Lackland Basic Military Training Commander Relieved of Duty (fly, color)

[Azure110]

She looks like a cat lady.

[Paka]

Tried to edit my post but too late to do so.

PLEASE take into account that, emotions aside, the information gleaned from the Rand study on the affects of Basic Training reported in the Air Force Times, the Express News and the Stars and Stripes (military publication for those not familiar) are ALL due to the degradation of training environment at Lackland while she was in charge. The Rand study was to find out what is WRONG with the environment and correct it.

Her personal viewpoints and agenda's appear to have possibly influenced her decisions creating these issues with the breakdown of the training environment and are only pointed out for that reason.

[Ralph_Kirk]

Originally Posted by Paka

Tried to edit my post but too late to do so.

PLEASE take into account that, emotions aside, the information gleaned from the Rand study on the affects of Basic Training reported in the Air Force Times, the Express News and the Stars and Stripes (military publication for those not familiar) are ALL due to the degradation of training environment at Lackland while she was in charge. The Rand study was to find out what is WRONG with the environment and correct it.

Her personal viewpoints and agenda's appear to have possibly influenced her decisions creating these issues with the breakdown of the training environment and are only pointed out for that reason.

No.

The Air Force Basic Training scandal was a military sex scandal at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. The scandal involved 43 female trainees who alleged being victimized by their Military Training Instructors during and after basic military training starting from 2009 Seventeen male instructors were accused of offenses ranging from seeking improper relationships to rape and 35 instructors were removed from their posts pending investigations. Nine of the accused instructors belonged to the 331st Training Squadron.

The commander of the 331st Training Squadron, Lt. Col. Mike Paquette, was removed from command in June 2012 because of the problems in his unit. In August 2012 the commander of the 737th training group, Col. Glenn Palmer, was also relieved from his position due to the scandal.

Liddick took over command in September 2012, clearly given a mandate to clean up the mess.

I don't know what kind of commander Liddick was prior to Lackland, biut that kind of situation will always get worse before it gets better. The problem is that the military "horseshift effect" is active in such a situation: "Everybody involved in horseshift smells like horseshift, especially the guy who cleans it up."

If a commander has any leadership weaknesses, that kind of nasty situation will definitely expose them.

[WilGar]

"Liddick took over command in September 2012, clearly given a mandate to clean up the mess.

I don't know what kind of commander Liddick was prior to Lackland, biut that kind of situation will always get worse before it gets better. The problem is that the military "horseshift effect" is active in such a situation: "Everybody involved in horseshift smells like horseshift, especially the guy who cleans it up."

If a commander has any leadership weaknesses, that kind of nasty situation will definitely expose them."

The problem is that her lack of leadership was exposed and at least one officer's career was ruined. There is no telling how many others were destroyed during her career.

[Ralph_Kirk]

Originally Posted by WilGar

"Liddick took over command in September 2012, clearly given a mandate to clean up the mess.

I don't know what kind of commander Liddick was prior to Lackland, biut that kind of situation will always get worse before it gets better. The problem is that the military "horseshift effect" is active in such a situation: "Everybody involved in horseshift smells like horseshift, especially the guy who cleans it up."

If a commander has any leadership weaknesses, that kind of nasty situation will definitely expose them."

The problem is that her lack of leadership was exposed and at least one officer's career was ruined. There is no telling how many others were destroyed during her career.

I worked for such a commander in the early 80s--a general officer--who fired even colonels on the spot. Heck, I was in the room when he fired the Lt Col I worked for: "I don't ever want to see you again--find another job!" I wasn't clear on what that meant at that moment, but it meant, "Submit your retirement papers."

On another occasion, this general got peeved at a captain who was delivering a briefing and ordered his XO, "I want that man's OER on my desk by this afternoon." He endorsed it with "This officer should never be promoted"--another career kiss of death. That captain (a West Point graduate) submitted his resignation.

Such things happen.

[WilGar]

Originally Posted by Ralph_Kirk

I worked for such a commander in the early 80s--a general officer--who fired even colonels on the spot. Heck, I was in the room when he fired the Lt Col I worked for: "I don't ever want to see you again--find another job!" I wasn't clear on what that meant at that moment, but it meant, "Submit your retirement papers."

On another occasion, this general got peeved at a captain who was delivering a briefing and ordered his XO, "I want that man's OER on my desk by this afternoon." He endorsed it with "This officer should never be promoted"--another career kiss of death. That captain (a West Point graduate) submitted his resignation.

Such things happen.

---And we wonder why we are in the shape we are in?

During my short stint, any thinkers or doers were soon stifled and got into lock step or left for real opportunities.

We hear there is government messed up but not the military. That is quickly being eroded.

[Rustybolt]

Originally Posted by WilGar

---And we wonder why we are in the shape we are in?

During my short stint, any thinkers or doers were soon stifled and got into lock step or left for real opportunities.

We hear there is government messed up but not the military. That is quickly being eroded.

I wouldn't put too much stock in that post. What happened in the early 80s doesn't have much relevance today. I served a third of my 27 years as a commander and twice cleaned up messes of prior commanders (one who even got five months at Ft Leavenworth). My experience was quite different than that poster. We just don't have enough facts on this matter to make any judgments about this one case. Absent the facts, all any of us do is make useless speculation. That applies even to myself!

[Ralph_Kirk]

Originally Posted by Rustybolt

I wouldn't put too much stock in that post. What happened in the early 80s doesn't have much relevance today. I served a third of my 27 years as a commander and twice cleaned up messes of prior commanders (one who even got five months at Ft Leavenworth). My experience was quite different than that poster. We just don't have enough facts on this matter to make any judgments about this one case. Absent the facts, all any of us do is make useless speculation. That applies even to myself!

And that is what I've been saying. Bad leadership is nothing new and not unique to Liddick--which was the point of my war story--if indeed bad leadership is the issue in her command of the Lackland training group.

[Rustybolt]

And that is true. History is littered with bad leaders from day one.

[WilGar]

Originally Posted by Rustybolt

I wouldn't put too much stock in that post. What happened in the early 80s doesn't have much relevance today. I served a third of my 27 years as a commander and twice cleaned up messes of prior commanders (one who even got five months at Ft Leavenworth). My experience was quite different than that poster. We just don't have enough facts on this matter to make any judgments about this one case. Absent the facts, all any of us do is make useless speculation. That applies even to myself!

I appreciate your dismissiveness of me. Perhaps the fingerprints on your rose colored glasses need wiping off.