COVER-UP AT CARLISLE BARRACKS
RACISM, SEXISM “TOLERATED”
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WORKER THREATENED
FEMALE MANAGER QUITS JOB
AFTER “FAIR-HAIRED BOY” MAJOR CREATES
“HOSTILE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT”
IVANY, MADDEN, COLPO ACCUSED

Copyright 2003, MilitaryCorruption.com

They just don’t “get it.” We mean the so-called “leadership” at one of the Army’s premiere installations, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.

The year is 2003. The mantra of “zero tolerance” is growing old and stale, and the twin evils of racism and sexism are still not stamped out.

In fact, in the words of one Barracks employee, such an atmosphere is actually “tolerated.”

A PATTERN OF DISCRIMINATION

In an undercover investigation spanning several months, MilitaryCorruption.com’s many CI’s (confidential informants) on post, told us of a long-standing hostility to females in positions of authority.

Even worse, we discovered a disturbing pattern of subtle discrimination against racial minorities, especially African-Americans.

Yes, the outstanding, newly-retired Command Sgt. Major, Don Watkins is an African-American.

But, according to sources at garrison headquarters on Carlisle Barracks, the well-respected senior NCO was used as “window-dressing” to disguise the almost total lack of Blacks on the Army War College faculty.

With the upcoming retirement of Jim Gordon, the faculty could be completely “lily-white” by the time the next class begins at the famed Army educational institution.

In an embarrassing “faux pas,” the post newsletter, “The Carlisle Barracks Banner,” trumpeted the fact a visiting African-American professor was the “first” Black woman to ever teach at the AWC. The obvious question is, WHY did it take this long to happen?

Few members of the Army War College class are racial minorities and even fewer have any rank or power in the post garrison. What African-Americans there are, consist of mostly lower-ranking enlisted personnel. None head any directorate and none occupy any of the top four positions on Carlisle Barracks: commandant, deputy commandant, chief of staff, or garrison commander.

ABUSE AGAINST AFRICAN-AMERICANS

Speaking of garrison commanders, a former Barracks “boss” violated the privacy rights and screamed at an African-American female worker on post. It created a big controversy because it resulted in an EEO complaint.

The Command, then headed by the ineffectual Gen. Bobby “inscribed panties” Scales, panicked and forced the obnoxious lieutenant colonel to “apologize” to the woman. For once, the Command did something right – not because they wanted to, but because they had to!

But in the case of a handicapped African-American security guard – to protect his privacy we will just use the initials “R.S.” – there was NO “apology.”

A major on staff, well-known on post as a “fair-haired boy” who has been “protected” by powerful “movers-and-shakers” such as COL Harry Thigpen and Prof. Douglas Campbell, made a particularly “vile” threat against a minority member.

The words used, in front of several female witnesses no less, are so offensive and indecent, we warn you dear reader, the only reason we are reproducing them below is because the incident is part of an “official” written report.

According to R.S. – who was interviewed by MilitaryCorruption.com – and the female witnesses, MAJ Charles “Chuck” Grindle, in the midst of a dispute with the security guard (who was only doing his job) screamed:

“I’LL BREAK YOUR FINGER OFF AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS, SIDEWAYS!”

MilitaryCorruption.com, in our interview with R.S. – whom we contacted, confirmed the incident happened. We also have confirmed to our utter disgust, that no real punitive action was ever taken against Grindle. In fact, the officer, known derisively by some co-workers as “Roger Wilco” and “The Wonder Boy,” has been rewarded with authorization to study for his PhD in the fall. Of course, with the taxpayers picking up the tab.

We are told Chief-of-Staff, COL Mike Colpo “talked” to Grindle about his egregious behavior in what amounted to a “wrist-slap” and nothing more.

Again, the old double-standard of military “justice” reared its ugly head. “It’s not what you do, but who you know,” said a former MP on post.
“What counts at Carlisle Barracks is if you are plugged in with the powers-that-be.”

In an incredible display of arrogance, the Command didn’t even require Grindle to “apologize” to R.S. for making such a vicious remark.

That mistake has now come back to haunt them!

FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT

“It’s true – I felt threatened by his actions,” R.S. told MilitaryCorruption.com. “MAJ Grindle blew up and just lost it. He was out of control. And in my opinion, his actions were at the very least, conduct unbecoming an officer.”

R.S. said he went to his supervisor to complain about the incident and was told that the matter would be “taken care of.” But to his credit, the colonel supervisor (we are with-holding his identity for privacy reasons) told the security guard that if he wished to “file charges” that the colonel would “back him up” all the way.

“I decided to let it go,” R.S. recalled. “But I shouldn’t have. Grindle got away with that and just grew more arrogant. If I had pushed it at the time, maybe he wouldn’t have been in a position to make Janice York’s life so miserable.”

A “HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT”

Janice York, the highly-competent and well-liked wife of a retired colonel was the highest-ranking female at the Army War College, a GM-13. She also, through no fault of her own, is an exceptionally attractive woman.

The fact that she was and is a “married woman” who does NOT like to be called “Miss Good-body” or “The Princess” by chauvinistic males, apparently didn’t register with MAJ Grindle.

“He created a hostile work environment” and I finally had to go the Command and complain,” York told MilitaryCorruption.com. “All I asked was for them to keep Grindle away from me. COL Craig Madden, the deputy commandant, and Chief-of-Staff Mike Colpo promised me they would “take care of the situation.”

“They did not! I was lied to and deceived. They betrayed my trust. And finally – last December – for my own health and peace of mind, I took early retirement,” she said when contacted at her home in Pennsylvania. “I had to leave the job I loved because of that major and the Barrack’s sexist attitude toward its female employees.

“I am so upset that even Gen. Ivany, who knew what I was going through, looked the other way. The treatment I received on Carlisle Barracks was an outrage.

“Colpo was the biggest disappointment of all,” York said. “Everyone thinks he is so grand and great and wonderful, but all his stated concern and compassion for my situation disappeared as soon as I went formal,” and filed an EEO complaint. “Then, he became upset with me and said, ‘I thought we had this under control.’”

“I was retaliated against, so I left my job three months early to get away from such an acrimonious atmosphere.”

ANOTHER DOUBLE-STANDARD OF “JUSTICE”

“What they did to protect Grindle reminds me of how the Command set out to destroy another field-grade some years ago – a decorated Vietnam veteran, held in high regard by all who knew him,” a longtime Barracks employee told MilitaryCorruption.com.

“This officer was actually an undercover intelligence asset for the FBI who got a little too close to finding out about corruption on post,” the worker said. “He had to be stopped at all costs.”

“So they set him up with a false accusation of sexual harassment from a female JAG E-4 – the charge was ‘indecent language.’ No proof, no witnesses, just a career-ending accusation.

“When two plain-clothes MP-CID agents showed up unannounced to arrest the targeted officer, they jumped the combat veteran from behind in his office and made a show of going for their guns. Intimidation tactics. The PMO was a drinking buddy of a corrupt officer on post. So they pulled out all stops.

“The accused officer was in fear for his life,” the female worker recalled. “They brought him back to the MP station that night – the PMO tried to illegally question him even though he already had asked for legal consul. That’s when he complained about the MP’s violation of his rights.

“To the officer’s shock and amazement, the two arresting MP’s suddenly stepped out from behind a wall partition (right behind where he was told to sit) in the Carlisle Barracks police station.

“The tall military cop started to take a swing at the field-grade’s head, but the careful PMO stepped between before any punch could be thrown. The aggressive MP was never punished. It was all part of a plan to ‘break down’ the accused officer and maybe he’d then tell them what he was really looking into on post.”

THE JAG “STING-ARTIST” PROTECTED

“And do you know what happened to the JAG E-4? She became ‘Little Miss Untouchable.’ Like the time she was pulled over for speeding 50 mph on a quiet street where children played near Pratt Hall. She was quickly let go when she informed the MP how “valuable” she was to the Command.

“Well, she went on in subsequent years to file false ‘sexual harassment’ charges elsewhere against several more officers. All were finally cleared, except the last one. A U.S. Army Reserve major from Pennsylvania, he knew his career was ruined as soon as the ‘sting artist’ accused him. So he went home, got a gun, and put a bullet through his head.

“I hope that little bitch burns in hell,” the longtime Barracks employee said. “She might as well have pulled the trigger herself!”