Karma - The Female Dog

Oh. My. Goodness.  Oh how the mighty have fallen.

I was very proud to have served 20+ years in the Air Force.  I had the pleasure, honor, and privilege to work with some of the best and brightest individuals I have ever encountered.  I'm also just as proud to say I worked with and for a few great NCO's and Officers who helped forge and temper me into the person I am today.

I also had the displeasure of working for (thankfully) a couple of real slime balls.  Take Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) William Gurney for example.  When I knew him, he was a young Technical Sergeant (TSgt), a quickly rising star on the fast track to becoming CMSgt of the AF.  This is the highest position an enlisted person can hope to achieve in the Air Force.  Bill kissed all the right posteriors, checked all the right boxes, and lied, cheated, and manipulated his way to the top ranks of the enlisted forces.  I was denied several awards and at least one promotion under his influence because, as he put it, "I wasn't enough of one of the boys."  You see, I had this nasty habit of calling a spade a spade, and a jackass a jackass.  Folks like Bill don't particularly want the ugly truth.  Especially if it happens to impede their view of how the World should be.  To be fair, Bill didn't stop my awards/promotion himself but his influence did weigh heavily with the folks who do make those decisions.

It appears Bill's days of manipulation and chicanery may have finally caught up with him.  CMSgt William Gurney will stand before a General Court Martial on December 6, 2010 and face multiple counts of violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).  A few of the charges include: sexual harassment, adultery (yeah, that's still a crime in the military), obstruction of justice, dereliction of duty, and misuse of government property.  If convicted of all (or even some) counts, he could face up to 20 years confinement, dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, or other lesser punishments.

At a minimum, his 27 year career is over.  Even if he is found not guilty, his reputation is ruined and his credibility flushed down the toilet.  Fair or not, that is the harsh reality of military life.

I retired as a Master Sergeant (two ranks below that of CMSgt).  Because I only wore the rank for a few weeks before retirement, the rules say I must retire at my previous rank of TSgt.  I'm okay with that.  I can hold my head high knowing I did not compromise my own ethics and morals just to get another promotion or choice assignment.  I'm not so sure Mr. Gurney can say the same.

So, how's "being one of the boys" working out for you now Chief?

Karma.  It's a real bitch sometimes.