# Army Colonel To Face Courtmartial



## RetPara (Jun 6, 2012)

His father was my Brigade Commander in the 82nd.  When this crap first surfaced; I had a bad feeling about it...  



> *O-6 faces bigamy, fraud, adultery charges*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
From Army Times


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## Marauder06 (Jun 6, 2012)

Wow, those are some pretty serious charges.


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## Scotth (Jun 6, 2012)

The sex better be great because it probably cost him his family, career and his retirement.


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## Marauder06 (Jun 10, 2012)

He pleaded guilty to a bunch of the charges:  http://www.stripes.com/former-army-...-adultery-fraud-1.179986#.T9TpnwtI2fA.twitter



> KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — The former head of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Col. James H. Johnson III, pleaded guilty Sunday to charges of bigamy, adultery, fraud and conduct unbecoming an officer in connection with an illicit affair with an Iraqi woman he met on a 2005 deployment.


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## Viper1 (Jun 10, 2012)

At least he's pleading guilty and owning up to it.


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## pardus (Jun 11, 2012)

I hope his father is not around to see all this...


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## DA SWO (Jun 11, 2012)

Viper1 said:


> At least he's pleading guilty and owning up to it.


Plea bargain for a reduced sentence.  He may still get a retirement, albeit a reduced retirement.


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## Marauder06 (Jun 11, 2012)

pardus said:


> I hope his father is not around to see all this...


 
His father was in court with him.  So was his ex-wife.  I bet that served up some tension...


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## RetPara (Jun 11, 2012)

I would wager this is going to take more than a few years off LTG Johnson's (Ret) life....


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## Scotth (Jun 11, 2012)

The guy deserves to lose his rank and retirement and do some time as well but why would the ex bring the children to court?


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## pardus (Jun 11, 2012)

RetPara said:


> I would wager this is going to take more than a few years off LTG Johnson's (Ret) life....


 
I reread your initial post, would you say the son is a chip off the ole' block or was the old man a good bloke?


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## RetPara (Jun 11, 2012)

It's not supposed to impact the Court...  but when they look out from the bench they will the children and spouse who will lose all benefits if the verdict goes that way.


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## RetPara (Jun 11, 2012)

IME the General's a good man. I was in 3rd Bde when he took command. He jumped into Panama carrying only a 9mm handgun commanding the 82nd. HE efforts to get the 82nd a combat jump in DS/DS cost him a chance to go higher as he went to be the CG, First Army when he left Division IMO.


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## Marauder06 (Jun 24, 2012)

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/06/14/us-army-col-found-guilty-fraud-fined/?intcmp=obnetwork




> BERLIN –  ​The former commander of the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade was sentenced to a $300,000 fine and issued a formal reprimand Thursday after being found guilty at a court martial of multiple counts of fraud, conduct unbecoming of an officer, bigamy and other charges related to an alleged long-term extra-marital affair he had with a woman he met in Iraq when they both lived in Europe.​​​


 
That's it?  No jail time, no DD?   ​


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## CDG (Jun 24, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> That's it? No jail time, no DD?


 
Agreed.  This is horseshit.  An enlisted guy who pulled the same shit would have gotten HAMMERED by a court-martial.


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## Marauder06 (Jun 24, 2012)

CDG said:


> Agreed. This is horseshit. An enlisted guy who pulled the same shit would have gotten HAMMERED by a court-martial.


 
This guy should have been crushed.  Now he's going to be able to retire... If I screwed up this bad I would GLADLY shell out $300,000 to save my pension and benefits.  BCD should have been the baseline, with consideration of worse punishment.


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## CDG (Jun 24, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> This guy should have been crushed. Now he's going to be able to retire... If I screwed up this bad I would GLADLY shell out $300,000 to save my pension and benefits. BCD should have been the baseline, with consideration of worse punishment.


 
Exactly.  I think this will piss off a LOT of enlisted folks who know how much differently things would have gone for them in a similar situation.  This reeks of the good ol' boy club coming to the aid of one of its members and ensuring he doesn't get punished too harshly.  Even if that's not the case, that's how it looks and perception is reality for most of the military.


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## SkrewzLoose (Jun 24, 2012)

You mean the spoils system still exists? in the military?  Say it ain't so!!


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## dirtmover (Jun 24, 2012)

In the same Army Times there is a SSG that is also facing courtmartial.  It will be interesting to see how that one plays out as well.


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## Viper1 (Jun 24, 2012)

Once again I feel embarrassed for the Officer Corps at large.


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## Marauder06 (Jun 25, 2012)

Viper1 said:


> Once again I feel embarrassed for the Officer Corps at large.


 
I agree.  Any enlisted guy in my detachment/company/troop who would have pulled these types of shenanigans, I would have pressed hard for jail time, a dishonorable discharge, reduction to E1 and forfeiture of pay.  ... this guy PLED GUILTY to 13 counts and was CONVICTED of 2 others, and all he gets is a reprimand and a fine?    Further proof of "different spanks for different ranks" and how misadventures of the elite get covered up and/or mitigated.   This is shameful.


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## Scotth (Jun 25, 2012)

The Army already had a black eye from this guys behavior and their answer is to give the whole Army a second self inflicted black eye.


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## DA SWO (Jun 25, 2012)

Viper1 said:


> Once again I feel embarrassed for the Officer Corps at large.


Lot of "Zero's" trying to figure this one out.
WPPA at it's best.

So where does a Col with no clearance go?


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## RetPara (Jun 25, 2012)

The main to this crap is that it gets all over the press now. So....   a SGM from 82nd DISCOM finds out his Korean spouse is cheating on him.  He go over to the guest house by the FB Credit Union and gets a no-go at throat cutting.  At his court-martial for attempted murder he is found guilty and sentenced to five years hard labor and reduction to E-1.







After serving his sentence at Fort Leavenworth (which was really 18 months with time off for good behavior) what rank did he retire at?


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## racing_kitty (Jun 25, 2012)

I wish I could remember who I was talking to about this with the other day, but that person brought up a point that I hadn't thought of.  It sounded more like rationalizing than "devil's advocate" to me, though.  According to this beneficiary of my selective amnesia, the reason that this cock gobbling, monkey fucking ball of shit didn't lose his bennies was because his ex-wife would've lost out on medical care, and the awarding of the appropriate portion of his retirement pay as a result of the divorce.  Long story short, they were looking out for the wronged former spouse.  

Last time I checked, the Army's oh-so-sterling reputation was NOT for its geniality and magnanimity when it comes to anyone who's stepped on their fast-tracked penis with sharpened golf cleats; if you're an ex-spouse, it's less than zero.  Unless, of course, your daddy sports a constellation on his collar and is adept in the art of administrative fellatio.  This dude should've lost his ass.


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## DA SWO (Jun 26, 2012)

RetPara said:


> The main to this crap is that it gets all over the press now. So.... a SGM from 82nd DISCOM finds out his Korean spouse is cheating on him. He go over to the guest house by the FB Credit Union and gets a no-go at throat cutting. At his court-martial for attempted murder he is found guilty and sentenced to five years hard labor and reduction to E-1.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Probably MSG.




racing_kitty said:


> I wish I could remember who I was talking to about this with the other day, but that person brought up a point that I hadn't thought of. It sounded more like rationalizing than "devil's advocate" to me, though. According to this beneficiary of my selective amnesia, the reason that this cock gobbling, monkey fucking ball of shit didn't lose his bennies was because his *ex-wife would've lost out on medical care, and the awarding of the appropriate portion of his retirement pay as a result of the divorce. Long story short, they were looking out for the wronged former spouse.*
> 
> Last time I checked, the Army's oh-so-sterling reputation was NOT for its geniality and magnanimity when it comes to anyone who's stepped on their fast-tracked penis with sharpened golf cleats; if you're an ex-spouse, it's less than zero. Unless, of course, your daddy sports a constellation on his collar and is adept in the art of administrative fellatio. This dude should've lost his ass.


 
I served on a panel where we took everything except child support/alimony from the guy.


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## Marauder06 (Jun 26, 2012)

SOWT said:


> ....
> 
> So where does a Col with no clearance go?


 

I don't know... maybe he'll supervise the people who hand out towels in the gym.  Or maybe they'll let him go teach at West Point.

This guy should have gotten jail time:  Fraud.  Adultery.  Bigamy.  Conduct unbecoming.  Toxic command environment.  That's on TOP of potentially risking national security by falling into what could have been a classic "honey trap."  And all he gets is a (very large) fine and  a "reprimand" that I'm sure was very, very effective at punishing the guy and preventing future misconduct  

An NCO in the Air Force pled guilty to having sex with a trainee and got 90 days in jail.  While I think that punishment was probably appropriate, it would also have been appropriate for Johnson to see the inside of Leavenworth (and no I don't mean a classroom).


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## RetPara (Jun 26, 2012)

SOWT said:


> Probably MSG.


 
WRONG.  He retired as a Major after serving in his time in the Disciplinary Barracks.  He had been RIF'd as a Major after VietNam.  He had raised most of the officers on the court as 2LT's.


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## Marauder06 (Jul 25, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> I agree. Any enlisted guy in my detachment/company/troop who would have pulled these types of shenanigans, I would have pressed hard for jail time, a dishonorable discharge, reduction to E1 and forfeiture of pay. ... this guy PLED GUILTY to 13 counts and was CONVICTED of 2 others, and all he gets is a reprimand and a fine?  Further proof of "different spanks for different ranks" and how misadventures of the elite get covered up and/or mitigated. This is shameful.


 
Well-protected Army officer commits adultery, defrauds the government, disgraces himself and others, puts national security at risk, over a prolonged periodd of time.  He is convicted of over a dozen counts, gets a fine and a reprimand, and is allowed to retire. 

Unprotected enlisted Marine gets pissed off and kills a cat, gets 30 days in jail and is forced out of the Corps.
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/07/marine-kitten-strangler-stango-chesapeake-072412/


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## CDG (Jul 25, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> Unprotected enlisted Marine gets pissed off and kills a cat, gets 30 days in jail and is forced out of the Corps.
> http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/07/Marine-kitten-strangler-stango-chesapeake-072412/


 
"The story you are looking for cannot be found"


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## Marauder06 (Jul 25, 2012)

CDG said:


> "The story you are looking for cannot be found"


That's weird, it works fine for me.

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/07/marine-kitten-strangler-stango-chesapeake-072412/

A former Marine has been found guilty of misdemeanor animal cruelty for strangling a 9-month-old kitten.​Sgt. Angelo Stango, 27, a security force guard with Marine Corps Security Force Regiment, was sentenced to 30 days in jail on July 20 for killing a small black-and-white cat in Chesapeake, Va.​The October 2011 incident occurred after he got in a fight with his girlfriend at her home. His keys became locked in his truck with the kitten inside. The Virginian-Pilot *reported* that while waiting for AAA to respond, Stango said he planned to kill the cat, his girlfriend told Chesapeake police. The girlfriend said after AAA left, Stango grabbed the cat by the throat, walked to the woods and twisted its neck, the affidavit states.​Michael Woods, Stango’s attorney, asked that his client not be judged on just one event, adding that Stango left a promising career in the Marine Corps because of what happened, the Pilot reported.​Public affairs personnel at Manpower and Reserve Affairs said Stango’s last date of service was April 15. The judge took his near nine years of service into account when deciding whether to convict Stango of a misdemeanor or the felony charge the prosecutor was pushing, the Pilot reported. He was sentenced to one year with 11 months suspended, and so will serve 30 days for the crime.​But the judge said the lesser charge didn’t diminish what he had done and reminded Stango that if he violated the law in the next decade, he’d have to serve the rest of his sentence.​“It’s hanging over your head,” the judge told Stango, according to media reports.​The Pilot reported that Stango maintained his innocence throughout, saying his girlfriend lied, according to his attorney. But the judge didn’t buy it.​Stango didn’t want the situation to reflect poorly on the Marine Corps.​“I don’t want these proceedings to bring any disrespect to the Marine Corps,” he told the court before his sentencing. “I look forward to putting this matter behind me and continuing my education.”​


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## Ves (Jul 26, 2012)

If you make the "M" in Marine lower case in the URL it takes you to the right story.  I'm assuming an issue with auto-capitolization on the site?


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## Centermass (Oct 9, 2012)

No jail time. And allowed to retire.......Former Col. James H. Johnson III retired at midnight on Sept. 30, U.S. Army Europe officials said Monday. He left less than a week after an Army board reduced him in rank and a major general finalized his court-martial proceedings. U.S. Army Africa commander Maj. Gen. Patrick J. Donahue II, the convening authority in Johnson’s court-martial, approved the court-martial verdict and sentence on Sept. 25. Donahue rejected a clemency request to reduce Johnson’s court-imposed fine of $300,000 fine, which Johnson paid in July.


His former wife, Kris, who had sent an email to authorities detailing her husband’s affair with the Iraqi woman, including his misuse of government cars and travel vouchers, said she had few regrets.

“I still think he should have gone to jail,” she said in an email to Stars and Stripes. The Johnsons’ divorce became final on Sept. 25, she said. They were married more than 20 years and had two children. Johnson at his trial said it had been “a marriage in name only.”

She is entitled by law to receive half Johnson’s retirement pay and benefits, now reduced by about $10,000 a year - from a colonel’s annual retirement pay of nearly $73,000 before taxes, to that of a lieutenant colonel at roughly $63,500, according to pay scales listed on the military pay website.

Another blatant example of double standards. 

Link


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## AWP (Oct 9, 2012)

Not surprising.


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## Marauder06 (Oct 9, 2012)

Even after that EXTREMELY lenient sentence, the guy still had the balls to ask for clemency on his fine.  Unbelievable.


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## Salt USMC (Oct 11, 2012)

Here's my idea: Add a clause into the UCMJ that allows revocation of commissions for especially heinous crimes.  That would apply immediately to sentencing.  That way, bad-guy officers will be subject to the same punishments as their enlisted counterparts.  PROBLEM SOLVED.


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Oct 11, 2012)

Deathy McDeath said:


> Here's my idea: Add a clause into the UCMJ that allows revocation of commissions for especially heinous crimes. That would apply immediately to sentencing. That way, bad-guy officers will be subject to the same punishments as their enlisted counterparts. PROBLEM SOLVED.


 

Although I agree somewhat with you on this, we both know that would never happen…

I know more than a few enlisted who have gotten a spank on the hand for all types of 20+ yr prison sentence type shit. It’s not just in the O corps, although this incident doesn’t speak highly of the Army’s willingness to police their own officers. I don’t think it is a UCMJ problem, I think it has more to do with the long living buddy system that has fucked the Army for generations.

That all said, every great Army and just about every great leader in history, had more than just a few skeletons in the closet. I think the better option to correct the problem is better screening of Jr & Mid-level leaders and retraining those leaders to uphold standards. Punishments will never be just enough, better standards and training however, has historically corrected most shortfalls in the Military and private sector alike.


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## Marauder06 (Oct 11, 2012)

The UCMJ allows for some pretty stiff penalties already, the problem is in getting them imposed.


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## LOOON (Oct 11, 2012)

High ranking officers, when they get in trouble, can be considered high ranking politicians. They get treated by the legal system completely different than enlisted troops. Just like difference between our politicians and the people.

Lower ranking O's also get preferential treatment depending on who they are related to......

Two different sets of rules. And it's absolute bullshit.


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