This summer, headlines have been flaunting the antics of Leonard Glenn Francis, a Malaysian defense contractor known as "Fat Leonard," who implicated Navy officials after pleading guilty to giving bribes, kick-backs and gifts in exchange for contracts, false payments and inside information about ship schedules to support his Asian refueling and marine supply business.
The result? Twenty-one current and former Navy officials are facing federal criminal charges, four admirals have been disciplined and up to 200 Navy personnel are being investigated for accepting bribes in cash, prostitutes, trips and extravagant gifts from "Fat Leonard."
"The scandal has rocked the Navy and will for years to come," said Army Materiel Command legal counsel Larry Wilde.
"Of course, the Navy is not the only military service or federal agency faced with such public embarrassment and criminal charges. Unfortunately, there are far too many such instances of military and federal civilian personnel failing in their professional and ethical obligations. The facts of each case vary widely, but they all share a common link: placing personal gain above the public good," Wilde said.
Wilde is among a force of attorneys at AMC and its major subordinate commands that advise and counsel employees on ethical matters. Toward that end, a six-week series beginning today will highlight various standards of conduct rules and principles that arise in different areas, such as conflicts of interest, gifts, misuse of position, outside employment and working with service contractors.
"Generally, these rules and principles apply equally to federal employees of all executive agencies, and to both uniformed and civilian personnel," Wilde said. "The goal of these articles is to sensitize employees so they can incorporate the ethical principles of federal service into everyday decision-making to maintain the high standards of ethical conduct that are necessary to preserve the public trust."
The Code of Federal Regulations contains a statement of "14 Principles of Ethics Conduct for Federal Employees." The first of these principles states: "Public service is a public trust, requiring employees to place loyalty to the Constitution, the laws and ethical principles above private gain."
"This principle is reflected in the Army Creed as honor, integrity and selfless service. It is the basis of the entire framework of the ethical laws, regulations and policies that all federal employees in the executive branch of government are obligated to follow," Wilde said. "Failure to do so erodes the public's trust in government. It's difficult to maintain public trust when people see a seemingly endless parade of examples of official corruption in the news."
In the "Fat Leonard" case, some participants, if found guilty, will prove to be criminal-minded individuals who eagerly sought out bribes in willful disregard of their public duties, Wilde said. "For most though, it probably would never have occurred to them to engage in such conduct were it not for the lure of riches put before them and the influence of the command culture in which they found themselves," he said. "Fat Leonard was a master of manipulation. He would carefully study his victims and then adroitly exploit their weaknesses to further his ends."
Wilde said that national studies have shown people are more likely to act in conformity with their environment and the people around them than abstract policies and rules. In the case of the "Fat Leonard" scandal, for example, many members of the 7th Fleet, starting with senior leadership, "had grown accustomed over the course of several years to openly accepting his hospitality and generosity while in Asian ports. His gifts, although improper, were appreciated and ultimately expected. Such a command climate helped set the conditions for lower ranking Sailors to disregard their better judgment and agree to help their friend by steering business his way," he said.
"Fat Leonard" is an extreme example where unethical behavior actually crossed the line into criminal misconduct. Wilde said lower key unethical actions are seen more frequently in federal government -- such as an employee who uses a government vehicle to pick up lunch for his office, the employee who spends half the workday updating her Facebook page or a supervisor who solicits subordinates to buy Avon products from his wife. There are unethical instances of Army officers proposing a new contract position they hope to fill as their retirement job, and contracting officer representatives applying for a lucrative position with the company whose contract they are overseeing.
"It's important that that employees be familiar with which ethical rules, standards and principles apply," Wilde said. "When in doubt, they should always ask the question, 'Does this action compromise my own professionalism and the organization I represent?' and then they should make sure the answer meets ethical standards."
*Editor's note: this article is the first of a six-part series on ethics.
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