Posted on Aug 31, 2015
Army colonel 'kissed soldiers' wives on lips': investigation
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"Army colonel 'kissed soldiers' wives on lips in public' says investigation, allowed to retire quietly"
From: NY Daily News
A senior U.S. military commander was removed from his job after an investigation concluded he had been kissing soldiers’ wives on the lips at public events.
An investigation into the behavior of Colonel Chad McRee, former commander of the 16th Military Police Brigade, was launched after an anonymous letter complained about his conduct.
The Fort Bragg commander had made it a practice to give the wives of subordinates unwelcome kisses on the lips at public events.
The investigation led to his removal from his Fort Bragg commander’s job, but he stayed in the military and was allowed to quietly retire in April 2015 – more than two years after the initial complaint about his conduct.
The Army released the report of the investigation to The Fayetteville Observer in June under a federal Freedom of Information Act request.
One soldier told the investigation McRee has kissed several spouses – including his wife – on the lips.
The report stated that McRee "made multiple spouses uncomfortable (inappropriate touching and explicit language)" and that “some of these incidents resulted in spouses leaving in embarrassment and in tears”.
Another wife claimed she was the seventh in the line of spouses that McRee had kissed that day, and another soldier said McRee kissed his wife multiple times.
"The first time that he kissed my wife, she thought it was an accidental mistake until it happened at the next event that she attended”, he said, according to the report.
"She has to purposely turn her head to the side so that he does not kiss her on the mouth. She thought it was not on purpose in the beginning, but now thinks that he tries to kiss her on purpose now."
McRee admitted that he kissed selective spouses on the lips, which the investigator said "created a negative organizational command climate."
"I do kiss spouses depending on our familiarity with one another and depending on the circumstances regarding the event," he said.
"I am careful to read body language, and I try in all instances to avoid ever making someone feel uncomfortable or vulnerable."
The investigation found that McRee violated five of eight core expectations for Army leaders, made inappropriate remarks toward officers and noncommissioned officers and was unfairly authoritative toward Family Readiness Group members, officers and noncommissioned officers.
The investigation was ordered by Lt. Gen. Daniel Allyn, the 18th Airborne Corps chief of staff, in March 2013.
McRee was suspended amid numerous allegations that year, then reinstated for the purpose of relinquishing command, before retiring in April 2015.
Criminal charges were never filed against McRee.
In his rebuttal, McRee defended his actions and said: "I do not believe I created a negative organizational climate within the 16th Military Police Brigade."
From: NY Daily News
A senior U.S. military commander was removed from his job after an investigation concluded he had been kissing soldiers’ wives on the lips at public events.
An investigation into the behavior of Colonel Chad McRee, former commander of the 16th Military Police Brigade, was launched after an anonymous letter complained about his conduct.
The Fort Bragg commander had made it a practice to give the wives of subordinates unwelcome kisses on the lips at public events.
The investigation led to his removal from his Fort Bragg commander’s job, but he stayed in the military and was allowed to quietly retire in April 2015 – more than two years after the initial complaint about his conduct.
The Army released the report of the investigation to The Fayetteville Observer in June under a federal Freedom of Information Act request.
One soldier told the investigation McRee has kissed several spouses – including his wife – on the lips.
The report stated that McRee "made multiple spouses uncomfortable (inappropriate touching and explicit language)" and that “some of these incidents resulted in spouses leaving in embarrassment and in tears”.
Another wife claimed she was the seventh in the line of spouses that McRee had kissed that day, and another soldier said McRee kissed his wife multiple times.
"The first time that he kissed my wife, she thought it was an accidental mistake until it happened at the next event that she attended”, he said, according to the report.
"She has to purposely turn her head to the side so that he does not kiss her on the mouth. She thought it was not on purpose in the beginning, but now thinks that he tries to kiss her on purpose now."
McRee admitted that he kissed selective spouses on the lips, which the investigator said "created a negative organizational command climate."
"I do kiss spouses depending on our familiarity with one another and depending on the circumstances regarding the event," he said.
"I am careful to read body language, and I try in all instances to avoid ever making someone feel uncomfortable or vulnerable."
The investigation found that McRee violated five of eight core expectations for Army leaders, made inappropriate remarks toward officers and noncommissioned officers and was unfairly authoritative toward Family Readiness Group members, officers and noncommissioned officers.
The investigation was ordered by Lt. Gen. Daniel Allyn, the 18th Airborne Corps chief of staff, in March 2013.
McRee was suspended amid numerous allegations that year, then reinstated for the purpose of relinquishing command, before retiring in April 2015.
Criminal charges were never filed against McRee.
In his rebuttal, McRee defended his actions and said: "I do not believe I created a negative organizational climate within the 16th Military Police Brigade."
Army colonel 'kissed soldiers' wives on lips': investigation
Posted from nydailynews.comPosted in these groups: 
Army
Military Family
Army Military Family
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 28
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Allowed to quietly retire? I'm not one to throw the BS flag without cause, but this is BS! It's good to be the King.........I mean, Colonel.
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Ever heard of: "Rank Has Its Privileges"
In my military career I have seen numerous lower enlisted SM have their life and careers ruined because of an accusation. Then turn right around and see Senior NCO's, Officers, and Cmd Staff, violate the "Sharp Policy" like no tomorrow.
On one of my deployments I knew of a lower enlisted female who was single that was having sexual intercourse with a Warrant who was married.
She ended up pregnant. She was reprimanded and sent back to the states. He was just slapped on the hand and told they issued rifle covers by the hand full at the TMC and got to finish out his tour. She had an abortion and was promoted and got to stay in until her ETS.
Now, go figure this one out. Because, we are all told about and warned about and have too sign a statement of agreement that we would abide all regulations and SOP's during our deployments to include sexual activities especially those who were married. That it was a career killer.
All talk nothing happened except to certain individuals.
Double Standard Todays Military.
In my military career I have seen numerous lower enlisted SM have their life and careers ruined because of an accusation. Then turn right around and see Senior NCO's, Officers, and Cmd Staff, violate the "Sharp Policy" like no tomorrow.
On one of my deployments I knew of a lower enlisted female who was single that was having sexual intercourse with a Warrant who was married.
She ended up pregnant. She was reprimanded and sent back to the states. He was just slapped on the hand and told they issued rifle covers by the hand full at the TMC and got to finish out his tour. She had an abortion and was promoted and got to stay in until her ETS.
Now, go figure this one out. Because, we are all told about and warned about and have too sign a statement of agreement that we would abide all regulations and SOP's during our deployments to include sexual activities especially those who were married. That it was a career killer.
All talk nothing happened except to certain individuals.
Double Standard Todays Military.
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SSgt (Join to see)
I was at a sq. event once, with an open bar of course, and just about everyone was trashed. Our commander, chief, and first sgt were all so trashed they were crawling around on the floor. At the end of the night, everyone got in their cars and went home. The commander was seen crawling through their parking lot to their car, and then climbing into the driver seat. (I had left long before this so wasn't there to stop it) One of the lower enlisted members got a DUI on the way home. The commander of course decided to make an "example" of this enlisted member, who ended up being discharged.
Needless to say, because of things like this, I no longer attend sq. events, period. When you watch your leadership do things like this, it tends to leave a lasting negative impression towards leadership in general. I have been in a few units since then, and have leadership who I know would set the example and do things the right way, however still refuse to attend any events just to cover my own backside.
Needless to say, because of things like this, I no longer attend sq. events, period. When you watch your leadership do things like this, it tends to leave a lasting negative impression towards leadership in general. I have been in a few units since then, and have leadership who I know would set the example and do things the right way, however still refuse to attend any events just to cover my own backside.
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CPT Daniel Cox
Part of the problem is the UCMJ itself. As I understood it when I was on Active Duty (more than 30 years ago) in most instances an officer could resign instead of face a court martial. Please correct me if this is no longer the case. I know one example (10-12 years after I was medically released) where a Major had a one time fling with an enlisted man's wife while he was deployed in Saudi Arabia. She told her husband, he started proceedings and the Major resigned. I figured out that the 15 minutes he spent on the hood of a car cost him at least a half million dollars when you count his at least 8-10 years more of active duty and the 30 years or so of retirement pay. He wasn't prosecuted but he did wind up paying a great deal.
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