[Girlene]

For anyone interested, here's a bit more info on the financial dealings. Afghanistan suspect had shaky business dealings

Not sure how accurate all this is, but it provides a bit more detail/background for what it's worth.

[smoothsailing]

It's interesting what his highschool friends have to say. They probably know him as well as anybody outside his immediate family.

.....................................

In 2000, a year before he joined the Army, Bales joined a Florida company called Spartina Investments Inc. with former NFL player Marc Edwards, his Norwood, Ohio, high school teammate who went on to win the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots.

"I viewed him as a person with enormous integrity, courage and loyalty," Edwards said.

[Future Snake Eater]

Interesting, but I still find it all very confusing.

Was Bales still working for the company or not?

Was he just a worker bee so the press gets to attach it to him? (you know, everyone who worked at Enron is guilty as sin)

Still, there’s no clarification as to who exactly levied the $1.5 million judgement or whether it’s even legally binding.

The analysis is correct regarding Bales’ financial history and its effects on his security clearance. He would have probable issues getting a TS clearance, but Secret isn’t a problem. You don’t need TS for a LOOONG time in the Infantry.

Still, if it was a legally binding judgement, where was the enforcement? That wouldn’t be on the military background check; that would be on the levying body and appropriate enforcement officials.