Posted on 12/27/2008 7:21:17 PM PST by river rat
MARINE CORPS PLAN TO COURT-MARTIAL SERGEANT-MAJOR AT MIRAMAR.
MARK KELLISON PICKED UP FOR D.U.I. - ALSO CHARGED WITH UNAUTHORIZED LEAVE, MAKING FALSE OFFICIAL STATEMENTS AND FOUR VIOLATIONS OF ORDERS. TOP-RANKING ENLISTED MAN HAS 28 YEARS SERVICE - COULD FACE BUST TO JUNIOR NCO
For nearly 30 years, everything Mark Kellison did in the Corps smelled like roses. Fast promotions, doting officers, the Massena, N. Y. native was at one time, senior drill instructor at the Parris Island MCRD.
A sergeant-major in MilitaryCorruption.com's favorite branch of the military, the lanky top-ranking non-com had it made as the most powerful enlisted man at Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, Calif.
But just two years short of qualifying for 75% of his base pay in a retirement check, Kellison is wondering if he'll finish out his days in the Corps as a "50-something" buck sergeant. The possibility Kellison could get a bust in grade or even be put out of the Marine Corps is there.
WHY DID THE SERGEANT-MAJOR FALL SO FAR, SO FAST?
(Excerpt) Read more at militarycorruption.com ...
Once he retires, he’ll get retirement pay based on the highest rank he held - which is E9, right?
for the folks at militarycorruption.com,
The plural of Sergeant Major is Sergeants Major, and court martial is courts martial.
Would like to believe the diabetes/self medication theory in the hope that this fellow simply got axle-wrapped.
Roger that...
Each E9 I met - left me in awe..
I KNEW I was in the presence of a Warrior who became “political”..
E9s in the Old Corps had Combat ribbons, Purples Hearts, Campaign Ribbons and ribbons attesting to valor under fire...
It appears this particular E9 was “political” from the start — never having first been a warrior of note.
Nah. He'll feel a bit of a sting. I am pretty certain (and somebody please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) that retirement pay is based off of an average of his last three years pay so instead of, say, three years as an E-9, he'll have two and one as an E-8. Plus, he'll be "high-year tenured" at 28 years and be forced to retire instead of retiring at 30.
Possible but highly unlikely for a DUI. There was that NB Kitsap CMC (E-9) a few years back caught in that child sex sting. He was busted down to E-8 and allowed to retire with benefits And that's a lot worse than a DUI.
'Cause Sergeant Majors ain't gods.
They only sit on the right hand side of god and if they piss him off, they fall from the throne.
Or get pushed.
Sometimes, there's an ambitious 1SG pulling on his legs from below.
Seriously, there is more to this than the media is telling.
Usually, an E9 that falls that far is quietly removed from the eye of the troops, punished severely and retired very quickly.
He's made someone mad, and they intend to make an example of him.
The CNC made some deal to get a break....Odds are he ratted out somebody bigger.
Do you think there is room at the Inn?
That's how it is in my civilian job (pharmaceuticals.) Second DUI or second failed alcohol/drug screen, and you're out. I've seen it happen to custodial staff and to senior scientists making serious six figure money. No exceptions.
Or refrained from ratting someone out. He served 9 months in jail civilian punishment and faced additional military punishment and it was here that the military went easy on him. Somebody "in house" saw a reason to show him mercy.
I remember reading about how surprised people were that his military punishment was so mild.
In the military we don't even get a second chance when it comes to drugs (though I've heard that policy isn't enforced so strongly these days among infantry). Seems to me that employment-based drug testing is far more effective at curbing drug use than criminal penalties. Want a good job with benefits these days? Better keep your nose clean.
Sounds like he had something big on someone. Thats how it works sometimes.
You're absolutely right. We have guys with high school educations who admit that they used to party on a weekly basis. Now that they're making $20 an hour and decent benefits, they're finished with the weed or whatever.
This is how the "War on Drugs" works. Private enterprise. Or in the case of the military, potential career suicide.
Welfare trash on the other hand.... collect that money no matter how many drugs they do (of course I would also argue that they've turned their neighborhood into the lowest ring of hell).
I doubt it. There are already so many that need a bed....Although an E-9 might be an interesting addition.
I wonder how many times he was a drunk driver vs. how many times he got caught. The “just don’t do it again” applies.
I dunno.... but a Marine Sergeant Major is the closest thing to God a young Marine comes into contact with.
At least they could get stuff done quicker than any other human on the planet.....even officers appeared a little nervous around an old salt Sergeant Major with a lot of color on his chest.
“Want a good job with benefits these days? Better keep your nose clean...”
Unless your name is Bill and you like to snort - just do it - even in the Oval Office.
They were over long ago.
In 1988 I was the bailiff at a courts martial of an O-4 for his second DUI.
He was busted down to E-6 (which I didn't even know could be done, not to mention the slap I thought it was to the NCO Corps) and loss of pay and benefits. He then opted to get out shortly after and I heard he retired as a Major.
Saw him working in the Burger King on post a few months later. No lie.
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