Camp Pendleton general facing ‘administrative actions’ after reportedly treating aide like a servant

https://www.ocregister.com/ ^ | 7/20/18 | ERIKA I. RITCHIE

[BBell]

Camp Pendleton general facing ‘administrative actions’ after reportedly treating aide like a servant while deployed to Iraq

8 at 6:44 pm | UPDATED: July 20, 2018 at 6:45 pm CAMP PENDLETON — A brigadier general serving at the Marine Corps base will receive “administrative actions” for misusing his aide to perform servant-like tasks while deployed to Iraq.

Marine Corps officials confirmed Friday, July 20 that a report by the Department of Defense Inspector General substantiated allegations against Brig. Gen. Rick A. Uribe, who served as deputy commanding general and director of the Combined Joint Operations Center in Baghdad from May 2016 to June 2017.

“The chain of command has addressed the allegations through appropriate administrative actions,” said Chuck Little, a spokesman for the Marine Corps Forces Pacific. “We take all allegations of misconduct seriously.”

Uribe, who now serves as the deputy commanding general of 1 Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), is accused of using his aide to carry out duties that were not part of the job description.

According to the report published this month, Uribe asked the aide to pick up his laundry, remove and turn in his bed sheets for cleaning, provide meals and snacks, draft his unofficial correspondence, reserve gym equipment and collect financial and personal information Uribe needed to complete military paperwork.

The report was initiated by a tip to a Department of Defense hotline on June 15, 2017. The tipster alleged Uribe permitted aide to perform activities other than those required in the performance of official duties. An investigation was opened Aug. 4, 2017.

According to the Inspector General’s report, 23 witnesses were interviewed including Uribe, his aide, the Marine Corps Ethics Program subject matter expert, the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and several Marines deployed with Uribe and his aide in Iraq.

[blueunicorn6]

I served as an Escort Officer for an Australian Officer.

He kept talking about how bad the British Officers were.

He asked me about my opinion of British Officers.

I tried to be diplomatic and muttered that I didn’t see why they needed “Batmen”.

Man, did he chew me out.

Evidently, Australian Officers had Batmen, too.

[rlmorel]

What I meant to say was I didn’t see anything all that egregious compared to what has been somewhat common practice to varying degrees.

He did indeed take something from this man, his time, which taking from those under you is considered taboo from a leadership and performance perspective.

I was also inclined to point out the guy was a Brigadier General, and how challenging is that job that you feel privileged enough to use someone like this. I have felt that someone near the top with huge responsibilities might have and excuse.

After all, nobody would have flinched if Admiral Nimitz had someone under him doing it.

But anything I have ever read about Nimitz clearly indicated he wouldn’t demand those types of tasks to be executed by a sailor, but there is a lot of evidence that many men would gladly have done that for him, and willingly. An amazing guy.

In this case, his job title does look like a tough one with a lot of moving parts: deputy commanding general and director of the Combined Joint Operations Center in Baghdad from May 2016 to June 2017, so I am not sure I should be so critical on that basis.

[rlmorel]

Hehehe...stepped right into that one, didncha?

[deport]

[Oiao]

As assigned to and having successfully completed a tour as a Major General’s Aide................ Man the F’N Marines are getting soft these days.

The number one job is to ensure the effective emplacement of the General to accomplish his assigned duties in the most effective manner.

I personally do not know the details here, but it sounds like there were a lot of people running their Sucks for beefs and this was the petty collection of that effort.

Could also be that the Aide couldn’t hack it, or did not want to be there and was running his/her Suck too much also.

The money and gift thing can be very damming and have the immediate appearance of impropriety if taken out of context.... so who know about that one.

My General was a royal Pain in the Ass who pissed everyone off, to include CINCPAC, so I was always doing damage control, but all in the line of duty.

As for the laundry and crap, quit the bitching, that is expected!

As for all the personal servitude stuff, it was in a combat zone.... do you think a General has all the free time to go out and do chores if he/she is involved in running combat operations? That is what the F’N Aide and Driver are for. And the Staff Sec and Adj and whoever else is appropriate or when it makes sense.

What the real trap to completing a successful tour as an Aide is navigating the wife’s demands (outrageous slave like demands on time). Especially involving official entertaining prep or coordination.

Sounds like a lot of personal axe grinding going on here.

Don’t even start on the Sexual Impropriety stuff... Anyone (Marines) remember General Boomer? Tail Hook? The list goes on. They all paid for the misdeeds. That is not a scab that needs to be picked.

Semper Fidelis,