Posted on Oct 19, 2017
What was the worst case of military career suicide you ever witnessed (non-criminal)?
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Stories of criminal activity killing a career are a dime a dozen; hence the reason I asked the question as I did.
For me, the most spectacular career suicide I saw occurred one day when, immediately after getting promoted to Staff Sergeant during a Friday battalion formation, this guy was given the opportunity to address the assembled. Not too unusual right? Well, once he was given the floor, he used it to his advantage in a very "go big or go home" kind of way.
So, as hundreds of us were gathered under the desert shade that afternoon listened, this guy proceeded to “thank” the unit. He thanked it for never letting him go home; for ruining his life; for ending his marriage; for…basically every bad thing out there under the sun! I’ll grant you, that unit was a bit self-serving and dysfunctional, but damn son!
Needless to say, the SGM and Commander ran right out there, grabbed him up--bodily, I might add--and took him away. One of the guys in my company said they saw him a week or so later in the S-Shops, and that he was no longer an E6, but that was the only report on that guy we ever got. He wasn't in our company.
That was probably the shortest lived promotion in Army history!
For me, the most spectacular career suicide I saw occurred one day when, immediately after getting promoted to Staff Sergeant during a Friday battalion formation, this guy was given the opportunity to address the assembled. Not too unusual right? Well, once he was given the floor, he used it to his advantage in a very "go big or go home" kind of way.
So, as hundreds of us were gathered under the desert shade that afternoon listened, this guy proceeded to “thank” the unit. He thanked it for never letting him go home; for ruining his life; for ending his marriage; for…basically every bad thing out there under the sun! I’ll grant you, that unit was a bit self-serving and dysfunctional, but damn son!
Needless to say, the SGM and Commander ran right out there, grabbed him up--bodily, I might add--and took him away. One of the guys in my company said they saw him a week or so later in the S-Shops, and that he was no longer an E6, but that was the only report on that guy we ever got. He wasn't in our company.
That was probably the shortest lived promotion in Army history!
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Edited 7 y ago
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 21
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Career Suicide? I had a Commander that was fraternizing with a female medic assigned to the unit while we were at NTC (OPFOR augmentees). Apparently she thought that part of the deal was being excused from going to the field, so when she was picked up for other infractions, she dropped a dime on him. Didn't save her career, and it shouldn't have, but it did cost the Captain's his and a marriage to boot.
I can't for the life of me feel a bit of sympathy for him. You don't shit where you eat.
I can't for the life of me feel a bit of sympathy for him. You don't shit where you eat.
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SPC (Join to see)
It never will funny enough. Pretty much a, "Oh so you both messed up, too easy" - UCMJ
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CPT Lawrence Cable
SPC (Join to see) - Yes, that's about it. I have some sympathy for people that get into a career situation because of lack of experience or just a stupid mistake, I've had a close call myself. But two experienced people that were knowingly breaking regulations and rather openly don't get a break in my book.
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SPC (Join to see)
CPT Lawrence Cable - I worked on a situation kinda similar, I felt bad for one of the parties involved until I delved further in to it. So many opportunities to report the situation, so many chances. Once the benefits went away, down came the hammer. Problem for them is the hammer struck everyone involved.
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Hearing a cherry 2LT telling the Regimental CSM to stand at attention while talking to the 2LT
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MSG (Join to see)
SPC (Join to see) - It was at FT Irwin. It's a small base. I never saw that 2LT again
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MAJ (Join to see)
So this reminds me of an awkward moment. When I was a 2LT at Gordon I was walking with another 2LT (colleague, most certainly not a friend) and we pass a group of four CSMs leaving the DFAC. It was one of those weird situations where we were going in and I was holding the door for the CSMs as they walked out so we were sort of half inside half outside while they were coming out. So my colleague stops in his tracks and proceeds to yell at that group for not saluting us. I was really hoping the ground would open up and swallow me at that moment. It was so embarrassing. MSG (Join to see)
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MSG (Join to see)
MAJ (Join to see) - I mean, in all rightness per the regs of customs and courtesies, yes those CSMs should have saluted....but to go balls out and chew them out.....yeeeeeaaaaaa.
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I had a LTC group commander, who conducted a surprise site inspection at a SW site in Germany. This was a time when terrorism and cold war was extremely high tensions. The site where we worked, two person rule and deadly force was in effect. At the end of my visitors briefing, I asked if the LTC had any questions, he pointed to our weapons rack and asked if those were our only weapons. I said yes, he then asked if they were loaded. I told him yes, the magazines were loaded and inserted in M16, but not locked and loaded. He shoved me aside, grabbed a weapon, locked and loaded a round and yelled out, "I am taking over this site!" I immediately punched him in the face and knocked the M16 away from him and me and another soldier piled on and restrained him. We then had the security team arrest him. Even though this was a criminal act, I am including this here because I thought it was not very well thought out plan to apparently test our response to a takeover.
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