Submitted by “Knot” Georgie Gordon

[Editor’s Note: We received multiple offerings and comments on this story, but “Knot” Georgie Gordon worked it up into a chef d’œuvre. Thank you for the contribution.]

I caught a glimpse of the news this morning in Signature at [redacted] as Secretary Heather Wilson was conceding the Air Force failure to enter the court martial conviction of Texas Church Shooter Devin Patrick Kelley into the National Criminal Information Center. Apparently, the Special Investigations Office at Holloman failed to transmit the domestic violence charges. This failure allowed him to buy the weapons so that he could murder 26 people.

The exchange went something like this, but you should check it before you go to print. [Ed: We did, only minor corrections. Nice job.]

“We’ve taken responsibility and we’re going to find out what happened and fix it,” said Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson to the panel on CNBC’s Squawk Box.

Wilson was asked “Do you know if this is a broader problem? Is this a more institutional problem? Is this more than one case?”

She replied, “We don’t know, but we are checking all of the Air Force databases. and there are several of them, to find out and confirm that all court martial convictions for these kinds of offenses have been recorded in the civilian databases.”

When prompted, she continued “The defense department inspector general [that’s Glenn Fine] is also going to be looking across the department to make sure that everything is checked and that all procedures are clarified. We will actually be doing a stand down in the middle of the month to do complete training of the officers responsible for this.”

When asked if the Air Force will have to accept liability, Heather Wilson deflected by stating that

“I’m more interested in responsibility. We’ve taken responsibility and we are going to find out what happened and fix it.”

Wilson was sworn in as Secretary of the Air Force on May 16th, 2017.

Heather Wilson is a public servant paid by US tax-payers and it is off-putting, arrogant and unhelpful for her to sidestep a question from the public using her own interests and preferences as an excuse. There is no doubt she would prefer not to be addressing this failure at all, but she must.

Heather Wilson can be reminded of the definition of Toxic Leadership: “is a combination of self-centered attitudes, motivations, and behaviors that have adverse effects on subordinates, the organization, and mission performance. This leader lacks concern for others and the climate of the organization, which leads to short- and long-term negative effects. The toxic leader operates with an inflated sense of self-worth and from acute self-interest.”

The Air Force may be found financially liable in these 26 deaths because, under the law and under Pentagon rules, convictions of military personnel in crimes like assault should be shared with the FBI through the National Criminal Information Center database.

Heather Wilson, just as Deborah Lee James nearly admitted, may be wholly out of her depth when it comes to comprehending and fixing the systemic problems of abuse, corruption and incompetence in the United States Air Force and its Civilian Auxiliary of Civil Air Patrol. It is a national disgrace that our tax-dollars are going to fund a pleasant retirement for Maj Gen Arthur Lichte who used his very high rank to coerce a subordinate female Air Force officer into having sex with him.

“Your conduct is disgraceful and, but for the statute of limitations bar to prosecution, would be more appropriately addressed through the Uniform Code of Military Justice,” wrote Deborah Lee James in Lichte’s reprimand.

The following is just a sample of the Air Force and Auxiliary abuse cases that have appeared in the news within the past years. We are getting nowhere with the cover-ups, the command discretion and the whistle-blower reprisals. This failed approach has created a nest of cock-roaches in the filth.

Sign me as “Knot Georgie Gordon”

Cadet 1st Class Jacob Cook, USAFA
Cadet 1st Class Steven Fox, USAFA
Cadet 4th Class Sammy Tawakkol, USAFA
Cadet No Class Jack D. Warmolts, USAFA
Cadet 1st Class Daniel Ryerson, USAFA

Maj Gen Arthur James Lichte, USAF
Maj Gen Michael J. Carey, USAF
Lt Gen John F. Thompson, USAF
Lt Gen John Hesterman, USAF
Lt Gen Mike Gould, USAF

Col Ronald S. Jobo, USAF
Col Michael Shawn Garrett, USAF
Col Leland Bohannon, USAF
Col Andrew Green, USAF
Col James Halsell Jr, USAF
Col Eugene Marcus Caughey, USAF
Lt Col Humphrey Daniels III, USAF
Lt Col Christopher Huisman, USAF
Lt Col Michael J. Briggs, USAF
Lt Col James Richards, USAF
Lt Col Stephen Governale, USAF
Capt Dirk Watson, USAF
CMSGT Jose Barraza, USAF

Col Jeff Wong, Civil Air Patrol
Lt Col John C. Kershenstein, Civil Air Patrol
Lt Col Kevin McSparron, Civil Air Patrol
Edwin C. Culbert, Civil Air Patrol
Lt Col Edward Zayas, Civil Air Patrol
Lt Col Joseph Knight, Civil Air Patrol
Lt Col Brett Slagle, Civil Air Patrol
Lt Col William Kidney, Civil Air Patrol
Capt David Greenberg, Civil Air Patrol
Jeffery David Carter, Civil Air Patrol