HELENA – An adverse Army 2010 report on U.S. Senate candidate John Walsh’s actions while head of the Montana National Guard blocked his promotion to the rank of general, he confirmed Saturday – a rank all other Montana National Guard heads have achieved the past 25 years.
Walsh, the state’s current lieutenant governor and head of the Montana National Guard from September 2008 to March 2012, never obtained a “federally recognized” rank of general while he was adjutant general of the Guard.
Walsh left the Montana National Guard in 2012 as a federally recognized colonel, the same rank he had when Gov. Brian Schweitzer appointed him head of the Guard.
Since the late 1980s, all other Montana National Guard commanders have retired from the Guard as a major general or brigadier general, gaining federal promotion while head of the Guard.
Yet Walsh – the leading Democratic candidate for Montana’s open U.S. Senate seat this year – said Saturday he doesn’t consider the lack of promotion a punishment stemming from the 2010 Army inspector general report.
The report, made public late last month, said Walsh improperly used his position as adjutant general to promote the National Guard Association, a private, non-governmental group that supports the National Guard.
Walsh said Saturday he didn’t personally benefit from his actions promoting the association and that he was trying only to help the National Guard – and that his immediate boss, Schweitzer, had no problem with his actions.
“I’d always been up front with Gov. Schweitzer about the complaint (that led to the report), telling him this is what I did and why I did it,” he said.
***
The August 2010 adverse report, from the Army inspector general, and an official reprimand from the vice chief of staff the Army, came from officials “who aren’t even in my chain of command,” and who had no direct oversight of his duties, Walsh said.
Schweitzer also wrote a letter in September 2010 to the general who issued the reprimand, praising Walsh as “vital member of my cabinet” and “true team player,” and said Walsh should be promoted to brigadier general and major general. (see related story)
The Montana Television Network reported in late December on the inspector general report.
The August 2010 report said Walsh improperly used his government email to solicit officers to join the National Guard Association and bolster his candidacy as an officer for the private group.
Walsh, in an interview with the Lee Newspapers State Bureau on Dec. 28, said he was not disciplined after the report.
However, MTN reported on Friday that Walsh received a formal reprimand signed by Gen. Peter Chiarelli, vice chief of staff of the Army. The memorandum said it did not constitute “punishment,” MTN reported, but Chiarelli said Walsh’s action “causes me to question your ability to lead.”
***
On Saturday, Walsh again noted that his immediate supervisor, the governor, imposed no discipline. Schweitzer has called the report “much ado about nothing,” and said Walsh didn’t do anything improper to benefit himself.
Walsh said the National Guard Association is becoming more important to helping preserve the Guard, because as federal budgets are squeezed, the Guard will be competing with the regular Armed Forces for taxpayer money. The association is a lobbying force to help maintain the Guard, he said.
Walsh, a 33-year veteran of the National Guard, was an Army colonel when he was appointed by Gov. Brian Schweitzer in mid-2008 to be commander and adjutant general of the Montana National Guard.
Adjutant generals of the Montana Guard are often a colonel or lieutenant colonel when they’re appointed and then generally apply to be promoted to brigadier general – a one-star general – and later to major general, a two-star general.
Upon his appointment as adjutant general, Walsh received a “brevet” promotion to brigadier general, which is a temporary promotion from the chief of the National Guard Bureau, allowing him to hold the rank but not be paid at that level or recognized federally.
At the same time, Walsh applied for his federally recognized promotion to the same rank. The federal promotion must be granted by an Army review board and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
“It’s a very, very careful and methodical vetting process,” said Joel Cusker, who was acting adjutant general of the Montana National Guard for five weeks after Walsh left his post to run for lieutenant governor. “There can be a lot of reasons why your federal recognition doesn’t happen.”
Walsh said his promotion got held up because of the Inspector General investigation into his actions on the National Guard Association, and eventually blocked by the adverse report. He said he did not resubmit his application and that once he left the Guard in 2012, it became a moot point.
The investigation stemmed from a complaint from a single Montana National Guard officer who didn’t like how Walsh was attempting to promote membership in the National Guard Association, Walsh said.
(18) comments
So he breaks clear rules for his personal benefit. Good thing his subordinates didn't take it upon themselves to do this for him, he would have been "Christied" by the national media. Nah, the "D" protects him form the press, and the constituents forgive any dishonesty. Ends always justify/excuse the means, nothing new here.
Unlike Daines, at least Walsh served.
@A.e.
You mean like slick Willie
or maybe Max
or your hero Pat Williams,
now that you have your foot in mouth chew!!!!!!!!
Walsh, as a commanding officer, "suggested" (read that as "You must do this if you ever expect to have a career in the National Guard") that the officers in his command join a PRIVATE organization. He promoted this private entity with his official position & his official gov't email account. Both of these are clearly against printed regulations, are strictly enforced upon EVERYONE (not just upon Republicans), and as such are reason enough to not promote him, even though he wants the promotion so that he can look legislative when running against an honest man. Has nothing to do with the Koch Brothers (continue to drag up old, stale, inconsequential news similar to an anti-muslim video causing the Benghazi attack). I previously stated this in this column, but memories are short, and facts don't change. Neither the Army, National Guard, or I care what a Has-Been governor thinks about this law breaker.
The Lt. Gov. Is toast.
"The investigation stemmed from a complaint from a single Montana National Guard officer who didn’t like how Walsh was attempting to promote membership in the National Guard Association, Walsh said."
Its either A) Its some other persons fault. B) I didnt know, or was unaware. C) Unavailable for comment.
I think walsh will fit in well within the progressive party.
Where there's smoke, there's fire.... so -- where's the smoke?
The smoke's there, but if you're in denial, you block it out.
So, does somebody think it was wrong for Walsh to promote the MT National Guard? Hmmm.
It's wrong by definition - he cannot use his official position to promote a private enterprise - that's the rule, whether you like it or not.
It is not wrong to promote the Montana National Guard. But that is not the issue. He actively and aggressively promoted, while head of the Guard, a private organization to the extent of bullying subordinates to join the organization.
This constitutes undue command influence. And conduct unbecoming an Officer.
"The August 2010 report said Walsh improperly used his government email to solicit officers to join the National Guard Association and bolster his candidacy as an officer for the private group."
I agree with the finding of the IG.
I have never been able to undestand how a military officer can be a member of today's Democrat party. A Party that despises the military as an Insitituion, and soldiers as persons.
Only if he had an (R) after his name.
Missoulian: The report, which became public late last month, said Walsh improperly used his position as adjutant general to promote the National Guard Association, a private, non-governmental group that supports the National Guard."
Looks like a tempest in a teapot even by Missoulian treatment.
Too bad for Walsh.......much ado about nothing when you see all the rotten things these career parasites do. The big mystery is why his democrat friends didn't pull some strings for him.......you know, like when when Susan Rice lied her fat face off for Hitlery Clinton with the "A bigoted movie....started the benghazi attack" fable. Not a shred of truth in it.
Or like when congress served a subpeona on scumbag Eric (The Liar) Holder for more "Fast & Furious" documents.......and Superdude Obama gave him an Executive Privialge" trump card to make it go away. Still....he was censored.....that never happens to the head of Justice.
So Lt. Gov. Walsh thinks it's no big deal that he got
passed over for a promotion to Brig. Gen., so he just
ran for Lt. Gov. {it must be ease to fool the people of Mt.}
Ex-Gov. Schweitzer chimed in, "much ado about nothing."
Gov. Bullock says, "lets appoint him to good old Max's
seat. He will fit right in with rest of the clowns in D.C."
Let's look at 2 or 3 things you cannot do as member of
The National Guard.
What Active Duty Members Can and Cannot Do
Cannot - Participate in partisan political fundraising activities, rallies, conventions (including making speeches in the course thereof), management of campaigns, or debates, either on one’s own behalf or on that of another, without respect to uniform or inference or appearance of official sponsorship, approval, or endorsement. Participation includes more than mere attendance as a spectator.
Cannot - Use official authority or influence to interfere with an election, affect the course or outcome of an election, solicit votes for a particular candidate or issue, or require or solicit political contributions from others.
But as old Bobble Head said, "much ado about nothing." {Is this the man you want in
the U.S. Senate?}
The conservative Koch Brother clones will get on here and rant. How convenient for them. Guy promotes his organization trying to get help for his troops and they will jump all over him. Now if he were a Koch Brother clone, they would say he was supporting his troops and some obscure report from the evil Washington DC can not be trusted. How convenient...what a bunch of hypocrites. Walsh did nothing wrong...if you show me he made enough off that to buy a cup of coffee then we have something. Of course this is coming from the same people that think it is OK for Ted Cruz to be elected President because he was born to an American mother in a different country but still believe the President is illegitimate. Oh by the way clown show, Obama was born to an American mother....and if you want to believe that was in Kenya for all these years...so what???? Idiots. Walsh will be fine. Daines is in trouble, votes for the government shutdown then gets mad because the communities around the national parks are losing business. Driver of the clown car.
Muralist, you would support Jack The Ripper if he was a Democrat running for Sheriff!
Dianes has found his Benghazi!! His Mecca!! Roll all that is holy and double down 'cause the GOP is back, baby!!!
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