As Sec of Defense, Gates could easily afford to have someone take care of his lawn, and so can a Four Star general. There is no reason enlisted men should have been tending to some General's personal needs at home off base.
If one of my former bosses had been calling out people from the company, on company time, to do his house keeping chores for him, they would have had their asses fired, and rightly so.
Exactly right...I totally agree....and the misuse of these personnel is notorious.