Gen. William "Kip" Ward still under investigation

[SF_BHT]

Well this just goes to show that even the top of the food chain can lose it and go off the edge. Looks like if the accusations are true that Gen Ward might be in for a reduction. If the article is correct he and his wife decided that they were special and deserved to be kept like royalty on our dime. Hummmm I see parallels with them and the COC and his wife. Power does corrupt if your moral compass is not strong.

http://www.kypost.com/dpps/news/nati...ending_7772376

Report details general's lavish travel, spending

Posted: 08/17/2012
By: LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The four-star general who headed U.S. Africa Command used military vehicles to shuttle his wife shopping and to spas, and billed the government for a refueling stop overnight in Bermuda, where the couple stayed in a $750 suite, a Defense Department investigation has found.

A 99-page report details excessive unauthorized spending and travel costs for Gen. William "Kip" Ward, including lengthy stays at lavish hotels for Ward, his wife and his staff members, and the use of five-vehicle motorcades when he traveled to Washington. It also said that Ward and his wife, Joyce, accepted dinner and Broadway show tickets from a government contractor during a trip on which he went backstage to meet actor Denzel Washington and they and several staff members spent the night at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

The report by the Defense Department's inspector general was obtained Friday by The Associated Press.

One incident involved Joyce Ward asking a staff member to go buy her a bag of "dark chocolate Snickers" bars, saying the general would provide "a couple of dollars" for it.

Ward, who is facing possible demotion for his activities, defended the Bermuda layover as a "crew stop" and blamed his staff for making the decision to stay there rather than flying on to Stuttgart, Germany-based Africa Command. His comments were included in the report.

"We conclude Gen. Ward engaged in multiple forms of misconduct related to official and unofficial travel," the inspector general's report said. "He conducted officials travel for primarily personal reasons and misused" military aircraft. It said he also misused his position and his staff's time and received reimbursement for travel expenses that far exceeded the approved daily military rate without approval.

In one case, his request to use military aircraft for a personal trip was denied, so he abruptly changed the trip to an official one, adding a quick meeting, and went anyway.

In numerous other cases, he and his wife used staff and government-rented cars to run errands, pick up flowers, books, snacks and event tickets.

During one 11-day trip to Washington, Ward spent one day visiting wounded soldiers, had a 90-minute meeting on another day and a State Department meeting on a third day but billed the Pentagon more than $129,000 to cover the daily hotel and other costs for him, his wife and 13 civilian and military staff.

The report concluded he did no other official business during that trip.

A common theme running through the report was Ward's insistence that his wife travel with him at government cost, even though it was often not authorized and she often did not perform official duties. He also routinely stayed in high-priced suites in luxury hotels rather than in standard rooms or less expensive locales.

And his staff - which can include advance and security teams - often traveled days prior to his arrival, including on the Bermuda stop, and stayed after he departed. The cost of rooms in Bermuda for Ward and his staff came to more than $10,000, not including meals, transportation or other costs.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is expected to make a decision on Ward's fate before the end of the month.

U.S. officials said Ward, who was the first head of the U.S. military's Africa Command, was warned several times by staff that his activities were wrong, to no avail.

While the exact amount of alleged misspending was not disclosed, the estimated total evokes comparisons with the $823,000 allegedly spent by dozens of employees of the General Services Administration who were accused of lavish spending during an October 2010 conference at a Las Vegas resort.

Panetta's options regarding Ward are limited by complex laws and military guidelines.

Panetta can demote Ward and force him to retire at a lower rank. Because Ward's alleged offenses occurred while he was a four-star general, he could be forced to retire as a three-star, which officials said could cost him as much as $1 million in retirement pay over time.

In order for Ward to be demoted to two-star rank, investigators would have to conclude that he also had problems prior to moving to Africa Command, and officials said that does not appear to be the case.

In making his decision, Panetta has to certify to Congress that Ward served satisfactorily at the rank at which he is retired.

Ward stepped down early last year after serving at the Europe-based Africa Command, and he intended to retire. He did all the paperwork and was hosted at a retirement ceremony in April 2011 at Fort Myer, Va., but the Army halted his plans to leave because of the investigation.

Since then, he has been working in Northern Virginia, serving as a special assistant to the vice chief of the Army.

[PRB]

"Peel me a grape".....

[ZonieDiver]

Something happens to some people when they pin on those stars. I've had seen with a few generals, but had direct contact with only one, Maj Gen George L. Mabry, Jr. He was CG of USARSO when I was in 8th Group.

I met him twice, neither were pleasant. He seemed focused on trivial crap on the first meeting. On the second, which occured at JOTC's "Leadership Reaction / Target Detection and Engagement" course (BB-guns fired from the hip), he came during lunch. While we SF instructors and our Marine students had cold C-rats, they set up a little table with a white tablecloth and served him a hot meal. (When I see it in my mind's eye, there's a silver candlelabra on it, but I don't think that was really there.)

As he was coming in, I got up, took my C's, walked about 10 yards down my lane - followed by my four Marines - and ate my C's in the jungle.

Besides two stars, he had the MOH from WWII. When I read the narrative, it was difficult for me to associate the man he was back then with the man he became.

Sad.

[trvlr]

If those accusations are true it's clear cut fraud waste and abuse. Since he's not a junior grade officer I doubt he'll get anything worse than a golden parachute ride. I hope I'm wrong.

[BMT (RIP)]

Ward is now a 2 star.

BMT

[SF_BHT]

Originally Posted by BMT

Ward is now a 2 star.

BMT

Has Panetta made his decision? Have not seen any announcement yet.......

I am sure he will be demoted but you never know......

[Bettendorf]

Originally Posted by SF_BHT

Has Panetta made his decision? Have not seen any announcement yet.......

I am sure he will be demoted but you never know......

Here's the IG report on the newly christened MG.

http://www.dodig.mil/fo/Foia/PDFs/WardROI_Redacted.pdf

[PRB]

Should be courtsmartialed period......what an arrogant ass.

[SF_BHT]

Originally Posted by Bettendorf

Here's the IG report on the newly christened MG.

http://www.dodig.mil/fo/Foia/PDFs/WardROI_Redacted.pdf

He is a MG because he was not in a position for a General for the time he was in a holding pattern in DC waiting for the investigation. Their lack of fast action caused him to revert to MG so they did not have to do anything.

He should have been courtsmartialed like we all feel but they are taking care of the ass. Generals taking care of Generals. If it was a low ranking Officer or Enlisted they would be in jail right now. This burns me up........

[Inflexible Six]

I actually read this, which shows you how boring my life is. Yes, he should be in jail...And Mrs. General Ward should be doing some weed-whackin around the NCO Club...

[Badger52]

I got detailed (very briefly*) in Berlin once back in the day to drive for a member of the bde staff who had some big 'godfather' somewhere. That guy could've "grown up" to be this POS. (One thing never painted on the sides of mil sedans during that time was For Official Use Only.) Came to a head when he got back in the car late one night after I was coolin' my heels in some side street off the Ku'damm in front of a (great) Balkan restaurant while he took care of his Norwegian mistress. His counter-offer implied perhaps I'd rather be staring across the wire at some VoPo with binos & a radio. Pointing out that it would be a helluva lot closer to my MOS than what I was doing probably cemented the deal.

My point is that I don't believe such knuckleheads as this suddenly get that way. The scope may get larger but at some point their network is gonna overlook some stuff and, absent any rudder corrections, you get this. Neither first nor last. Docking his number of stars? BS.

Still, my oath is the only one I can protect. Hang 'em & move on. Perhaps Mrs. Ward will get used to "my husband, the corrupt & disgraced General." Just doesn't flow the same....



* My Opns NCO said, "23 days, that might be a record."

[afchic]

And people wonder why our troops have a hard time respecting the Officer Corps. Typical, take care of your buddy bullshit. If this was a Lt Col or below they would be HUNG. I am so tired of this crap.

Norfolk Virginian-Pilot
October 5, 2012

Don't Demote General, Top Officer Urges

By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press

WASHINGTON--America's top military officer is opposing the demotion of a four-star general who is accused of spending tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on lavish travel and other expenses in a case that has been sitting on Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's desk for weeks, U.S. officials said Thursday.

Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is among those who believe that Gen. William Ward, the former head of U.S. Africa Command, should be allowed to retire at his full four-star general rank, the officials said.

A Defense Department inspector general's report released in mid-August concluded that Ward "engaged in multiple forms of misconduct related to official and unofficial travel." It said Ward "conducted official travel for primarily personal reasons," misused military aircraft and received reimbursement for travel expenses that far exceeded the approved daily military rate without authorization.

Panetta has not made a final decision, officials said.

Other officials have argued that the allegations made against Ward in the IG report were serious and that senior officers need to be held accountable. Officials have suggested that similar misconduct by a lower-ranking officer or enlisted military member would garner severe punishment or dismissal.

Retiring as a three-star would cost Ward nearly $30,000 a year in retirement pay - giving him about $208,802 a year rather than the $236,650 he would get as a four-star. He also could be required to reimburse the Defense Department for tens of thousands of dollars.

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, a Defense Department investigation found. It detailed lengthy stays at lavish hotels for Ward, his wife and his staff members, and the use of five-vehicle motorcades when he traveled to Washington.

[mark46th]

We had a Major in the 46th Co, Taco 6, who was, IIRC, jailed for such nonsense...

[sinjefe]

Originally Posted by afchic

And people wonder why our troops have a hard time respecting the Officer Corps. Typical, take care of your buddy bullshit. If this was a Lt Col or below they would be HUNG. I am so tired of this crap.

Norfolk Virginian-Pilot
October 5, 2012

Don't Demote General, Top Officer Urges

By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press

WASHINGTON--America's top military officer is opposing the demotion of a four-star general who is accused of spending tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on lavish travel and other expenses in a case that has been sitting on Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's desk for weeks, U.S. officials said Thursday.

Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is among those who believe that Gen. William Ward, the former head of U.S. Africa Command, should be allowed to retire at his full four-star general rank, the officials said.

A Defense Department inspector general's report released in mid-August concluded that Ward "engaged in multiple forms of misconduct related to official and unofficial travel." It said Ward "conducted official travel for primarily personal reasons," misused military aircraft and received reimbursement for travel expenses that far exceeded the approved daily military rate without authorization.

Panetta has not made a final decision, officials said.

Other officials have argued that the allegations made against Ward in the IG report were serious and that senior officers need to be held accountable. Officials have suggested that similar misconduct by a lower-ranking officer or enlisted military member would garner severe punishment or dismissal.

Retiring as a three-star would cost Ward nearly $30,000 a year in retirement pay - giving him about $208,802 a year rather than the $236,650 he would get as a four-star. He also could be required to reimburse the Defense Department for tens of thousands of dollars.

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, a Defense Department investigation found. It detailed lengthy stays at lavish hotels for Ward, his wife and his staff members, and the use of five-vehicle motorcades when he traveled to Washington.

Not that I had any respect for Dempsey to begin with, but that just seals it. I wonder if he knows the damage that he (Dempsey) does to other GOs by doing this? If it were anyone else, they would be hammered and in Leavenworth.

[MR2]

This inDUHvidual just needs some additional training. I'm thinking that a branch reclassification to Hard Rock Mining is in order with concurrent reassignment to Ft. Leavenworth.