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Md. Guard relieves recruiting chief

BALTIMORE — The officer in charge of recruiting for the Maryland Army National Guard has been relieved of his command, and a recruiter is being kicked out of the Guard after an investigation revealed “significant improprieties,” the Guard said Friday.

In all, 11 soldiers were disciplined as a result of the probe, which uncovered at least two cases where recruiters enlisted people despite knowing they were not qualified for Guard service.

The Guard will also change its policies as a result of the investigation, putting an end to extended assignments in the recruiting battalion, said First Lt. Wayde Minami, a Guard spokesman.

“Previously, people could literally spend almost their entire careers in the recruiting and retention battalion if they were successful recruiters,” Minami said. “Now, the tours are going to be limited in length.”

Minami said he was unsure exactly what those limits would be, but he said recruiting assignments could still potentially last several years because recruiters need time to learn their territory and build relationships.

Along with the two cases of fraudulent enlistment, the investigation also found two cases of fraternization between officers and enlisted soldiers. And it found that several soldiers in the recruiting battalion misused government resources by goofing off when they were supposed to be getting training away from their usual posts.

“They were apparently out recreating,” Minami said. “The government paid for that.”

The Guard did not reveal the names of anyone who was disciplined because the actions were administrative. No one was charged with a crime, Minami said.

The disciplinary action against the soldiers included reduction in rank, reassignment out of the recruiting field and letters of reprimand.

Three of those disciplined were commissioned officers, including two who had a rank of major or above. Of the enlisted soldiers, five were senior noncommissioned officers, meaning they held the rank of sergeant major, master sergeant or sergeant first class. One of those five is the one who will be discharged from the Guard, Minami said.

“We take our relationship with the community extremely seriously and feel strongly that the actions of a few do not reflect the hard work and professionalism of the thousands of men and women that make up the Maryland Army National Guard,” Col. Grant Hayden, acting assistant adjutant general for the Guard, said in a statement.

The investigation began in early December after an article in the Baltimore City Paper detailed allegations of misconduct.