Presidio officer relieved of his duties after letter about attacks

Monterey County Herald ^ | Tue, Jun. 04, 2002 | KEVIN HOWE

[Vladiator]

An Air Force officer has been relieved from duties at the Presidio of Monterey after publication of his letter to the editor accusing President George W. Bush of having advance knowledge of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Lt. Col. Steve Butler was serving as vice chancellor for student affairs at the Defense Language Institute when he wrote the letter, which was published in The Herald on May 26.

[Vladiator]

Sheesh!

[Poohbah]

This is obviously a nice, overly comfortable REMF who would get fragged if he ever showed up in a combat zone.

[Poohbah]

He was relieved of his duties at the language school and has been assigned to temporary duty at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, she said.

Checking ID cards at the mess hall entrance.

[HiJinx]

The man is entitled to his opinions, but the Air Force Officer isn't allowed to give them public voice...

[TADSLOS]

Butler's letter called the president's course of action "sleazy and contemptible."

Buh Byye, dumbass!

[Fred Mertz]

Unbelievable! Privates and Lieutenants have more common sense than this guy.

[HiJinx]

Or making FOD sweeps of the flight line?

[Bonaparte]

The Air Force could ruin him if they wanted, but I think they'll just let him quietly retire. Discipline and morale will take another black eye.

[Poohbah]

I wouldn't trust the little (characterization deleted for fear of banishment).

[MissouriForBush]

Don't forget that this guy served in the military under the Clintons for eight years. And he waits until now to "speak out?"

[TADSLOS]

10-1 this idiot and his wife will be interviewed on 60 minutes within 90 days, sobbing and whining how they were mistreated and misunderstood.

[Poohbah]

If he didn't get some "wall-to-wall-counseling," he wasn't mistreated enough =:o)

[vannrox]

Ahhh So. There are still Clinton hold outs in the Defense Department.

[Militiaman7]

Bust him to Airman then kick him out.

[TADSLOS]

"wall-to-wall-counseling,"

Save for some Spec Ops types, I doubt anyone in the USAF these days would understand the term, much less know how to administer it ;-)

[Right Wing Professor]

She said he plans to retire in a few weeks after 24 years in the Air Force, including duty as a combat pilot in Desert Storm.

Don't you lose your pension and other benefits after a dishonorable discharge?

Boy, this guy is dumber than dumb.

[A Navy Vet]

"Or making FOD sweeps of the flight line?"

No that takes observation skills, and apparently this malcontent didn't observe the reality of the election.

[leadpenny]

LTC Butler had to know the risk he was taking when he sent the letter to the paper. Just a hunch, but something else is going on here. He may be trying to set himself up with a post retirement position at a left wing think tank. The JAG may have different plans for him.

[ctonious]

They should transfer him from Monterey to someplace like Kodiak, or Keesler, then publish his letter in the local base newspaper. With any luck, he'd either be found frozen solid by spring, or maybe rotting somewhere in a gator swamp.

[paddles]

"She said he plans to retire in a few weeks after 24 years in the Air Force, including duty as a combat pilot in Desert Storm."

Dismissal should be their best hope here...no retirement for you, bub.

Provided he has no enlisted time, this jerk should've had at least two looks at Colonel with 24 years in, and with combat time should've been promotable. Perhaps dipstick is a less-than-stellar performer with an axe to grind.