that's a crock.
If you get caught stealing, think of all the times he DIDN'T get caught. Same guy that will cheat on taxes, little white lie about resume, maybe just a little plagiarism, fudge a little data on his reports... and on and on.
Small things matter when a big crisis comes. The ability to give a man a task and know for a fact that if the country depends on it, this man will do it and won't lie about it.
Attention to details and trust. If you depend on someone that has shoplifted something as meaningless as a couple of dress shirts, what is this clown going to do when seriously tempted by someone with lots of cash, girls, shirts whatever.... he'd sell us out in a second. Cause that's the weak link in his character. That's why it matters. Especially in positions that are at risk for espionage or state secrets. Look at what one FBI agent named Robert Hansen did because of a character deficit.
Erman, do you want to hold our guys to this same standard? If four shirts disqualifies you from public service, what does a DUI do? Do you REALLY want to go there?