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Posted on 05/08/2011 9:20:48 PM PDT by Tea Party Reveler
A COLONEL'S CAREER LOST FOR $65 - WHY DID ROBERT PETIT SELF-DESTRUCT? - MARINE COMMANDER OF 24TH EXPEDITIONARY UNIT AT CAMP LEJEUNE FOUND GUILTY OF SHOP- LIFTING AT LOCAL WAL-MART - CAUGHT HIDING PRINTER INK CARTRIDGES AND STP OIL TREATMENT BOTTLE UNDER JACKET - GETS 96 HOURS OF "COMMUNITY SERVICE" FROM SYMPATHETIC JUDGE - RELIEVED OF COMMAND BY MARINE CORPS - ENLISTED AS GRUNT BACK IN 1978 - KLEPTOMANIAC? - TIME TO RETIRE
© 2011 MilitaryCorruption.com
This is a sad story all around. One of those that cause you to scratch your head and wonder WHY? Why would a respected bird colonel in the United States Marine Corps self-destruct by shop-lifting $65 worth of items from a local Wal-Mart? Is the man a closet kleptomaniac? Is this the first time he has done this, or just the first time he was caught?
What we do have for facts are these: Col. Robert Gerald Petit, former commanding officer of the USMC 24th Expeditionary Unit at Camp Lejeune was caught on security cameras heisting two HP printer cartridges and a bottle of STP treatment and hiding the merchandise under his jacket.
Loss prevention personnel stopped the colonel at the store vestibule and took him back to the office where he acknowledged he had not paid for the items. The police were called and at that point, Petit's military career was over.
CAMERAS DON'T LIE - COLONEL CAUGHT ON FILM
Video from the store security cameras clearly show the colonel attempted to hide the purloined material and deposited wrappers in different places in the store in an apparent effort to conceal the theft.
At his court appearance, Petit's civilian attorney tried to get the case thrown out, but backed off when confronted by video proof the colonel had tried to steal the goods. Judge Louis Foy in Jacksonville, N.C. showed Petit mercy when he sentenced him to 96 hours of "community service." No fine. That's it. Such a lenient sentence might stick in the craw of some staff sergeant or gunny caught in the same circumstances. They wouldn't have gotten the same deal.
Petit appeared before the judge in his Class "A" service uniform. The judge was suitably impressed. "This man has lived an exemplary life," Foy said. "He has performed outstanding duty for his country."
The colonel, who let his lawyer talk for him, had no comment.
HOPES FOR A GENERAL'S STAR NOW GONE
The New Orleans native enlisted in the Corps back in 1978 and earned his officer's commission seven years later. Sources at Lejeune say Petit was in line for a brigadier general's star before this incident. Now, he will be lucky to retire in the grade of colonel.
He was relieved of command in February. Capt. Timothy Patrick, a spokesperson for the II Marine Expeditionary Force, said Petit received "non-judicial punishment." Since the actions taken "were administrative in nature," no further information will be released, he said.
The 50 year-old Marine officer's military career may have ended after 33 years, but he is lucky not to have paid a fine or even done a few days in jail.
33 years flushed down the toilet.
Three tours of duty maybe, and not a lifer pencil pusher in a state side camp?
There may be much more to this story or maybe there isn’t, but I give military LOTS of slack for mental disposition before I pick nits.
Who is behind militarycorruption.com anyway?
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Senior NCOs are a different story (as it should be). An E-7's chances of promotion would be over. If an E-8 or E-9 were this stupid, their commander would "recommend" they retire.
He actually got some out after discharge.
Sweet items of high quality. Have one around here somewhere, though it has not been seen for a decade or so because it is a hazard.
Spring so tight it would pop into your liver with a button push. Rosewood scales and brass bolsters... 5 inch blade. An overall dangerous thing if you do not know what happens when you hit the button.
I got a scar or two from it.
What's a BX?
What's a BX?
Base Exchange.
‘HOPES FOR A GENERAL’S STAR NOW GONE’
No kidding!
I agree with you on the med/psych evaluation. A few years ago there was a very well-respected County Attorney near here who had his name dragged through the mud in the newspapers. He had rather suddenly begun acting in a bizarre manner, yelling at staff...his office and cases were in disarray. I believe he was either fired or suspended. There were rumors of substance abuse, etc.
A few months after the front-page news articles smearing him first appeared, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
Back in 1991, I remember the Frankfurt MP commander, also a Colonel, having been caught shoplifting a leather jacket from the PX.
I think maybe the pressures of command trigger something in some people, because I can’t fathom why anybody would take such risks for something so trivial.
Colonel Petit gets busted for petit larceny. Weird.
Back at Ramstein Air Base in the early 1990s....we had a Lt Col who was caught shoplifting a $500 electronic address book system. This was the newest fad that had occurred and one of my co-workers watched as they grabbed the guy outside of the BX. My honest guess is that it happens more often than folks would like to admit.
We had a neighbor, Navy Commander, who was busted for adding cinder blocks to his furniture so he would get paid more for his cross-country move.
Military officers are and should be held to a higher standard. I just wish those same standards were applied to politicians.
MCC was started by Brigadier General Peter Genovese and is currently run by retired Army Major Glen MacDonald out of Phoenix.
The Pentagon’s office of the Secretary of Defense hits it every morning promptly at 0900 hours. Apparently, a staffer has the duty of checking it every morning to make sure “nothing is bubbling up out there”.
The worst scandal we’ve seen is the Air Force Major Jill Metzger Scandal and of course, Major Hasan.
A retired O-6 with 33 years shouldn’t be hurting for fishing equipment and beer ...unless he has significant civil support obligations.
Depends on what grade they let him retire. O-6 or O-1 or any pension at all.
Really, really sad.
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