Major General Michel Russell leads a charmed life in the United States Army. Back in 2016 he received orders to Korea and packed up his belongings to head for his new unaccompanied tour in Seoul Korea.
His deployment to Korea gave him an idea on how to covertly swindle the Army out of some extra money through a deception involving an application for BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing).
WHAT IS “BAH” AND HOW CAN I LINE MY POCKETS WITH IT?
The Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) provides central oversight for commercial travel management, travel policy and implementation, travel card program management, customer support and training, functional oversight of the Defense Travel System (DTS), and allowance and entitlement program management.
A member assigned to permanent duty within the fifty United States, who is not furnished government housing, is eligible for a Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), based on the member’s rank, dependency status, and permanent duty station ZIP Code.
A member stationed overseas (except in Hawaii and Alaska), including U.S. territories and possessions, who is not furnished government housing, is eligible for an Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) based on the member’s dependency status.
If a member with dependents (except for a member paying child support) is serving an UNACCOMPANIED overseas tour, the member is eligible for BAH at the “with-dependent” rate, based on the dependent’s U.S. residence ZIP Code, plus FSH at the OCONUS PDS, if the member is not provided government housing overseas.
MAJOR GENERAL RUSSELL’S SCAM TO BILK THE ARMY
OUT OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD
It appears Russell may have received a couple extra thousand dollars in his paychecks every month, because he was separated from his wife and home. But, Russell had a sinister little plan; he wanted to have his cake, and eat it too.
Russell cooked up the idea to bring his wife to Korea during his entire tour. If he kept it quiet, he would continue receiving that whopping BAH allowance, which was much more than mere pocket change.
Michel Russell and his wife, kept up the charade for over two years, specifically twenty-six (26) months. The fraud occurred from 2016 to 2018.
As luck would have it, one or more people ratted him out to none other than Mr. Integrity himself, the Inspector General of the Army, LTG Leslie “Koala Bear” Smith.
The Army’s Criminal Investigative Division (CID) allegedly initiated an investigation. They allegedly discovered the extent of the BAH fraud, along with some things labeled as “TDY miscues” and “Command Sponsorship Issues.”
It’s rumored that Michel Russell was given a “get out of jail card,” by paying back the money he absconded with, so he could continue his career in the Army. Russell was pulled off the 2018 2-star list, but still stayed in command and retained his general court-martial authority (GCMA)
Did our readers get that? This lying, cheating, thieving general is allowed to retain his GCMA so he can convene a court against other members of the Army to prosecute them for violating military law. What a damn joke.
Adding insult to injury, the Army, in their infinite wisdom, nominated Russell again for two stars (major general) in early June 2019. He was confirmed in mid June 2019 and received permanent change of station orders (PCS’d) to the Pentagon to be the deputy to the Army G4.
Guess who Army G4 is? None other than LTG Aundre “cut-and-paste” Piggee. Are you starting to get the picture. Birds of a feather are flocking together.
MAJOR GENERAL RUSSELL GETS “TITLED”
What does it mean, to be “titled” in a CID investigation? Being “titled” means a CID agent placed Russell’s name in the subject block of a CID Report of Investigation (ROI).
The CID agent determined credible information existed to cause a reasonable person to conclude that MG Michel Russell may have committed a criminal offense.
If it actually happened, and we are being told it did, the decision to “title” Russell effectively made him a suspect, and was a formal announcement that Major General Russell was under investigation.
For military members who are not of flag-rank, being “titled” in a CID investigation normally has a long-term negative impact on one’s military career, as well as in civilian life.
If the crime is determined during the course of the investigation to be unfounded or not substantiated, the decision to “title” a member of the military does not change, unless of course you are a flag-ranking officer.
Sometimes, names of flag-ranking officers are quietly removed, while “titling” lower-ranking military members will ruin their military careers and exist long after leaving military service.
When CID “titles” a military member, several actions are triggered…
- “Titling” requires a commander to “flag” the service-member’s file who has been “titled.” This means the military is now tracking your past misconduct.
- “Titling” someone impacts a security clearance. A commander is required (by regulation) to suspend a security clearance for those who have been “titled.” For E-6 and above, the Central Clearance Facility will notify the Army’s “Suitability Evaluation Board” (DASEB).
- When “titled” a service member will have his/her name (and all personally identifying information) listed in the “Defense Clearance and Investigations Index” (DCII). The DCII is a database of all investigations, and all personnel suspected of misconduct. We wonder if MG Russell was ever listed in the DCII, or did he get a pass on that also?
- “Titling” someone means that personal information in a CID report is used in future criminal investigations, but also for security clearance investigations and counterintelligence investigations. Personal identifying information and the CID agent’s report, will be filed in the Army’s “Crime Records Center” (CRC).
- Finally, if the CID agent, normally in conjunction with a JAG officer, determines that probable cause exists to believe the person “titled” actually committed the offense, that information is reported to the FBI for inclusion in the “National Criminal Information Center” (NCIC) database.
BOTTOM LINE: When a military member is “titled” in a CID report, they are totally screwed. It begs the question, was Major General Michel “the scam artist” Russell ever actually “titled” in a CID report? Did he ever lose his security clearance? Was his personnel file ever “flagged?” – We have sneaking suspicion that his record was expunged so he could keep his security clearance and be promoted.
SUMMARY:
We don’t know if Russell was actually “titled” in a CID report, or whether that report still exists. Sometimes files have a nasty habit of disappearing when it comes to the misconduct of an admiral or general.
How can any general in the Army function without a security clearance?
If Russell wasn’t “titled” in a CID report, and wasn’t court-martialed… we ask, why wasn’t he? Anybody else would have been had they stolen money over a two-year period.
And, if then Brigadier General Russell was indeed “titled,” why was he promoted to major general, and given the green light to continue his stellar military career? Does anyone smell the scent of a Koala Bear near by?
When a junior officer or enlisted man or woman is “titled” they are screwed for the rest of their lives. Their military career is ruined and many careers chosen in the civilian world would be toast as well.
But, when a member of that exclusive club of flag-ranking general officers allegedly gets “titled” in a CID report, his/her name somehow has a way of magically being removed and their careers are unaffected.
If our readers have learned nothing else from our regular posts on MilitaryCorruption.com, they should know the military indeed does have an unwritten policy of, different spanks for different ranks.
There is nothing “uniform” about the so-called, “Uniform Code of Military Justice” (UCMJ). The scales of justice, especially in the military are not equal at all. They never have been.
Junior officers and enlisted personnel have been ruined for doing a mere fraction of what Major General Russell has done. They were not given the luxury of paying back the money to avoid a court-martial. They were not promoted and sent back on the line to continue their military careers.
Can any of us, in good conscience, and based on one travesty of justice after another in today’s military… honestly recommend the military as a viable career option for any young high school or college graduate?
We didn’t think so.
THE CLEAR CONTRAST BETWEEN TWO CASES
Compare and contrast the case of Air Force Major Clarence Anderson III, with that of Army MG Michel “the scam artist” Russell.
Maj. Anderson got three years in prison for something he didn’t do, while MG Russell was given a free pass to continue his career, even though he actually committed the crime of fraud lasting over two years.
Major Anderson should have never been convicted, while MG Russell should have never been allowed to get off scot-free, then get promoted to boot.
Folks, the Uniform Code of Military Justice is an absolute joke, make no mistake about that.
And, where the hell is the United States Congress, when the military pulls this shit?
Hey Members of Congress, consider initiating a full investigation of something really worthwhile… the unfair application of military law, and the sneaky way flag-ranking officers protect each other.
Isn’t the concept of Equal-Justice-Under-Law something that President Trump and Congress can agree on? The military needs civilian oversight leadership big-time, but maybe our battle against a two-tiered judicial system is all for naught.
It seems that deep=state civilian and deep=state military, like things just the way they are, thank you very much. It would be very scary indeed, for many flag-ranking military officers, if they could not manipulate and control the military’s little judicial system.
But, dear friends… mark our words; When our planet is elbow to elbow with people, the only thing that will keep us from tearing ourselves apart, is an abiding reverence for TRUE RULE OF LAW.
