Army Relieves General of His Command

Army Web Site | Aug 8, 05 | Army Web Page

[SLB]

Below is the release put on the Army website last night…..
Army Relieves General of His Command
August 8, 2005

On Aug. 8, the Chief of Staff of the Army directed the relief of Gen. Kevin P. Byrnes from his position as Commanding General, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. The investigation upon which this relief is based is undergoing further review to determine the appropriate final disposition of this matter.

As the investigation into this is continuing, please discourage speculation from your Soldiers. LTG Jones will be the acting commander until LTG Wallace is confirmed as the new TRADOC commander.

[Terabitten]

This is as big as Singlaub or Edwin A. Walker, and they were both just two stars.

The last time I can recall an Army 4 star getting relieved was MacArthur. Not that I was there, mind you... :)

[leadpenny]

And he was a five star. :)

[Caesar Soze]

The only exception I found was in the medical area...a lot of liberals were in there. Not a majority, but that is where they clustered.

I met one who had been a Vietnam war protestor. I guess she was doing penance for that, poking at Reservists' teeth for two weeks a year. Don't know if she was still a "liberal."

[Terabitten]

LOL yup.

Can you think of another Army four-star being relieved since then? I can't.

[leadpenny]

Nope. I mentioned earlier, Wesley Clark being brought back from NATO early, Kernan retiring after two years at Joint Forces Command, and the SOUTHCOM CG being forced into retirement just before we invaded Panama. Kernan had gotten on the wrong side of Rumsfeld when he said some things before a House committee that Rummy didn't agree with. Rumsfeld and Myers publicly dressed down Kernan and a Navy admiral during a news conference a day or so later. Warner (or Wagner) was the four star in Panama who was replaced by Max Thurman. Thurman was just about retired when GHWB "asked" him to go to Panama to get Noriega.

[Yasotay]

2/77 Armor .... DATs that were .... I thought Cavasos was a great speaker and an even better general.

[tfecw]

Clarke should have been drummed out for his shenanigans in Bosnia.

[leadpenny]

Yeah, someone mentioned the stupid thing he did with the Russians but I wonder. Gen. Hugh Shelton would never talk about it. I mean, with a name like Wesley . . .

[leadpenny]

Wait a minute, it was Kosovo that he screwed up. The Apaches, the Russians, etc. What did he do in Bosnia?

[connectthedots]

If he was screwing a subordinate or the wife of a military man; that does not get swept under the rug. He his superior didn't relive him, he would wind up going down as well. The word of this kind of stuff gets around.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Who is Wilkes?

Same type of failure as a Navy CO running aground?

But TRADOC is "training" and tactics (runs schools), so what could be the "operational failure" of a four-star?

(Now, if Hillary were still in power ..... We KNOW she promoted Weasley Cluck after he assaulted Waco for them (his tanks and APC from Fort Hood were (illegally!) used in the assault.)

[connectthedots]

Had you heard about the story I related?

[leadpenny]

This guy was at Fort Hood about the same time.

http://www.ndia-mich.org/fpiv/bios/byrnes.htm

[Neets]

Yea, got the notice much earlier...personal meaning not duty related...I am sure someone is bound to spill the beans before tomorrow is over.

[Terabitten]

If he was screwing a subordinate or the wife of a military man; that does not get swept under the rug.

Yup, I listed that under the "exceptions." I'm curious, though, WaPo says that the IG was involved in the case. They don't normally get involved in sexual misconduct cases that I know of. Can you shed any light on that?

[tfecw]

My mistake It was Kosovo. I was talking about the hat trading with wanted war criminals thing.

[quadrant]

I may be mistaken, but I believe there are no permanent ranks above major general. When Douglas MacArthur completed his tour as Army Chief of Staff and went to the Philippines, he was reduced to two star rank. When WWII began, he was promoted (or reinstated at four star rank). The exception to this is five star rank, which is not used except in war. And I think Adm Raymond Spruance was given permanent four star rank.

[Jeff Head]

From AP:

Army Sacks Senior General for Misconduct

By ROBERT BURNS
The Associated Press
Tuesday, August 9, 2005; 5:11 PM

WASHINGTON -- In an extraordinary move, the Army sacked a four-star general who was the subject of a Defense Department investigation into alleged sexual misconduct, officials said Tuesday.

Gen. Kevin P. Byrnes, commander of Army Training and Doctrine Command, was approaching retirement when the decision to relieve him of duty was made by the Army chief of staff, Gen. Peter Schoomaker.

Not looking good.

[leadpenny]

No doubt he was brought back because he was an embarrassment. Shelton probably gave sissy-boy Cohen and Clinton an ultimatum.

[Yasotay]

I had forgot about it, but yes I did hear about it.