Posted on 11/13/2012 10:40:27 AM PST by billorites
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has demoted the former head of U.S. Africa Command who was accused of spending thousands of dollars on lavish travel and other unauthorized expenses, a senior U.S. official said Tuesday.
Panetta stripped Gen. William ‘‘Kip’’ Ward of a star, which means that he will now retire as a three-star lieutenant general despite arguments from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff against the demotion. Ward also has been ordered also repay the government $82,000.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person wasn’t authorized to discuss a personnel matter.
The demotion comes as retired Army Gen. David Petraeus resigned as CIA director because of an extramarital affair and Marine Gen. John Allen is being investigated for improper communications with a woman.
According to the official, Panetta reviewed the Ward matter and concluded that the wrongdoing found by the Defense Department Inspector General, in a report released earlier this year, demanded accountability.
Retiring as a three-star will cost Ward about $30,000 a year in retirement pay — giving him close to $208,802 a year rather than the $236,650 he would get as a four-star.
Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, urged Panetta to allow Ward, the former head of U.S. Africa Command, to retire at his full four-star general rank, according to defense officials. Other military leaders had noted that the demotion would cost Ward a lot of money.
The inspector general’s report found that Ward used military vehicles to shuttle his wife on shopping trips and to a spa and billed the government for a refueling stop overnight in Bermuda, where the couple stayed in a $750 suite. The report detailed lengthy stays at lavish hotels for Ward, his wife and his staff members,
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
“Should such information be classified?”
No. It’s part of the NDAA and there are a certain number of authorized billets at each grade. It’s a budgetary issue - y’know, when we have a budget...
All branches. Wikipedia has a good write up on it.
Well let's see...obammy told medvedev that he'd have more, what was it? Leverage, or some such, after he got reelected.
This whole crackdown is not mistimed or coincidence.
This is a major move to take the top down in the military (though I have to say, much of it deserved), but the timing is magnificent.
FMCDH(BITS)
What a metaphor ! Now John F'en Catsup. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Taxpayers spent $1.4 billion dollars on everything from staffing, housing, flying and entertaining President Obama and his family last year, according to the author of a new book on taxpayer-funded presidential perks. In comparison, British taxpayers spent just $57.8 million on the royal family. Author Robert Keith Gray writes in “Presidential Perks Gone Royal” that Obama isn’t the only president to have taken advantage of the expensive trappings of his office. But the amount of money spent on the first family, he argues, has risen tremendously under the Obama administration .
My bad, RADM Gaouette was replaced (mid tour) not relieved in Oct. Gen Rodriguez nominated to relieve Ham. My original post was based on a rumor I read as news several weeks ago. I went back and dug a little deeper and found I was pushing a rumor. Thanks for setting me straight.
Ann Barnhardt...Night of the Long Knives.
we have our link to the DNC::::::: Who is leaking this info???
A judge noted in the file that Khawam “has attached letters from Gen. David H. Petraeus averring to her ability to appropriately parent the child, and is prepared to present corroborating testimony at trial.”
And in court documents filed by Kelley’s sister Natalie Khawam, she name-drops both Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island — who both have ties to a Providence, RI, lawyer/Democratic fundraiser who loaned a whopping $300,000 to Khawam
He was imitating the Marxist and Moochelle.
You can’t transform America without first transforming the Military. It is the only American Institution that continues to be viewed favorably by the public. Every other institution has been torn down in the eyes of the public. Media, Medicine & Doctors, Business, Finance, Wallstreet, Religion/Clergy (except Islam), Education, Charities, Govt. Officials of all types, Sport Figures, Scientists (global warming) etc. Everything is corrupt now. The only thing left was the US Military. It has to be destroyed before America can be destroyed and a New World Order established with a ruling elite and all individuals serfs to the elite.
Look for the Military to be “unionized”. Meaning all the old controls and hierarchy will be replaced by “democratic” principles driven by collective bargaining rules. Society collapse will happen in about 10 years. The groundwork is being laid right before our eyes.
“What the hell is Obama planning?”
Systematic destruction of the US military. He is going to steal billions from the military for social programs and there will be no one to stop him. The generals buy the hardware. Destroys the relationships in the military industrial complex. Destroys red states where military hardware is produced. Which means jobs.
That is why you make Kerry SecDef. The only reason why you make Kerry SecDef. Basically, Obama is going to destroy red state America.
Some of the military is already unionized. Take a look at the technicians in the National Guard and Reserve. There already is collective bargaining going on in the military. And it’s like all other government unions. A union of government employees negotiating with other government employees.
Let me expand on my first response.
obammy is a marxist. That is what he believes in. That is what his followers believe in. he believes in the "UN".
As far as I'm concerned, he is a power-grabber for the UN and the marxists of the world, and what better way to start than emasculating OUR military?
Don't forget the UN's gun grab coming up soon. brackhuseynobammy is all for it.
Stay focused on the day to day bullshit this bastard does.....oh, yeah,...and watch what the unions get in the next 2-3 months...
FMCDH(BITS)
I believe there is a systematic takedown of top military brass going on. The military presents a threat to the Obama administration’s power. A couple of years ago there was a survey on the most trusted profession and military was at the top. This plan has been a long time in the making and operatives have been collecting dirt on top military leadership. They are trying to destroy credibility and trust of the public in the military, remove any challenge to power and destroy the morale of the military members (like the John Kerry SecDef appt idea), and most of all remove any power threat. This is a major PSYOP. Now seems to be the time to throw it all at the fan.
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