A Sordid Sea Tale
A rising Navy officer serving as a military aide to President George H.W. Bush has an adulterous affair, lying to his wife that his various absences are mission-related and to his mistress that he is a widower. When he gets caught, he gets booted out of the White House -- but over the next 18 years in the Navy, he gets promoted repeatedly. When he is finally "reprimanded" and forced to retire, just last month, he is a three-star admiral.
Who says the military doesn't take care of its own?
The vice admiral will be allowed to retire with a reduction in rank to two stars. My hat's off to Navy Times and USA Today for revealing the story of Vice Adm. John ("Boomer") Dickson Stufflebeem and his fall from grace. But this tale speaks to a larger truth that American society often fails to acknowledge: General officers are fallible, ambitious and often self-serving, like the rest of us mortals.
Worry not for the admiral, though. I'm sure he can find a gig on a new reality show that features discredited and outspoken retired flag officers competing for a lucrative consulting job.
During the first Bush administration, Stufflebeem served as military aide to the president, a position that requires the highest trust. From the White House, Stufflebeem went on to command a fighter squadron aboard an aircraft carrier, then to command a Carrier Air Wing, then a Carrier Group and finally the Sixth Fleet, one of the most prestigious assignments in the Navy.
Along the way, Stufflebeem returned to Washington for the requisite staff assignments. During Operation Enduring Freedom, he became the primary Pentagon spokesman, seen on television every day describing what was happening in Afghanistan. His last promotion was during the tenure of "new and improved" Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.
The whole time Stufflebeem was rising to three-star admiral, he was also hiding a dirty secret. He hadn't left his White House job with a ticket to the stars: He was relieved of his position. The Navy, it now turns out, knew what the young commander had done (in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice). President Bush even wrote a letter to Navy superiors saying Stufflebeem should be promoted as soon as possible.
In January this year, the Navy inspector general received an anonymous letter revealing the now 18-year-old affair. The inspector general found not only conduct, uh, unbecoming, but that Stufflebeem provided "false and misleading testimony" during the investigation.
Stufflebeem has since been fired, received a punitive letter of reprimand, and retired with a reduction to two stars. The secretary of the Navy still has to determine at what rank Stufflebeem can retire (thus significantly affecting his pay). I suggest commander.
Yes, the Stufflebeem scandal pales in comparison with last month's other scandal, the web of cushy relationships that 75 TV generals had with their Pentagon spin-meisters. Somehow, though, despite the Stufflebeem tale and the New York Times investigation into the TV generals, I suspect one truth will still hold: Both left and right will continue to see former generals and admirals as icons. Candidates will seek their endorsements, anti-war activists will seek their support, the flag-waving set will salute their God-fearing, nation-loving nature. When will we learn?
By William M. Arkin |
May 21, 2008; 9:40 AM ET
Washington Follies
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Posted by: What goes TDY stays TDY... | May 22, 2008 1:25 PM
How dare these barbarian military men have balls, and seek to use them? They should get back in their cages, where they belong, and not have normal human foibles or weaknesses. We are, after all, only going to ask them to risk getting blown up or shot, it's not like they need to get laid every once in a while, like normal men, is it?
Posted by: che | May 22, 2008 6:43 AM
Posted by: che | May 22, 2008 6:31 AM
While not justifing his behavior, I saw numerous extra marital affairs during my time in the service. These types of affairs increased when husbands and wives were separated by shorter tours overseas in areas that involved some hardship. Service women were not so common in those days, but there were usually local women available. Now , I suspect you would have trouble keeping men or women in the service if you were too strict about these types of activities. Restrictions such as relationships between an superior and a subordinate or a relationship that posed a security risk a couple of things that come to mind.
Posted by: P. J. Casey | May 21, 2008 1:05 PM
Until the promotion method in the military includes a 360 degree evaluation process, we will only see general officers in the same, classical mode as today. People promote their own, leaving the higher strata of the militay unchanged in outlook, capability and background. Apparently the only anomaly occurs when the President himself intervenes (i.e. Gen. Petraeus)
Posted by: daniel | May 21, 2008 11:48 AM
In the shady world of espionage, those in top positions can be all-too-easily be compromised by having intimate affairs with people outside of marriage.
Mata Hari had become the most successful female spy by plying her trade in exchange for pertinent military secrets.
It is no small wonder that ol' Stiffybeam got caught with his drawers at half-mast. The biggest concern is really a matter of national security brought about through the manipulation of his libido by someone with a highly questionable security backgrond.
Is this the point you avoided to bring up? It would seem clear to me that you did just that...
Posted by: Plainfacto | May 21, 2008 11:44 AM
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It all went south when they took away rape, plunder and pillage as hallmarks of military service.