This just moved a few minutes ago:
COLUMBIA, SC — Fort Jackson’s commanding officer has been suspended following allegations of misconduct, according to a spokesman with the US Army Training and Doctrine command.
Brig. Gen. Bryan T. Roberts was suspended by Gen. Robert W. Cone after learning about the allegations, which included claims of adultery and physical altercations, said Harvey Perritt, the spokesman. The exact circumstances of the claims are immediately unknown…
That’s about all I know right now. On the bright side, for those who take solace in such things, the fort now has its first female commander, with Brig. Gen. Peggy C. Combs stepping in as interim.
You know, if we’re going to keep having scandals involving generals, I’d sort of like to have one that didn’t involve sexual allegations. Just for variety. Maybe they could bust a brigadier for calling his rifle a “gun,” or something.
And “physical altercations”? Generally that’s usually more of a problem with the more junior ranks…
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Here’s the Army Times version of the story, and here’s the USA Today version…
I wonder why they brought in an interim from Ft. Leonard Wood, instead of just letting one of Roberts’ subordinates step in. Why not just follow the chain of command?
Getting someone independent. Maybe the allegations involved those within the command structure.
Agreed, it sounds like they are bringing in someone from outside the direct chain of command so that they have an independent leader in the post. Also, if there’s a bunch of Colonels running around, TRADOC would want a BG to oversee. I’d posit a guess that the fact that she’s a woman might also be a consideration, given the nature of the allegations against BG Roberts. Plus, if the suspension becomes permanent, they could keep BG Combs as CG permanently, which they couldn’t do with a COL.
Permanent suspension: a/k/a termination.
Yes, I thought maybe her gender would play a role. As in, “We need a woman to set this mess straight.”
Here’s how the AP is reporting it:
A “physical altercation” with a woman? The plot truly sickens…
Depends. Maybe the woman struck him first and he just responded. Not really sure why you make such a big distinction between violence against women and violence against men. Afterall in the ongoing sexual abuse scandal in the military about half of the victims are men. Seems pretty sickening either way.
It makes all the difference in the world. Violence against women is profoundly, qualitatively different. And sickening…
Just wait til the next war…
I agree with Bud on this; domestic violence is bad either way, any way. But then so is child abuse. I would say child sex abuse is the worst possible crime – and the one that does the most damage and has the highest societal cost. If you want sick and depraved, that’s way up there on the list of bad, bad stuff people do to one another.
Why? That is actually quite a sexist comment. It belittles who women by suggesting they are inferior to men in protecting themselves. While it is true that on average females are physically weaker than men it is not always the case that a man has the advantage. Is Jodi Arias any less culpable for her crimes than a given male perpertrator doing the same thing simply because of her gender? Is the rape of a man, Deliverance style, any less a significant crime than the same crime against a woman? Is a male student seduced by a female teacher any less of a serious offense than the other way around? I suggest that if we want a society that values the capabilities of woman then they should also be held to the same level of responsibilty when committing a crime. Likewise a man’s victimhood should be treated as equally sickening to that of a woman. Otherwise the status of women is diminished to a level subordinate to that of men.
Personally, I despise that term “victimhood”. It’s as psychologically damaging, proportionally, as whatever physical action occurred.
It doesn’t matter to me what you choose to call it, Bud. That doesn’t change the essential fact. It certainly affects my attitude in no way. I’ll only add that any political ideology that would negate the profound evil that is a man striking a woman is both foolish and offensive. Wrong is wrong, and a man hitting a woman is wrong. Any philosophy that would lessen that by making it no more wrong than a man striking a man further undermines the already crumbling foundations of civilization.
And yes, child abuse is worse. And sexual abuse of a child? Words fail me. It’s one crime that weakens my resolve against the death penalty.
I’m glad it’s “only” adultery. I guess the physical alteration part came when his wife threw the frying pan at him. Not making light of the situation, and of course it could actually be a whole lot worse…
The alternative could be suspending generals who cannot lead or are otherwise incompetent in their posting. That would be far worse for the good order of the Army. I still remember reading the Caine Mutiny. Officers going off the reservation professionally is far more serious than them being less than stellar spouses.
And the AP overrode my comment as I wrote it.
I’d be interested in hearing what some of our female posters have to say on this topic. To me Brad is diminishing women in a very condescending manner by rating violence according to the gender committing and receiving the violence.
The adultery charge is going to bury him more than the physical altercation. Messing around with someone else’s wife isn’t looked upon kindly in the military. I’d say this guy’s career is over and he can only hope they push him out without stripping rank from him.
“You know, if we’re going to keep having scandals involving generals, I’d sort of like to have one that didn’t involve sexual allegations.” BW
With you on that sentiment, Brad.
Have you noticed that all branches of the military have suffered unusually heavy attrition of COs over the past 5 or 6 years. My theory is that in the high-stakes game of military musical chairs, there are fewer commands nowadays. Yet, for purely political reasons, the Dems and Reps have not throttled down admissions to our military academies.. (Gen. Robert W. Cone graduated from the United States Military Academy 33 years ago).
With sequestratiion affecting significant elements of the U.S. military, why have the service academies remained untouched? Well, the answers (while the 2 major parties do not agree on rationale, their conclusion has been the same — hands off! ). Very wasteful, and expensive, but useful for patronage (for certain parents and professors).