Two-star fired from running top secret program office

[ORAC]

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2019/06/10/two-star-fired-from-running-top-secret-program-office-under-multiple-ig-investigations/

Two-star fired from running top secret program office; under multiple IG investigations

A groundbreaking female fighter pilot was fired from her current job (https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2019/03/30/two-354th-fighter-wing-squadron-commanders-fired-over-hazing-culture/) as director of the Defense Department’s Special Access Programs Central Office — which manages and oversees some of the military’s most secretive classified programs — and is under several inspector general investigations (https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2019/06/01/afsoc-one-star-falsely-claimed-flight-hours-disrespected-subordinates-ig-found/).

Maj. Gen. Dawn Dunlop is no longer running SAPCO, and is now serving as a special assistant to Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Seve Wilson, DoD spokesman Lt. Col. Mike Andrews confirmed in an emailed statement to Air Force Times, .Air Force Times has also learned from a knowledgeable source that multiple ongoing IG investigations (https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2017/11/30/accs-brig-gen-buhler-fired-after-ig-investigation/) convinced Pentagon leadership that Dunlop needed to be removed. Dunlop also may be considering retirement.

It is not apparent exactly what Dunlop is being investigated for, and she was not available for comment by press time. But another source with knowledge of the office, who asked not to be identified, said Dunlop fostered a toxic work environment. Dunlop would call senior leaders from the services “idiots,” he said, and would directly call people from the Army and Air Force and scream at them on the phone.

The source said that things reached a boiling point May 31, when Dunlop lost her temper in a meeting with senior Air Force civilians. An Air Force civilian immediately told Ellen Lord, the Pentagon’s top acquisition official, about the situation in the office, the source said, and Lord walked over to the SAPCO office and removed Dunlop.

In a May 31 email obtained by Air Force Times, Lord told top Pentagon, Air Force and Army leaders — including Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist and Gen. Wilson — that she had made a change in the office. Army Col. Bruce Monroe is now taking on leadership roles in the office on a temporary basis, according to the email.

Special access programs are among the military’s most closely guarded secrets, and are classified at some of the highest levels of the U.S. government. The office Dunlop directed until recently managed and oversaw those programs........

The Air Force also fired another two-star general, Maj. Gen. Peter Gersten, from his leadership role days after Dunlop was removed. Gersten was relieved of command of the Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada June 2 over allegations of an unprofessional relationship.

[Bob Viking]

Are you trying to tell me that, despite what we’ve been repeatedly told in the media in recent years about how women make better, more compassionate managers and leaders that it is possible, after all, that both genders are in fact prone to similar personality weaknesses?

Are you really suggesting that we shouldn’t try to generalise based on gender and that to make sweeping statements about the strengths and weaknesses of either gender would be unfounded?

I may have to change my entire belief system based on this new information.

BV

Is there anybody that will read this that will require me to point out that I am being heavily sarcastic? You would think not but past experience on this forum has convinced me otherwise.

[Fitter2]

Dunlop would call senior leaders from the services “idiots,” he said,

Excellent, an officer with a keen and accurate assessment of VSOs

and would directly call people from the Army and Air Force and scream at them on the phone.

Throw in Navy,and I know how she feels.........

[ORAC]

Looks like the DoD is on a roll......

https://apnews.com/634475c4ed884305bbf7ffdd3f298b9d

APNewsBreak: Naval War College head reassigned pending probe

[MPN11]

All this will please a few 1*s :)

[1771 DELETE]

There maybe some politics happening here, the man with the top seat at the table has a very big ego and doesnt take criticism well.

[Pontius Navigator]

,

Excellent, an officer with a keen and accurate assessment of VSOs
.
You presume it was VSO. As likely the real leaders LTC and Col.

[Whenurhappy]

Back in the UK...who will be held accountable for the dog’s dinner that’s MFTS? One ex AOC22 Gp who has been evangelical about it two years ago, and was in position to effect change has just got to 3*...

[AndoniP]

Back in the UK...who will be held accountable for the dog’s dinner that’s MFTS? One ex AOC22 Gp who has been evangelical about it two years ago, and was in position to effect change has just got to 3*...

why are you trying to switch the conversation to something completely unrelated to the thread?

[Whenurhappy]

why are you trying to switch the conversation to something completely unrelated to the thread?
Senior officer accountability? That seems to be one thing that the US forces get right; poor performers and those running poor-performing organisations do get moved on or sacked without delay, it appears.

[tarantonight]

Treat people as you expect to be treated yourself.

If you don’t, you will get shafted.

TN.

[ORAC]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/15/us/president-naval-war-college-woman-trnd/index.html

US Naval War College gets its 1st woman president, Rear Adm. Shoshana Chatfield

CNN)A rear admiral who began her career as a helicopter pilot has been named the next president of the US Naval War College, the first woman (https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/31/us/navy-first-female-flyover-rosemary-mariner-trnd/index.html) to fill that role, the secretary of the Navy announced Friday.

Rear Adm. Shoshana Chatfield serves as a commander of the Joint Region Marianas in Guam and previously served as a Provincial Reconstruction Team commander in Afghanistan, the US Navy said in a statement (https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=109914).......

Chatfield will take over for Rear Adm. Jeffery Harley, who was reassigned June 9 "pending the final report of an ongoing Inspector General investigation," the Navy said (https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=109863).

Harley would not discuss the investigation, the Associated Press reported (https://www.apnews.com/b74f7065d23347778311680ac6d3896b) last week. “All the decisions questioned in the allegations were subject to legal review either before or after the fact, and I believe that all of my decisions are within my authorities," Harley wrote in a campuswide email, the AP reported.......

[cargosales]

Treat people as you expect to be treated yourself.

If you don’t, you will get shafted.

TN.




I believe it's called leadership.

As a kid growing up, I watched my next door-but-one's two older than me lads out training hard every day before joining the Army. . IIRC, both joined the Paras and I know one became CO of (2?) Para .. and had a very simple take on life and leadership: "If I can't physically do something then I won't ask [order] my men to do that". Again, IIRC, both of those gentlemen ended up as at least 1*s.

Sod them though, I used to lust after their sister who occasionally babysat for us

[ORAC]

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2020/08/17/maj-gen-dunlop-created-toxic-environment-in-top-secret-program-office-ig-finds/

Maj. Gen. Dunlop created toxic environment in top secret program office, IG finds

[BDAttitude]

The point of attention here is interesting, I think.

It's the winter tires and oil changing story that would have got managers sacked at most companies I know.
In the air force, it seems only a secondary matter.

[Chugalug2]

The contrast between Air Force Times (ie USAF news) and RAF News is that the first is independent of the USAF, while the second comes under the MOD and is the official newspaper of the RAF. Which is better for morale, a story that reveals that bullying and incompetent VSOs are dealt with accordingly, or no such stories at all? Here are their respective About site pages :-

https://www.airforcetimes.com/about-us/

https://www.rafnews.co.uk/about

[tartare]

She sounds absolutely dreadful - with no idea how to lead.
Arrogance ain't confined to the male gender.
Chair of the Board at the old place I used to work delighted in unnecessarily terrifying people.
She was a former McKinsey consultant who loved the fact that her Armani suit was `intimidating' - that's a direct quote.
And she was utterly mediocre...

[SLXOwft]

I preface this by saying that on balance my female bosses have been better than the male ones, so I have no axe to grind based on the sex of the individual this story relates to - that may not be true of the algorithm that proposed other stories of interest.

A similar story from last year was suggested.


From Airforce Times 31MAY2019

FSOC one-star falsely claimed flying hours, disrespected subordinates, IG found

Brig. Gen. Brenda Cartier, now the director of operations at Air Force Special Operations Command headquarters at Hurlburt Field, Florida, received a letter of counseling after an inspector general investigation found she failed to treat subordinates with dignity and respect in her previous position, and falsely claimed flight hours on an MC-130J in 2017.

The March 2019 report, which the Air Force provided at Air Force Times’ request, also found that Cartier received $250 in flying incentive pay as a result of the flight hours she improperly claimed in July 2017. The IG report reviewed allegations about Cartier’s actions while she was a colonel, in command of Air Education and Training Command’s 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico.

(...)

The IG began investigating Cartier in August 2018, after members of the 58th filed complaints that she had created a toxic command climate and falsely claimed flight hours for pay, among other allegations, the report said.

I am probably being naïve but what I find odd is that these individuals are moved on rather than at least demoted or made to retire. To an outsider there seems to be an alleged element of theft or fraud which should be put before a court. My understanding is that under UK service law, those lower down the command chain could find themselves on an enforced stay at HM's Holiday Camp, Colchester for a severe enough offence of "Bullying or mistreating a subordinate", does the US not take a similarly dim view? :confused:

The alleged effects on later senior RN officers of the execution of Admiral Byng comes to mind. IMHO until an individual guilty of fostering a toxic work/command environment is severely punished there is a risk of a degree of toxicity being seen as a tacitly approved.

[woptb]

As Voltaire put it;

"In this country, it is wise to kill an admiral from time to time to encourage the others.“

Words to live by I’d say!

[Chugalug2]

SLXOwft :-
My understanding is that under UK service law, those lower down the command chain could find themselves on an enforced stay at HM's Holiday Camp, Colchester for a severe enough offence of "Bullying or mistreating a subordinate", does the US not take a similarly dim view?

A very salutary point. All are equal before the law, but some it seems are more equal than others before military law, particularly UK Military Law. Offences of issuing illegal orders by RAF VSOs under Air Force Law, rather than being investigated when reported (a duty of all ranks under military law), have been the subject of continuous cover-up since for more than thirty years. Those who defied these orders were hounded, persecuted, and dismissed. Ministerial opinion was issued that issuing such an order was correct, and disobeying it was a punishable offence. The order was to sign off aircraft and systems as airworthy, IAW the regulations, when they were not. The aircraft and systems concerned feature in some half dozen fatal accident threads on this very forum. Rather makes fiddling your flying hours pale into insignificance, I would have thought?

[Big Pistons Forever]

I can say from personal observation that the American General Officer/Flag Officer world is utterly ruthless. General Officers get tours cut short or forced retirement on a regular basis in all branches. However I smell a rat here. There are very few female General Officers in the US military and I wonder if there are other agendas at work here.

The one profound difference I see is that the tolerance for abusive leaders is much lower than it used to be, Most commands now require all ranks surveys of job satisfaction and commands have been cut short and careers stalled for senior personnel who were bad leaders.

As for women, I can echo a previous poster. Pretty much all of the women I have worked for and with in and out uniform have been very good, with 2 in particular who where outstanding, one who was hands down the best boss I ever had.

[Slow Biker]

To finish up the arrival interview my sqn cdr told me he is inclined to shout at people. As tactfully as I could - this was the start of a new tour - I replied that I had always managed to get things done without shouting and furthermore I would not be shouted at - by anybody. He nearly fell off his chair, but I made my mark and we got on well. It was an interesting time together, he was one of those eng officers who could tell you the volume of a jam jar but needed help to remove the lid.

[Two's in]

If you feel you have to throw your weight around like that as a 2* you should never have been a 2*. That's the sort of behavior you would expect from a passed over SNCO or O-5, not a General. As mentioned above, truly bizarre that they all get moved sideways and not ****-canned. She will never be able to command respect with that reputation, assuming she was once able to do that.

[West Coast]

If you feel you have to throw your weight around like that as a 2* you should never have been a 2*. That's the sort of behavior you would expect from a passed over SNCO or O-5, not a General. As mentioned above, truly bizarre that they all get moved sideways and not ****-canned. She will never be able to command respect with that reputation, assuming she was once able to do that.

Agree. What’s curious is that she felt she could get away with it. Many in similar positions of authority have been binned for creating/allowing a toxic command climate, that had to be known to her.

Ego perhaps overrode all else.

[ancientaviator62]

As always the Greeks had a word for it. Hubris. Prevalent in many occupations but especially so in politicians.

[woptb]

If you feel you have to throw your weight around like that as a 2* you should never have been a 2*. That's the sort of behavior you would expect from a passed over SNCO or O-5, not a General. As mentioned above, truly bizarre that they all get moved sideways and not ****-canned. She will never be able to command respect with that reputation, assuming she was once able to do that.

Having been both sides of the curtain, it is a behaviour exhibited more amongst the commissioned.
’Crabs in a barrel’,is an apposite term, as a descriptor for RAF officers,most would literally climb over anyone!

[Tedderboy]

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/08/19/inspectors-said-her-toxic-leadership-was-worst-seen-20-years-she-just-became-1-star.html

[Union Jack]

Agree. What’s curious is that she felt she could get away with it. Many in similar positions of authority have been binned for creating/allowing a toxic command climate, that had to be known to her.

Ego perhaps overrode all else.
https://www.arrse.co.uk/community/threads/not-a-good-week-for-generals-of-the-modern-british-army.300916/ seems to suggest that the USAF is not the only service to suffer from tarnished stars.:=

Jack

[Airbubba]

Some folks are put on a different career track to promote diversity and inclusivity.

The Air Force said this colonel was an incredibly toxic leader. Then she was promoted to one-star generalJEFF SCHOGOL (https://taskandpurpose.com/author/jeffschogol)

AUG 19, 2020 1:25 PM EDT

Air Force Brig. Gen. Jennifer Grant created the most toxic command climate that investigators had seen in decades when she oversaw the 50th Space Wing at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, according to a redacted copy of an Air Force Inspector General report.

A colonel at the time, Grant berated her subordinates both publicly and privately so frequently that the people under her command were terrified to give her any bad news, according to the October 2019 investigation, which was obtained by Task & Purpose.

Grant frequently reduced people to tears, caused many of her subordinates to leave, and one person whom she often clashed with later died by suicide.

“Witnesses, particularly Col. Grant's immediate staff, credibly described the environment as one in which Col. Grant failed in her responsibilities to pay attention to the welfare and morale of her subordinates, and failed to cultivate a climate of teamwork, cohesion, and trust,” investigators wrote. "Further, witnesses described failures in effective two-way communication and instances of a lack of self-control when engaging subordinates.”

Despite the investigation’s damning conclusions, Grant’s career has flourished. She was promoted to brigadier general on July 2 and is now assigned to Air Force headquarters at the Pentagon, said Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek.Grant led the 50th Space Wing from June 30, 2017 to June 24, 2019. Investigators concluded that during that time, Grant repeatedly violated Air Force standards by lashing out at her subordinates, including:

Calling a subordinate in mental health treatment for suicidal ideations to criticize her for listing an enlisted service member on her safety plan, making the woman even more distraught.
Lecturing a subordinate at her promotion ceremony for not personally informing Grant that a brigadier general would be the presiding officer at the ceremony.
Berating her executive officer to the point that she crawled under her desk and cried.
Publicly humiliating a briefer in front of investigators.
Exploding at an enlisted airman for a get well card to the command chief before Grant could sign it.

“Col. Grant created an environment infused with fear and intimidation, which stilted communication and reporting, and undermined the welfare and morale of her subordinates,” the investigation said.

“In doing so, the AFSPC/IG [Air Force Space Command Inspector General] determined the conditions Col. Grant created were the worst the IG team had seen in 20 years.”



https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-toxic-commander-promoted

[racedo]

Some folks are put on a different career track to promote diversity and inclusivity.



https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-toxic-commander-promoted

Peter principle of promotion, a couple of levels beyond their capability is well know.

Wonder what it should be called here ?

Sadly there are people who use the diversity / gender / racial badge as a way to obtain promotions, without having any capability behind it, then will use same badge to silence anybody who refuses to support their personal career path. The worst thing they do is to destroy the career paths of others, everybody remembers X who was here and totally incompetent. So people later get judged against someone elses incompetences rather than their own capabilities.

In businesss saw it first hand when doing a contract, Toxic Tracey had got to senior position by doing so, a new CEO, also female but from another division came in. Toxic Tracey tied the "we sisters to stand together" at a half yr team briefing. New CEO spoke about diversity and looking after people irrespective of gender, colour etc, then said people wanting to stand together based on anything need to have the work behind them first. Toxic Tracey became Tearful Tracey when she realised writing was on the wall, 1 month later Tracey was no more and her path to untold wealth via unfair dismissal case was over when her expenses showed what she was up to. Summary dismissal for fraud and a legal claim by company for repayment of money which was successful did wonders for morale.