Jason Perry
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/chris-christie-national-guard_56015404e4b00310edf876f0
"TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Gov. Chris Christie wants the leader of New Jersey's National Guard to shape up.
The governor has given Air Force Brig. Gen. Michael Cunniff 90 days to slim down and meet his obligations.
The action comes after Christie's staff told The Washington Post that the governor was unaware the general had been reprimanded by the Pentagon about his weight and for repeatedly dodging physical-fitness tests.
The newspaper obtained the records under the Freedom of Information Act.
Christie declined a request for an interview.
"The Governor has expressed directly to the General that his failure to meet that standard or to provide notification of his formal reprimand is both unacceptable and disappointing," Christie spokesman Kevin Roberts said in an emailed statement.
The governor has given Cunniff 90 days to slim down and "meet his obligations," Roberts wrote."
There is so much irony in this post that I cannot possibly hit all of the points.
Just point out that many folks have been separated for failing to meet weight control standards. Yet, the Adjutant General of the NJ National Guard seems to have had longstanding issues with meeting the standards. (I am not even touching or commenting directly on the fact that Gov. Christie has his own weight issues).
To me, there is an unexplored or "glossed over" issue of the changing of findings. See the attached IG Report that discussing an error in a reporting of Brig Gen Cuniff, the TAG, having a Good score based on an alleged error in reading a "9" as a "4," or a "2" as a "3". See attached IG Report on NJ TAG.
It was not clear how much weight the general must lose to be in compliance with AF Regulations.
Cunniff declined an interview request. But the National Guard released a statement in which the general acknowledged he failed to meet the Air Force's fitness requirements in recent years.
"Many people struggle with weight control — I am not immune from this, the general said in the statement. "However, I do recognize that military members and leaders, like myself, are held to a higher standard. I take this matter seriously and am taking the necessary steps to remedy this issue," the general said.
Christie, who once called himself "the healthiest fat guy you've ever seen," secretly underwent weight-loss surgery in 2013. A band was surgically placed around his stomach to restrict how much food he could eat."
Here are my questions:
How many NJ National Guard Members (both Air Guard and Army Guard) were separated from the service based on failing to meet height/weight standards and/or physical fitness standards while the State Adjutant General was also not in compliance with standards?
Will General Cuniff suffer any consequences in terms of his retirement/separation pay when those under his command have suffered consequences for the same problem he has? Will there be any relief provided to members of the NJ National Guard (Air or Army)?
What do his actual original records show? Are they electronic or handwritten paper records? Why are those documents not provided?
Did all NJ National Guard members get the same treatment as the Adjutant General? If not, is there any relief provided to those who were treated worse?
Governor Christie, as Commander in Chief of the NJ National Guard, how will you address the problem of junior military members being treated worse than your Adjutant General when they may have been denied compensation and benefits that they would have received had they been treated the same?