The commander of Fort Bragg has barred the wife of an 82nd Airborne Division colonel from nearly all interaction with her husband's brigade and the unit's families after an investigation found her influence "detrimental to the morale and well-being of both."
Sworn statements from the investigation, ordered in January by Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, accuse Col. Brian Drinkwine's wife, Leslie Drinkwine, of using her husband's position as leverage to repeatedly harass and threaten soldiers and their families.
Now that is some serious transference. Most milspouses I grew up with (and even more so now than it was back when I was a brat running around housing areas at Fort Sill, Fort Leavenworth, and Germany) didn't assume their soldier's rank attached to them, and were hard-working members of our little communities, especially during the Vietnam era, when I was paying far more attention than I was as a toddler.In sworn interviews or written statements submitted to Spillman, one former battalion commander, two currently serving battalion commanders and the brigade's rear commander said Dr. Drinkwine told them "that either their careers, or the careers of others, could be adversely impacted by her."
In other sworn statements, five Army officers said they have heard Col. Drinkwine say that when his wife speaks, she speaks for him.
Col. Drinkwine, in his sworn statement, said he meant that only in regard to FRG issues. His wife was the head of that organization, and he said he wanted to make sure people understood that she had authority in the FRG.
When you think of just how many officers' wives there are out there, I wonder why no one ever seems to notice that military wives "wear" their husband's rank in a lot of positive ways? Greta and Mrs G are prime examples of women who voluntarily assume a leadership and service role. The military could not function without women like this, and yet we see only the bad apples.
Well, here's a little bit of that - along with the injunction that you should go read Greta's post.]]>