Pentagon’s top enlisted leader reinstated after ethics investigation

(U.S. Department of Defense) Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Command Sergeant Major John Wayne Troxell(WASHINGTON) — The Pentagon’s top enlisted leader is back on the job after a months-long investigation substantiated allegations that he had violated ethical rules.

General Joseph Dunford reinstated Army Sgt. Maj. John W. Troxell to be the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff after having disciplined him administratively.

“Army Command Sgt. Maj. John W. Troxell has resumed his duties as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC),” said a statement issued by the Joint Staff.

Last September, Troxell was temporarily reassigned from the SEAC position to another role on the Joint Staff while the Army Inspector General’s office conducted an investigation into allegations of misconduct. The Joint Staff statement described the reassignment as “a prudent measure”.

“The investigation, which concluded in late February, substantiated two complaints of joint ethics regulation violations by CSM Troxell,” according to the statement.

“These violations included the improper use of U.S. military personnel to conduct tasks not associated with their official duties, such as personal errands, and improper endorsement of commercial fitness and nutrition products on official SEAC social media platforms – although Troxell received no personal or monetary gain from these endorsements,” the statement read.

“After a thorough review of the investigation, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. took appropriate administrative action and made the decision to reinstate CSM Troxell to his position as the SEAC,” said the statement.

Dunford said he “carefully weighted the gravity” of Troxell’s ethics violations ” against his 37 years of dedicated military service and superb leadership – to include 19 years as a sergeant major,” Dunford said.

“Appropriate corrective action has been taken and I’m confident that SEAC has learned from this experience,” said Dunford. “I am equally confident in his competence and capability to continue serving as our senior enlisted leader, which is why I reinstated him to his duties as SEAC. Now it’s time to move on and get back to the important work we have before us.”

Prior to his reassignment last September, Troxell gained attention for a January 2018 post on his Facebook page where he suggested that ISIS fighters had two options “Surrender or Die”. He listed the use of an entrenching tool as a possible way to beat ISIS fighters if they didn’t surrender.

An entrenching tool is a collapsible shovel-like tool often carried by military personnel.

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