Affliction in a Godless Army: The Sins of Generals

Affliction in a Godless Army: The Sins of Generals

One only needs to serve for a short period of time before becoming intensely aware that our Army is an afflicted army. You may disagree with me concerning the source and that’s okay, but one may not deny the affliction minus some extreme intellectual dishonesty. Returning to the divisional Army after 13 years, nothing could prepare me for the reality of our soldier’s afflictions.

Aside from sexual sin and a vast misunderstanding of masculinity and femininity, numerous other afflictions scourge our armed forces today.

From the Top

I cannot address the sin of the rank and file without first addressing the sins of generals. When the soldier partakes of the maddening wine of the whore of Babylon, the fallout might resonate across his unit or his family, but when a senior officer transgresses, the fallout can resonate across the legions.

In recent years, the United States military finds itself wrestling a surge in senior officer misconduct. From 2011 to 2014, the number of Army officers disciplined for misconduct has tripled. Why wouldn’t it? As godlessness pervades and the common grace of the Gospel is suppressed, unrighteousness penetrates to every echelon. Godless generals pursue godless affairs as do any fallible men.

The most widely-known account is the tragic fall of General Petraeus who got caught in 2012 in an adulterous affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell. His fall stunned as Petraeus was a star, one of the most successful officers ever produced. “This is a man who has never failed at anything.” But fail he did, losing his job, his reputation, and damaging the nation’s war effort in the process.

He’s not alone. There’s the Major General who got exposed by an anonymous tip. Leading a licentious, “swingers” lifestyle, visiting sex clubs, having sex with multiple partners, for three years he betrayed his family and his profession. Then there’s the general who had a three-year affair with a junior officer.

A Brigadier General gets fired for assaulting his mistress. Another is busted using his government credit card at strip clubs. Still another general sexually harasses subordinates in a sex-and-bribery scandal.

One drinks on duty. Another accepts illegal and expensive gifts from foreigners. Another treats himself and his wife to a $750-a-night Caribbean hotel at the taxpayer’s expense. Another general takes numerous unauthorized, personal trips in government aircraft, also on the taxpayer’s dime.

Another general sends repeated, racy texts to a junior enlisted soldier’s wife. Still another makes off-color jokes in an email to other generals about masturbating to the ‘hot’ visiting congresswoman.

Epitomizing the affliction, Major General John Rossi committed suicide becoming the highest-ranking officer to ever take his life. A West Point graduate who was set to be promoted to Lieutenant General and assume command of the Army’s space and missile defense command, Rossi took his own life and left behind his wife and three children.

This is not the rank-and-file…but it sure sounds familiar. If you removed mention of rank, any First Sergeant would think this sounds like business as usual in a standard Army company of soldiers, certainly not those entrusted to leadership at the highest levels.

A New Level of Service

I fear this may be viewed as a hit piece. I’ve served for several officers who attained the rank of general officer and at this point, several of my classmates are starting to flirt with the general officer ranks.

The vast majority are committed patriots, intensely competent, highly-educated. For the record, Brigadier General is the toughest rank to obtain in the Army. A former commander of mine who became a Lieutenant General remarked that service at that level was, “a whole new level of service.” When you pin on stars, you literally sacrifice the entirety of yourself, every last vestige, to the defense of the nation. The company owns you…all of you. This particular officer was told once to report to Fort Drum, New York to be the rear detachment Division Commander with less than two-day’s notice. Pack a bag and go. We’ll send your stuff and family later.

I asked another general officer I worked for how much control he maintained over his career and profession. “About 10 percent,” he laughed, “and even that is an illusion.”

Reasons

No senior officers get fired for incompetence. The competition is fierce and most senior officers are driven and highly competent individuals. Senior officers generally transgress in one of three areas:

– zipper issues,

– bottle issues,

– money issues.

A cursory review of the individual accounts reveals every single one of these, especially sexual transgression. This invites some uncomfortable question. How does this happen? Where is the accountability?

At some point, the institution begins construction of the cult of personality as we build leaders into hyper-actualized images of their true selves. As you progress in rank, people begin to want to do things for you, edging into moral and ethical gray areas. Senior officers become increasingly isolated and insulated, with fewer peers, surrounded by affirming subordinates.

Did no one notice General Petraeus spending so much time with a younger woman, not his wife? Did no one have the wherewithal to pull him aside and ask what was going on?

These are fallible men, no different in their capacity for sin than any other men. Yet, the military puts them on a pedestal, gives them access to things that no other soldiers has, and removes accountability. Then, we are astonished when they fall.

In dealing with this issue, the Army is putting together new mental health, counseling and career management programs “to shape stronger, more ethical leaders.” These are mere secular band-aids on a gaping spiritual wound.

This is a spiritual issue, the permeation of godlessness into the ranks of our senior leaders.

The force has no choice but to follow suit.

www.the413project.com

Joel Funk

Farmer / Financial Services Professional / Former Army Special Operations Aviator / Public Servant

7 年

We all look at the world through different lenses and obviously the author of this piece wrote it from a very evangelical perspective. I won't argue that there isn't a serious issue of ethical misconduct within the senior rungs of our military leadership ladder, but it is less of a question of who these leaders pray to or if they pray at all. Some of the best and most ethical leaders I've had the honor and privilege of working with and for were agnostic or atheist while some of the worst and most toxic would claim to be fervent born again evangelical Jesus freaks. The issue is ethics and not faith. I would propose that selfless service vs selfish desire and self-promotion is the root of the problem. For example, General Petraeus' failing was not adultery and unless his affair also violated "good order and discipline" it wasn't a violation of UCMJ. His failing was the unauthorized access to classified information he gave his biographer and the attempt to cover it up.I don't care what two consenting adults do in the bedroom regardless of their marital status. That is a civil matter. I do care if you betray your country and the classified information you've been entrusted with though.

Laury Lancaster

Army CI ... Retired! Financial Educator Warrior Healing Center Volunteer

7 年

Individuals with the wherewithal and courage who dare to speak up, do what is right, and report known misconduct of senior officers are subject to swift retribution for doing so... No good deed goes unpunished. 'Telling the Emperor he's wearing no clothes' is a very unpopular place to be. You don't read about those upholding strong values, moral or ethics (regardless of religious beliefs) because these individuals are forced out of the tribe as soon as initial reports of misconduct are discovered, usually long before this "competent and driven leader" becomes a GO. After the messenger is shot, the rest learn the hard lesson of self-preservation and keep their mouths shut to survive lest they be tainted, too. The affliction is not just in the wrongdoing, but in the culture which rewards those who look the other way - - in the military and in society. Many lessons to be learned from the fall of the Roman Empire...

Donald Freeman

Full Time Student for Mechanical Engineering

7 年

As you know, we are not a Christian nation. We never were. Ancient Israel was that as our example. Those who aren't regenerate are going to stand against this because God, to a non christian, is illogical and conflicts with their perceptions. You are right about this being an increasing problem, and it is directly because Christ is not the center of our government or the lives of those in government. As throughout the New Testament, there is this separation of the true Church and the government. This is not because God should be absent from our laws and government. The government of one nation is not the audience of the New Convanent but rather the jews and the gentiles. If people wanted integrity and honor, they'd look for true christians to vote into office every election just based of the values we live by. A christian moral basis is what our country was founded on for a reason. However, they took more from the culture than christianity; slavery being an example(it's not Biblical at all). Man cannot create morals as man cannot create truth. Even Plato and Aristotle argued this fact. The attempt to achieve a man centered creation will always be the goal of the nonelect. Through Christ, we exist, and we only continue to exist because he wills it. This is not a self centered truth but rather an acknowledgement of total depravity(Hebrews 1, Roamns 3, Ephesians 6). I have seen this sort of behavior for a few years now, and it needs to change. In order for it to change, we must replace one evil with another or Christ must change their hearts. You're not alone in this observation and the problems are real. We can share the gospel with as many as we can hope they are the elect. Loving them with patience is the challenge but Christ allows us all to exist, despite our absolute failures. This is even after dying for us. Think about some of the terrible sins committed after becoming a christian. Our life is expounded grace everyday. I appreciate you raising awareness on this matter that the Godless leaders due to their Godlessness. It's not some great mystery and you spelled it out. The temptations are already there, and with sin being the nature of man, sin will happen; moreover, an unregenerate heart without accountability will most definitely give in when the sin is placed in their lap. You also mentioned there many more good officers out there, with which I agree. Our culture still has those christian values intertwined so we won't become an anarchy anytime soon hopefully.

Anthony Lyons

New Approach at Lyons Solutions!

7 年

Bradford, I believe that the armed forces are no more, no less than a reflection of society. I served with a number of general officers: Crosby Saint, Richard Graves, Dennis Reimer, Gordon Sullivan, Randy Rigby, and H. Norman Schartzkopf; all great and honorable men!

Matthew Abbott

US Army Airborne Infantry Officer Veteran Master of Arts in International Relations (USD) Focuses: China, Defense Economics Expertise: Operations Management and Planning, Data Analysis, Strategy, and Policymaking

7 年

Godless is good for government. We're not a theocracy - we're a secular constitutional democratic republic. People are free to pray in whatever easy they choose, or not pray, and that's what makes America great - freedom. Pushing religion is not the business of soldiers, nor anyone in government, they can do that on their own time on their own dollar. Furthermore, I think the Army needs to get out of people's bedrooms. If the sexual conduct is of legal age with a consensual partner and there's no risk of unbalancing the chain of command or perception of quid pro quo, I don't think the Army should even comment on the sexual proclivities of their soldiers. The Army is for fighting, not for proselytizing, not for dogma. It is a utilitarian organization with a narrow focus, and I fail to see how religion or prudish witch hunting serves any warfighting purpose.

要查看或添加评论,请登录

Bradford Smith的更多文章

社区洞察

其他会员也浏览了