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Very early in my Air Force career (early 80s), I was stationed at a base in South Carolina as a unit historian. Among the records that crossed my desk were copies of the blotter from the Security Police (now Security Forces) squadron. One morning, a particular item caught my attention; a MSgt had been arrested for theft of government property, which he was storing—you guessed it—at his quarters in base housing.

For some reason, I followed the case as it wound its way through the military justice system. He convicted at courts-martial, sentenced to five years in Leavenworth, bad conduct discharge and loss of all pension and benefits.

At the time of his arrest, the MSgt had 19 years and 11 months of active duty service.

What’s really appalling (in many of these cases) is that convicted military criminals are allowed to keep their pensions, based on past “honorable” service. One of the worst examples was an Air Force Colonel, Michael Murphy, who was running the USAF Legal Operations Agency when it was discovered he had been disbarred by two states around the time he joined the JAG Corps. In other words, he practiced law in the military without a license for more than 20 years. Did someone say fraud?

Yet, when the case was finally disposed, Murphy won something of a victory. He had served in the Bush White House from 2001-05, and the White House refused to release details of his service, which (reportedly) involved delivery of pallets of cash in Baghdad just after the U.S. invasion. Without that information, Murphy’s attorneys argued, they could not present the “good airmen defense,” and the trial judge agreed. Because of that, it was ultimately determined that Murphy could not be punished for his crimes, even if convicted.

At that point, the question became at what rank Murphy would be retired. So, an administrative board busted him back to 1st Lieutenant, the last grade at which he served “honorably.” Even that claim is specious; O-2 is the grade at which he entered the Air Force and at that point, he was already disbarred in Texas and just days away from being disbarred in Louisiana as well.

But Murphy still collects a retirement check of more than $2K a month, with full health benefits and the other perks. It will be interesting to see if the Marine Corps allows the First Sergeant to collect his pension.

Sounds like this was a mandatory foot locker display. When in the (while a member in the Korean War 50’s) members of the the 82nd 504 AB RCT all foot lockers top insert had to display an OD (Gov issued Olive Drab) face towel, a black shaving stick (soap stick), a black double edged razor a package of Gillete double blades and a bar of Palm Olive soap. Items rarely if ever used personally to pass a routine class A barrack inspection. THIS WAS A POLICY SET BY THE UNIT CO NOT BY SOME FIRST SGT