Posted on 11/19/2012 6:19:40 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Then-defense secretary Robert M. Gates stopped bagging his leaves when he moved into a small Washington military enclave in 2007. His next-door neighbor was Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time, who had a chef, a personal valet and — not lost on Gates — troops to tend his property.
Gates may have been the civilian leader of the world’s largest military, but his position did not come with household staff. So, he often joked, he disposed of his leaves by blowing them onto the chairman’s lawn.
“I was often jealous because he had four enlisted people helping him all the time,” Gates said in response to a question after a speech Thursday. He wryly complained to his wife that “Mullen’s got guys over there who are fixing meals for him, and I’m shoving something into the microwave. And I’m his boss.”
Of the many facts that have come to light in the scandal involving former CIA director David H. Petraeus, among the most curious was that during his days as a four-star general, he was once escorted by 28 police motorcycles as he traveled from his Central Command headquarters in Tampa to socialite Jill Kelley’s mansion. Although most of his trips did not involve a presidential-size convoy, the scandal has prompted new scrutiny of the imperial trappings that come with a senior general’s lifestyle...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Somehow, I don’t see ole Ben Bradlee, publisher of the WaPo that published this POS, raking his own yard, either
“So do senior executives of companies...”
I worked for a company in Ohio, the largest in its industry, and knew the CEO. We shared the same barbershop. And he did his own yard work. I have seen him cutting his own grass. I have seen him raking leaves. Did he have to do that? No, and he could have hired all of that done.
And yes, I have known of CEO’s who had personal work done by company employees, on company time. This one, whom I have always admired, did not do that.
“I’ve never seen an O-5 do his own yardwork, much less a general or a cabinet officer.”
That’s a crock.
I heard about this stuff when I was in the Army, and I vowed that I would never be a part of it, it would have been the stockade for me, if they had tried to turn me into a common servant.
Wah?
This 0-6’s wife and hubs have ALWAYS bagged our own leaves, even living in housing. I’d like to know the ones who didn’t...
Exactly right...I totally agree....and the misuse of these personnel is notorious.
My father was an O-5, he did his own yard work. My brother is an 0-5 and he does his own yard work. I guess you didn't look very hard.
Just my experience, not saying all are the same. Remember, I was a strategic intelligence analyst so I have a slightly different perspective than an infantryman or wheeled vehicle mechanic.
I was an E-4 and I do my own yard work.
An O5 was not considered Senior Officer Staff in my experience with the military.
Occupational hazard, I guess, for enlisted active duty operations staff.
In the USAF, only a rear echelon, non-ops O5 would even dream of asking for support staff.
In my time, he/she would have been the base joke.
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When I was a kid, I used to play at the Naval Observatory. We were friends with the admiral’s son. The VP did not live there back then; the admiral did.
Talk about a place to play! They had a movie theater and we would call into the kitchen with food orders. I was young, but drove a car around the grounds. We were kinda bad. It was a blast. :)
This is the third post of yours I am replying to, on this thread.
My last official title was NCOIC of Combat Intelligence, for a SAC nuclear Division.
I’m going to go out on a very stout limb here, and cry probable foul regarding your military experience credentials.
But hey, have a nice day!
I was a 96B Intelligence Analyst. Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri for Basic Combat Training then on to Fort Huachuca, Arizona for AIT. First assignment: Hotline Operator (DMZ early warning analyst) at G-2 I Corps (ROK/US) Group, Camp Red Cloud, Korea. Then 191st Combat Intelligence Company, 312th Military Intelligence Battalion (CEWI) of 1st Cavalry Division, Ft Hood, Texas. On to HHOC, 102nd Intelligence Battalion (CEWI) of the 2nd Infantry Division, where I was tasked to cover three DPRK Army corps. Was on both Camp Hovey and Casey. Then on to HHOC, 105th Military Intelligence Battalion (CEWI) of the 5th (Mech) Infantry Division, Fort Polk, where I ETS’d.
These mistress, email, motorcade, leave raking stories, and who changed the "talking points" stories are nothing more than a distraction to more serious questions.
Where are the stories on why the embassy did not have better security? Why were the rescuers abandoned and left to die? That is where the scrutiny should be.
When I say “That don't impress me much”, will you be offended?
Not to denigrate your personal service to our nation, but just to shake you out of your public delusions of self grandeur...
I worked at an Air National Guard base soon after I left the service and you remind me of them, if you catch my drift. Where did the Air Force get the idea that they were somehow “above” and superior to the Army, the branch where they originated?
I live in a active duty Naval officers home. Your attitude is beyond disgusting!
Sen. Kerry is being considered for Secretary of Defense, not Secretary of the Navy,...SOS, as I recall.
Which part of my “attitude” do you find so offensive?
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