What Army Values did this retired Colonel allegedly violate and why?

2014-07-24T08:19:12-04:00

Discuss the implications of a past senior ranking officer who allegedly plagiarized his Masters' thesis while attending the Army War College. He is now a US Senator from Montana after recently being appointed to the position. Should this affect his current Senatorial seat? http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/24/us/politics/montana-senator-john-walsh-plagiarized-thesis.html?_r=0

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2014 8:32 AM

2014-07-24T08:32:18-04:00

Sir,

I think it speaks poorly on his character and integrity. He'll have a wonderful career in politics, fitting in perfectly with his new peers.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jul 24 at 2014 9:00 AM

2014-07-24T09:00:44-04:00

What value did he violate? Integrity.

Should it affect his current seat? Not directly. But it should give voters pause in whether they should re-elect him.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jul 24 at 2014 12:00 PM

2014-07-24T12:00:39-04:00

Now he's saying PTSD made him do it......

Democratic senator cites PTSD in apparent thesis plagiarism

A Montana senator and Iraq War veteran who is running for re-election suggested Wednesday that medication he took for post-traumatic stress disorder may have been responsible for plagiarized passages in his thesis.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2014 12:26 PM

2014-07-24T12:26:45-04:00

I believe he violated integrity obviously (he got none) and honor since he did not live by and carry out the Army values.

As a politician he fits right in with the rest of them so he probably won't face any hardship over this

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jul 25 at 2014 10:00 AM

2014-07-25T10:00:40-04:00

Yes what this bozo did is wrong but at some point right or wrong, we have to let bygones, be bygones. I believe we all have skeletons in our closet that we are not proud of. Do we have to dig so deep and expose every misgiving every time a person is running for office or is in office? Look at what the Kennedys all got away with all those years. They let Bill Clinton remain in office after his indiscretion - talk about setting a bad example. I know that these are times of well needed political reform but are we going too far? If he plagiarized his masters thesis then his degree should be revoked. Did that degree get him elected, probably not.

We just had a Massachusetts school superintendent resign over plagiarizing a graduation speech and another fined for the same thing, Are they setting bad examples - especially when they penalize students for the same thing - yes. Sentence imposed now move on

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 25 at 2014 10:08 AM

2014-07-25T10:08:35-04:00

On the same vein though, how can you expect to have good troops with people like this as a leader? Leaders are supposed to set the example and set the bar high. I think he has shown he cares nothing of the Army Values of which he was taught. He lacks integrity and now is using an excuse for his laziness and lack thereof. Sadly he will fit in fine here on the hill and that is what sickens me the most. We have far too many folks like this.

Response by CPO Ed Ball made Jul 25 at 2014 12:32 PM

2014-07-25T12:32:56-04:00

Pro 13:5 The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked make themselves a stench and bring shame on themselves.

King Solomon appears to have known long before there was an Army. As a sailor, can't speak for the Army, let's just be thankful he doesn't reside in Ohio, we have enough problems.

Response by CPO Ed Ball made Jul 25 at 2014 12:34 PM

2014-07-25T12:34:34-04:00