2 recruiting bosses fired after suicide probe - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

2 recruiting bosses fired after suicide probe

Two leaders of the Houston Recruiting Battalion have been replaced and disciplinary actions may be possible up to brigade level after an investigation into the suicides of four soldiers in the battalion.

Lt. Col. Toimu Reeves, the battalion commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Cheryl Broussard have been replaced, according to officials at Accessions Command. Reeves had left in a normal rotation and Broussard was removed from her job, officials said.

“The chain of command is in the process of taking disciplinary actions,” Lt. Gen. Benjamin Freakley, the chief of Accessions Command, said Feb. 25.

In his investigation, Brig. Gen. Del Turner, deputy commanding general of Accessions Command and the officer appointed to conduct the review, recommended disciplinary action against brigade-level commanders, but officials did not provide any details on how many leaders or who might be affected, nor did they discuss what type of action might be taken.

Lt. Col. Mike Bottiglieri took command of the battalion Oct. 3. He was not previously assigned to the battalion.

Bottiglieri is “making some great changes” and working hard to ensure his soldiers have a positive, affirming command climate, Freakley told Army Times. He did not say what kinds of changes are under way.

Master Sgt. Steve Jansen, the senior operations noncommissioned officer for the recruiting battalion, is now the acting command sergeant major, Freakley said.

He added that leaders at Accessions and Recruiting commands want to give the new leadership at least six months in their jobs.

“Then [we’ll] take a look to determine if we have rectified those findings we had in the investigation,” he said.

Turner’s investigation found poor command climate, failing personal relationships and long, stressful work days were factors in the suicides.

In his findings, released Jan. 21, Turner noted a “threatening” environment in the battalion. The report was not released at the time because officials said it contained extensive personal information about the four soldiers who had killed themselves.

A redacted version of Turner’s report was released in mid-February, and it shows that Capt. Rico Robinson, the battalion personnel officer, shot himself between Jan. 15-18, 2005; Staff Sgt. Nils Aron Andersson, a recruiter detailed to one of the battalion’s recruiting stations, shot himself in March 2007; Sgt. 1st Class Larry G. Flores, a recruiting station commander, hanged himself in his home Aug. 8, 2008; and Sgt. 1st Class Patrick Henderson, a recruiter assigned to a recruiting station, hanged himself Sept. 20, 2008.

Turner’s investigation led Army leaders to order a stand-down for all recruiters Feb. 13.

Attempts by Army Times to contact Reeves and Broussard for comment were unsuccessful.

Related reading

• Troubled recruiting battalion gets new command

• Recruiting stand-down ordered

• Recruiter suicides in Houston worry advocates