course.
Probably not, sj, since nothing physical apparently happened. Unless there’s more to the story than has been released so far, of course.
But he can kiss his command goodbye – and maybe at least one star during retirement, which I predict will happen quite soon.
What. A. Dumbass. ANY senior civilian or GO in DoD has to know they’re a public figure – and that people WILL BE WATCHING what they do in public like a hawk, 24/7/365.
Don’t think any general or flag officer has ever been sent to Leavenworth. Though some GOFOs definitely flirted w/ disaster: Former rear adm (Ret. CAPT) Robert Gilbeau, BG David Hale, BG Henry Miller, BG Jefferson Davis, etc.
Retired MG Grazioplene looks like he’s in deep kim chi & not gonna get same slap on the wrist as former major general David Hale.
All joking and condemnation aside, I am beginning to wonder if there isn’t a psychological effect related to either the isolation of higher ranks or the prolonged stress of being on constant war footing.
Most of these guys are pretty smart and have sterling records only to throw it all away on what is in effect a high school level display of puppy love. They have to know they will be caught.
With officers, they end up getting away with something early in their career and it ends up being “okay” or swept under the rug. So, each promotion they increase their shenanigans.
Once they hit O-6 and especially flag rank, they are “above the law” and can do no wrong.
I know of a Captain who got a DUI and MISSED MOVEMENT to the Sandbox because of it. He’s still a Captain, he’s still got a job, he’s moved on to a position with more significant responsibility. It apparently helped that he had his face firmly affixed between the battalion commander’s ass cheeks, but higher level commanders were too pussified to do anything about it either. If he makes O-6, he’ll be pulling the same crap as this dirtbag is. If I ever run into him again, I’ll still refer to him as “Captain DUI!” because it wasn’t just one mistake, he’s a douche-canoe regardless of the DUI.
Had a CO O-4 who when relieved got a 19-PAGE letter of reprimand. Went on to a staff position in Korea under his good buddy the former commander prior to the letter writer. Oddly, the LoR went away from his 201. (Later that year a minor training incident left him retired at full pay and benefits. Funny that.)
It’d be funny to see his “subordinate” kick his fucking teeth into the back of his cock holster and rip his stars off. Then Jan the stars through his wife’s ear lobes and leave her.
Jab the stars
I concur re: this statement.
3 Billion women in the world and he’s hitting on his subordinate’s wives?
Ten bucks says he’s actually been physical with other people’s wives before, including subordinate’s wives.
If that can be proven, he just might end up facing more than immediate retirement and probable loss of a star. But I’m also guessing that if CID thought they could prove that, we might not have heard about this yet.
Obviously what is needed here is more SHARPS training.
No, not for him! The troops!
Looks like another round of SHARPS training for ALL personnel… except for those with stars on their collars!
Yuck. Sure, engaging in risky behavior can be exhilarating, but seriously? Getting off on communicating goofy stuff via social media. That is just stupid.
I’d like to say this is a rare occurrence, but it isn’t. I could name many I have seen or heard about over a 30 year career. I’m not sure it necessarily rank as such but longevity which pushes this activity into the higher ranks.
Also, given social media and atmosphere we are more likely to hear about it. This crap was ALWAYS going on in some form or other, it just didn’t make the news, was ignored, or buried unlike today.
I used to manage the “black book” at a major command going on 20 years ago. Same type of crap was going on with ample representation among senior officers and SNCOs. The crimes got processed, but weren’t in the media.
How I miss the days of yesteryear.
A 1stLt selected for Captain was my Best Man when I got married back in the day. He would be in deep shit for what may or many not have gone on during my Bachelor Party.
I had Captain who was getting married in our Command, the Battalion S1 came to me and asked if my wife and a few of her friends would dance at his party. They were more than happy to.
My wife and her friends took great pride in being on the Hog Board when I deployed. They were more than creative about keeping us reminded of home.
“Your wife is hot” is the most passive comment I would hear. Maybe its just me but I hardly think what this man did rises to the level of ending his career.
If every Marine that paid to watch my wife dance had their career ended…the Corps would be missing some outstanding Officers and SNCO’s.
I would love to read the full txt of the conversation between these two. I bet anything the Mrs. was less than offended…until she seen the opportunity to use it against him.
I for one think the Princess should probably be ashamed of herself.
Fair enough, Dave. My “line,” if you will, is that I never say something to a guy’s wife/girlfriend that I wouldn’t say in front of him. That seems like a reasonable boundary. Whether or not that line was crossed here is likely a pertinent question.
In today’s world, its probably best to just avoid talking to women…period. Sad fact is, I would have been discharged as an E-1 in short order if I was serving today.
I guess this is what it is like getting older. I just see most of this kind of thing as total bullshit.
Honestly, Dave, if somebody tells me “Your wife’s hot,” my response is “Damn right, she is!” I take it as a compliment, since I’m an ugly bastard.
Now, if I caught somebody telling my wife that they want to engage in sexual activities with her when they think I’m not listening, then there’s gonna be a violent kind of problem.
Braggart.
Avoid talking to women? Are you nuts?
I’m sure we’d all be curious the full extent of their communication. But it seems this was activity among many women.
As I provided, I’m sure this isn’t the first time he’s tried to make friendly with a subordinate’s wife. If not, flat out getting freaky with a sub’s wife.
And back then they didn’t have FB to make ya famous (Did they even have computers back then?).
Any commander who even tries to fool around with a subordinate’s wife (or husband, as the case may be) shouldn’t get retired out minus a star or two. They piss on the trust of their subordinates, the honor and values of the service, and basic decency.
Guys like him should forfeit all retirement, be stripped of all medals and awards in front of their command, and get busted all the way to E-1. Then leave them in that same command and make it known that they are to be given every shit job a junior NCO can think of, the more humiliating the better. After that year is up, move them around to other units at other bases, where the E-1 ex-general will get the same treatment, for ten years. Then kick their ass out, no retirement, no benefits, no AL or VFW membership. Make it hurt.
See how many high-ranking asswipes want to play Sancho then.
Concur completely.
Hang ’em high.
Shitbag.
Well, he’s a trifle pig-eyed, and my Aunt Hattie told me ‘Never trust a pig-eyed horse or a pig-eyed man.’ But he is kind of cute.
Let me know if you guys ever stop thinking with your zippers, willya? When that day comes, Mankind is doomed, because you’ll all be duller than an empty sardine can.
Two old ladies lying in bed…..
One rolled over to the other and said ….
Just great, another flag grade officer who obviously has seriously impaired judgment. But then all those effing ACS and other Pentagon badges on his uni tell us he is a career high-level REMF. He clearly should not be making decisions affecting our soldiers.
He is an Artilleryman, not what I would call a REMF. Ranger and Master Parachutist with plenty of time at the tactical level.
In other words, he knows better than this and has absolutely no excuse.
This is a conduct unbecoming and/or Art 134 case (see below, it’s usually called the ‘general article’)
He will be asked to retire regardless, and a board will determine the last grade at which he served honorably. He will be paid at that rank. Him and Sinclair can start a support group.
As to Why this happened, it’s the same thing that happens with celebrities and politicians. Everyone they interact with on a daily basis works for them or is junior to them. No one tells them the truth.
Though not specifically mentioned in this chapter, all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces, all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces, and crimes and offenses not capital, of which persons subject to this chapter may be guilty, shall be taken cognizance of by a general, special or summary court-martial, according to the nature and degree of the offense, and shall be punished at the discretion of that court.
All I know, is every time I had to deal with senior officers wearing those effing five-sided puzzle palace staff badges, they had shortcomings as leaders. I served with plenty of officers that had ranger tabs that still couldn’t be counted on to do the right thing at the right time. The same for those with master blaster wings. So, I will not change my assessment that he was a professional REMF. He is wearing three of the damn things, so he is mighty proud of being a Pentagon “warrior.” They rushed a bunch of these Pentagon pukes over to RVN in 1971 so they could get their “combat” ticket punched. They were a sorry, arrogant, and incompetent lot. For many, this was their first tour in RVN. They had avoided going because of their “valuable” staff service at the highest levels.
Does anyone else here feel most sorry for the wandering eye’s wife and child? I sure do.
Playing Jody on Farcebook? Even the U.S. Army can kinda keep tabs on that, BRILLIANT MOVE, GENERAL EINSTEIN!!!
And you know when these guys plead they just couldn’t control their impulses, why is it we never hear of them hitting on a superior officer’s wife? They sure can control that impulse can’t they?
That’s why I think this is a matter of sexual extortion due to the extorter’s ability to impact the career of the target female’s spouse. The wife has to be VERY careful in dealing with the attentions of her husband’s superior, especially when he’s wearing stars and her spouse isn’t.
WTF? Seriously! W. T. ever-loving F.
How the hell do you make it to company grade officer rank, let alone General Officer rank, and not have a single iota of F’ing common sense?
And FFS, let’s just lay the fact that writing it is just as bad as saying it to the side for a moment, WTF are you thinking putting something like this out on social media/email/phone-text? THE INTERNET IS FOREVER, MORONS!
Just shaking my head.
They still haven’t learned. Digital is forever.
“Ain’t no use in goin’ home
Jody’s got your gal and gone
Ain’t no use in feelin’ blue
Jody’s got your Cadillac too!”
Your complaints will not go far,
For Jody wears a General’s star.
“Soldier, Soldier, don’t feel blue,
General Jodie tagged yo’Mama too…
That’s funny. But sad too.
Jody was there when you left your right, sound off one two, sound off three four,Kings count, one two three four, one two three four!!!. Not bad for a Squid and ARNGUS vet and watching Battle ground around a dozen times.
How fucking stupid (apologies Chaplain) I say again, how fucking stupid is this general officer? Texts late at night, you think maybe after consuming a quantity of adult beverages which impaired his judgment which already was below expectations for a GO. Do not pass GO, do not collect two star retirement income, do plan on your ex wife collecting one half of your permanent grade pay, and you better grow a beard so you don’t have to look at yourself in the mirror when shaving each day.
Everyone is so quick to call the General a bum and you don’t even know him. And everyone is so self-righteous and of course you’ve never done anything even close to this – never a sexual comment, never an impure thought, and never thought that a girl was “Hot” – Are you even human? I know MG Harrington and I know him to be a wonderful leader. That is not to say that I condone what went down cause I most certainly do not. This entire story started as a simple Good Afternoon and over time kind words morphed into short conversations with pleasantries exchanged. It continued to morph into easy, fun banter and a sense of easiness and friendship. It’s like quicksand – he was sinking and didn’t even know that he was going down. And as friendly as he was, the young lady gave back willingly which placed him even more at ease. More quicksand, and further he sank. He was so deep that it was too late. He said many things that he so wishes he had not said – but he found that he had sank too far – and there was nothing he could do. Did he cross the line? The investigation is on-going, but it appears so. Is he profoundly sorry for his actions? Well if you truly knew him, then you would already know that he is deeply sorry for his behavior and the pain and embarrassment he has caused his family. You need not worry about this being swept under the carpet for in the end he will receive his just due. Please think twice as you hurl insults at him as quicksand is no fun and it could happen to you.