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The end of NATO?
- Thread starter Waveoff
- Start date
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, we need a vomiting reaction for posts.
You can't even say the word diversity anymore without getting canned. What kind of eggshells is he talking about?
If you ask about eggshells, maybe be prepared for a polygraph? Somebody is stealing the strawberries, and Pete's going to get to the bottom of it...
Hegseth shouted threat to 'polygraph' top military officials: Sources
In at least two separate meetings Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused top-ranking military officers of leaking to the media and threatened to polygraph them.
While I'm generally for the stated policy goal here, I'm not sure how far from the status quo this "new" policy actually is. My personal experience with stuff like this is that leaders who are fair, transparent, and engage in honest dialogue with would-be complainants are largely immune from the kinds of weaponization of the IG/EO that SD is describing.
I've had military members threaten me with an IG or EEO complaint. My answer is always: "By all means. If you feel like I've been unfair, or that you've been discriminated against, file your complaint and we'll let an impartial investigator determine the facts."
You'd be amazed how quickly people back peddle when their bluff is called. I've had zero actual complaints filed against me.
Interesting note on how this all works on the Gov't Civilian side... If a civilian files a complaint, the DoD HR people handle most of it, and are generally very protective of the Government. We do a lot of memos for the record with our litigious problem children to document leadership's position on why certain decisions are made, etc. Another extremely valuable tool to insulate an organization from weaponization of EO.
Spekkio
He bowls overhand.
I have served with 3 O-6s who had their promotions held up due to frivolous IG complaints during their O5 command tours, in multiple services. At least they got back pay, but it certainly was a stressful time for them. They also universally perceived it was a guilty until proven innocent process.
So while the "impartial investigator determines the facts," your promotion is frozen and the detailers can't put you in jobs for the paygrade you're supposed to have. I'm happy for you that no one called your bluff, but you would have suffered severe career repercussions if someone simply opened an investigation. And in today's environment, it's just a few clicks on a smartphone.
I also can't confirm this (yet), but I suspect that the formal IG stink would preclude selection to GOFO when the time comes.
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Frivolous according to whom? I'm not saying that it doesn't happen, but I'd caution anyone against casually dismissing a complaint as frivolous if they aren't in possession of all the facts, or because they know the accused and think they're a swell guy. In any case, promotions don't get held up due to an IG or EO investigation unless the complaint is substantiated or there's NJP. As someone who DFC'd and NJP'd an officer last year, I'm pretty up to speed on the process.
Depends... is the allegation that someone raped a child, or that they were unfair with a FITREP. I think most garden variety complaints won't have any career or reputational implications as long as there's no there there. For perspective, all the VAQ COs that have gotten relieved over allegations against them during the past 25 years, all but one deserved their fate. That collection of anecdotes, along with my own experience, tells me that by and large, the system works most of the time. Of course, YMMV.
I don't think that's the right mindset in this discussion, and not particularly helpful.
I had a couple of officers file complaints with their congressmen when I was a detailer. The essence of their complaints was that they did not want sea duty assignments. BUPERS makes such evolutions easy for the detailers and, in my cases, the answer would've been something along the lines of "What part of Navy does your constituent not understand?"
I don’t think you are considering the stress on the family when all plans are put on hold: spouse’s career, trying to sell your house in the off season, and possibly not being able to buy a house until your previous house sells, not having a residence impacting enrollment in a school district, children’s school and/or sports’ teams. Lot of moving parts.
Oh, I’m quite aware of how impacts to PCS affect servicemembers. It happens all the time - for needs of the service, funding, decisions by leadership. Seeing it happen to the joes makes me an unsympathetic when leaders express entitlement to the next promotion or GO/FO consideration.
Spekkio
He bowls overhand.
Frivolous meaning that the results of the investigation determined that there was no wrong-doing. Not a single one of them were relieved of command. But in a promotion system where it increasingly becomes about 'who knows your name' as you move up the ladder, their careers are pretty much dead for going through the process.
And promotions do get held up when there is an open investigation against officers. If the investigation goes on long enough you can also get de-screened.