Have you ever paid a bribe?

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 12:31:44 -0400

Have you ever paid a bribe/bribed someone in your life/career?

I have. My team and I were in a country in W. Africa and on mission. We needed to get from point A to point B and part of that was a river crossing that could only be crossed with a ferry. As we approached the crossing - several miles from the actual river, we encountered gridlock. After dismounting from our SUVs, one of my teammates went to a local truck driver parked next to us and with the help of our interpreter, asked how long he had been waiting. He replied he had been waiting for a few days and expected to wait up to 9-10 days to board the ferry. We asked people stacked into small station wagons how long they had been waiting, same answer, but with an expectancy to board the ferry within 3-5 days.

That's when my interpreter and partner nation force officer said "Jay, we can pay our way to the front". I didn't over-analyze the situation - I simply said "How much?".

Needless to say - we got on the ferry within 3 hours and met our time hack and link up at point B.

Was it wrong? Was it ethical? I don't know - but I had a mission to complete and I definitely wasn't going to allow my guys and myself to be a sitting duck for 3-7 days. The gray area is what it is - sometimes you have to embrace it.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Oct 29 at 2015 12:40 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 12:40:10 -0400

Sure, but with funds (Not US sourced) that were "provided" for that purpose. We'd also used food as bribes too. Sometimes you slap some of your own money down too. Did that once to get one of mine on a plane out of Phnom Penh during the Hun Sen coup in '97. Law of the Universe: Nobody takes plastic in a war.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 29 at 2015 12:47 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 12:47:27 -0400

That sounds like you just paid for expedited service.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Oct 29 at 2015 1:08 PM

PO1 John Miller — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 13:08:18 -0400

Only to get out of going to jail in Mexico for public urination. I don't know if the men who stopped me were cops or not (plain clothes) but I didn't want to take that risk. I ended up giving them about $60.

Response by Cpl Jed Fortune made Oct 29 at 2015 1:21 PM

Cpl Jed Fortune — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 13:21:18 -0400

ANY 3rd recon from 1960 okinawa out there??

Response by SN Greg Wright made Oct 29 at 2015 2:09 PM

SN Greg Wright — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 14:09:53 -0400

LTC Private RallyPoint Member Sure. Every time I go to the Philippines there's a 20 in my passport...and I never have my bags searched. (Not that I'm hiding anything, just don't want the hassle). I always get glares from travelers who ARE being searched heh.

It's also standard practice if you wind up on the wrong end of a traffic stop, there.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 29 at 2015 2:49 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 14:49:29 -0400

I was a teen growing up in the Philippines. I was messing with my GF in a dark sugar cane field in my truck. Then I noticed 6 militia-types. After a couple minutes I emptied my wallet and they left.

Response by Sgt Spencer Sikder made Oct 29 at 2015 3:27 PM

Sgt Spencer Sikder — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 15:27:31 -0400

Most definitely, I'm married with children.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 29 at 2015 3:45 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 15:45:15 -0400

I wonder what your local legal advisor / JAG would say about the legality of all of this, and about the sensibility of posting such a question. I suppose the legality is up for interpretation----of how one defines "bribe." As others have suggested, perhaps in this case you simply paid more for expedited service. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act is pretty clear, though: paying a bribe (as defined by the FCPA) is illegal for a USG employee, regardless of where it occurs (and, of course, with multiple exceptions). http://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act. It really does seem to depend on who it is that is being paid, what it is that is being paid for, and who it is that is doing the paying.

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Oct 29 at 2015 3:59 PM

SrA Edward Vong — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 15:59:13 -0400

Driving in Thailand, minor infractions would get you pulled over. Here's the deal, would you rather pay 500 Baht to the state? or 100 Baht to the cop? Your call.

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 30 at 2015 10:36 AM

1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 10:36:03 -0400

I have not.

Response by TSgt Marco McDowell made Oct 30 at 2015 10:15 PM

TSgt Marco McDowell — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 22:15:24 -0400

Yep, liquored up in Tijuana. The cops snatched a few buddies up for being drunk...riiiight. $150 bucks later...

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Oct 31 at 2015 2:45 AM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Sat, 31 Oct 2015 02:45:17 -0400

I did once, it didn't work: My wife still made me work on her list!

Response by SPC David S. made Oct 31 at 2015 10:36 AM

SPC David S. — Sat, 31 Oct 2015 10:36:02 -0400

Sure a number of times. As these are often sketchy situations the funniest one I experienced was in Mexico. I was on my way to hook up with the local rugby club for one of their practices and on the way policía on a motorcycle pulls me over and explains I ran a light that wasn't there - as its a standard practice there I asked him, "Puedo pagar la multa?" (Can I pay you the fine). He responds with "Si, 500 pesos". $40 bucks well worth it to bypass the long bar Hilton. What was funny is his English improved once he knew I understood the process. As well he was way more nervous than me. I think me being 6'5" 270 lbs dressed in a rugby gear scared the shit out of the guy. However "buenas noches" and I was out of there. If you never had to bribe someone you're aren't living.