That's exactly the point of my earlier post. This thing isn't necessarily done. The ASB can (and I'm betting even money, will) take further action. At a minimum, it will recommend separation from the service. That parts a no-brainer. That is independent of NJP, CM or most any other action.

Just because you do 20 years doesn't guarantee you a retirement. You gotta remember.... Da man is not your friend.

This thing isn't over.

Say what you want. The officer in question has over 26 years of good and faithful service.
I believe that he is a brother of the ring.
The CG wants no more bad press
The CM did not order a discharge.
Admin processes that would cost him his retirement will be seen as piling on by the general public,press and could give him a cause for legal action, opening up the whole sordid affair again
with the CG looking like the bad guy.

Remember, this is taking place in the San Francisco Bay Area.
not a military friendly area.
Would it be right to just let him retire, or hang his ass.

I'll bet his retirement letter is already submitted

Jack

Shortly after I transfered from Group Key West in 1996 I heard the story about a CPO who reported in PCS. A random urinalysis showed he was positive for Cocaine use. So the story goes he rather flippantly told the CO he would turn in his retirement letter. Unfortunately for him the CO wasn't a joking type - and told him to stand by for a Courts Martial. At his Court he was busted to E5 (had already lost his security clearance) and processed for discharge, not retirement. He did get his own riding mower from what I hear though while he awaited his discharge.

For a Senior Officer in the Coast Guard, to be found guilty at a General Courts Martial for cocaine use; to only be fined $5,000 is an insult. The message it sends broadens the perceived (and real) gap between the priveleged few and the rest of the people. Double standards need to end.

quote:

wrongful use of cocaine

I don't quite understand the charge and conviction. What exactly is the "rightful use of cocaine"?

Commissioned officers are not discharged, but dismissed. Their terms and conditions of service are different. A dismissal results in a loss of all benefits.

There is no double standard. It's been many years, but being caught by urinalysis is usually quietly handled by NJP or rejection of re-enlistment. I handled more than my share of NJP investigations and proceedings. Nothing officially happened in many of the cases. The "unofficial" enforcement process has finished many more officer careers than those of enlisted members. Taking a Captain to trial is a serious action and done to make a obvious point that illegal drug use will not be tolerated. I think the point was made.

quote:

Originally posted by Bo-Hica:

quote:

wrongful use of cocaine

I don't quite understand the charge and conviction. What exactly is the "rightful use of cocaine"?

I'm not sure if this answers your question, but cocaine does have some limited legal medical use. It is used as a local and also to constrict blood vessels and reduce swelling. You can actually get a 'script for it.

I respectfully disagree. Anything short of dismissal for a very senior officer who has used illegal drugs can lead to the impression that there is a double standard for senior officers. When I was still on active duty enlisted members were being court-martialed and receiving Bad Conduct Discharges for this same kind of misconduct. Unless the Service no longer expects its members to refrain from using illegal drugs, what was considered a fair sentence for enlisted members certainly is a fair sentence for a senior officer (and, as a retired Captain, I find this Captain's actions completely inexplicable. Somewhere there is a retired Commander who was not selected for Captain when this fellow was selected - I wonder what he (or she) thinks about all of this).

quote:

I'm not sure if this answers your question, but cocaine does have some limited legal medical use. It is used as a local and also to constrict blood vessels and reduce swelling. You can actually get a 'script for it.

Do you know if this is possibly the case here? Perhaps the Captain was prescribed cocaine and forgot a couple doses. He then would have wrongfully used his prscription of cocaine.

Oh, I don't know the answer to that question. But I have seen incidents similiar to what you ask. I saw a First Class get popped one time. Well... As it turned out, he had elbow surgery a month prior to the test, and forgotten to write it down. That's why we do investigations! It was quickly determined that this was the case and was considered a non-event. Now as for the E-5 SOQ that we popped... That's another matter all together!

In the Captain's case, I seriously doubt it. The first thing that happens when a positive test comes back is 1.) The individual is informed of their rights. 2.) You launch an investigation to determine facts.

One issue that hasn't been addressed by this string is that the Good Captain was found NOT GUILTY of conduct not becomming an officer and a gentleman. I make no claims about being a master of the UCMJ, however it certainly seems to me that this was a flagrant example of the Article. I have real heartburn with the Courtmartial Board as far as this aspect of the issue is concerned. What were THEY thinking......

I firmly believe there should a different standard for Officers and Enlisted members – and the Officers should be held to a higher standard. In many cases this will be difficult because there are so many high caliber Enlisted members, but when push comes to shove it comes down to leading by example.

I know Captain Sullivan, it is truly dissappointing that any Officer or Enlisted member of the Coast Guard would use drugs. Regardless of the punishment the CM awarded, his career is over. The fact that a Captain was taken to a CM makes a statement in itself. While I don't condone his actions, he's been held accountable. I think it's time to move on, there are to many great things the CG and it's members are doing to allow our focus to be on this. R

Rich,

Drop me a line when you can. michael.s.mahoney@uscg.mil

Mike

Ok, let's say this took place aboard a CG WHEC. The Captain of the ship is an 0-6.

While on liberty a Lt[jg] and and E-6 are caught doing a little coke... what do you think would happen to them?

RBruce --> The point may have been made, however the punishment hasn't.

Wray...

quote:

Regardless of the punishment the CM awarded, his career is over. The fact that a Captain was taken to a CM makes a statement in itself.

Actually the statement made was done by the Court: $5,000 fine sends a very clear message.

The base pay for an O-6 over 26 is: $9716.70 - so he got fined a little more the 1/2 months pay for something that enlisted members get booted for on a regular basis. There is a double standard; the accountability and punishment should increase as the responsibility increases. How many members did this gentleman, in the course of his career, cause to be separated for the same thing? RHETORICAL QUESTION. None actually their own misconduct caused it....as should his.

Wray, my guess is that it depends. But this is just my wild guess (not so wild, I have seen enough in 27 years +). The enlisted guy or girl, is gone, out, finished. The LTjg depends. Most likely do to the fact that he is young in his career and has a small resume to show for, he is gone too. But if he comes from a CG family (and by that I mean that Dad is a former CGA grad of no less than O-6 Rank) he might have a chance of making it alive. If Loy's son survived being kicked out twice from the CGA for cheating and then accepted at OCS, why not the boy of a CAPT USCGA grad? And by the way, the LTjg better be CGA, if OCS, forget it. He/she is gone. And I don't even want to bring the race or gender factor into play, but listen, at this very moment both the Director or the CG Civil Rights program and our Chief of Staff are testifying up on the hill in response to the Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) report. Sorry to those offended by this, but were you see smoke, chances are, there is fire too. The BAH report is real and alive.

quote:

The BAH report is real and alive.

For those of us that don't know, can you tell us what this is?

Keko - but not always the case; I watched a CDR CO, Academy Graduate, son of a Captain, get dismissed from the service. No drugs involved; but alcohol played a major role - as did conduct unbecoming...

The posocuter has a lot to do with how severe the punishment might be, i would be willing to bet a tall cool one he was ordered to just get the conviction on the use of coke and just ease up on the big chicken diner part of the punishment.

quote:

Originally posted by gowyo1:
The posocuter has a lot to do with how severe the punishment might be, i would be willing to bet a tall cool one he was ordered to just get the conviction on the use of coke and just ease up on the big chicken diner part of the punishment.

Actually in a General Courts Martial the prosecutor has his hands full with presenting the government's case and ensuring that the "script" (the procedures of the trial) are followed to the Tee. It is an added burden of the prosecution to make sure that the defense's rights are afforded. The President of the Court leads the members of the court who decide guilt or innocence and within the sentencing guidelines of the MCM decide on the punishment. The results of this courts martial then get an automatic review by the system...

Does the convening authority have any say in the matter? Perhaps.