By It is official that the 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team commander, Colonel Robert Roth has been relieved of command:
Undisclosed misconduct by the 2nd Infantry Division’s 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team commander has cost him his job, officials confirmed Wednesday.
Col. Robert M. Roth was removed Oct. 10 after an 8th Army investigation finding of misconduct. He had been on suspension since Sept. 24.
“The reasons for my dismissal are a personal matter between my family and I, and we are moving forward to the next part of our lives outside the military,” Roth wrote in an e-mail Thursday following a Stars and Stripes query.
On Thursday, command officials again declined to comment, continuing to refuse to provide details on the nature of the misconduct, when and where it happened, and for how long the misconduct occurred.
“The investigation substantiated allegations of misconduct, however for privacy concerns we will not discuss the particulars of the misconduct,” 2nd ID spokesman Maj. Vince Mitchell told Stripes in an e-mail Wednesday.
“The misconduct occurred prior to Col. Roth’s assumption of command, and was unrelated to his official duties.”
Military officials often decline to comment on matters during an ongoing investigation, but the investigation involving Roth is complete. When asked, they refused to provide a legal justification as to why Roth’s investigation and its details were not public record.
Before taking over 1st Brigade on June 27, Roth served as chief of the future operations division for U.S. Forces Korea at Yongsan Garrison.
The circumstances of his dismissal had “nothing to do with the military, the Army or 1HBCT,” Roth said in his e-mail. [Stars & Stripes]
Since the misconduct had nothing to do with the Army I guess we can all speculate it had something to do with misconduct in his personal life.
6:06 pm on October 22nd, 2008 1
Sounds like the one eyed bandit got away from his control. A common occurance among males.
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7:21 pm on October 22nd, 2008 2
The one eyed bandit found a young chimpmonk.
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8:43 pm on October 22nd, 2008 3
Sleeping with a subordinate would be a criminal offense, no? Is adultery one too? Wouldn’t sleeping with someone have to come with a criminal or formal legal prosecution?
My money would be on a mild to somewhat less mild domestic violence incident in which the wife strongly stated she would not press charges. In that case, I’d think the legal hands of the military would be tied as far as an arrest and prosecution but they could still process him out for the act.
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9:08 pm on October 22nd, 2008 4
I heard it’s because he stayed out past curfew without a battle buddy, then stayed off post without a pass.
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1:25 am on October 23rd, 2008 5
At least we know it was not for underage drinking.
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5:11 am on October 23rd, 2008 6
“The investigation substantiated allegations of misconduct, however for privacy concerns we will not discuss the particulars of the misconduct,”
If it was serious enough to remove him – then the public should be told the reason. Part of accepting leadership is accepting the “fishbowl” that comes with it. The taypayers paid for the change of command – they should be told why their money was wasted.
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5:51 am on October 23rd, 2008 7
USINKOREA Wife beating would be swept under the rug. As far as I know wife beating is pretty meaningless in the military.
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8:18 am on October 23rd, 2008 8
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3:17 am on October 24th, 2008 9
CC,
You don’t know much about the current military, even the allegation of wife beating will get you relieved and escorted out of your domicile as a minimum.
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10:57 pm on October 29th, 2008 10
It was not spouse abuse, it wasnt curfew, its a personal matter between
his family, his old job and him. I think someone had it out for him when he was in Seoul. Thats the way those sneaky f%ckers are, ass kissers all around Seoul dropping dimes because of their own misfortunes or potential gains. I guess alot of people have been getting relieved in 2ID of late.
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3:56 am on October 30th, 2008 11
Speak up Mojo Jane.
Me thinks he got caught with his finger in pie that needed another 10 years of baking.
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3:26 pm on October 30th, 2008 12
I hope someone finds out the truth and puts it here. But whatever it is it must be pretty bad because no one knows.
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11:35 pm on November 16th, 2008 13
Well, it seems the scuttlebutt has had time to filter down and become purified. We all thought of (common) possible reasons but everyone overlooked one. I must admit I was a bit taken aback myself when I heard it but it (almost) makes sense.
It seems the good Colonel liked boys… and there may have been an E-4 (or below) involved in a tryst while he was in Seoul. No wonder he wanted to keep it between him and his family. But, these things always come out.
Considering the people who are aware, I think it is pretty good intel. If not, so be it, that’s what you get for keeping secrets. The truth will set you free.
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8:39 am on November 17th, 2008 14
Lesson learned: There is no such thing as a private’s private privates.
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5:09 pm on November 17th, 2008 15
JAFO: Doh!
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6:06 pm on November 17th, 2008 16
Leon,
Will he be forever known as Colonel Cornhole, the Crack Commander of Company Colon?
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7:10 pm on November 17th, 2008 17
JAFO: Double Doh!
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2:59 pm on November 19th, 2008 18
Having personally known COL Roth since 2004, and having known his entire family as well, I would say that I cannot imagine it’s any of the above-mentioned offenses. I don’t see him as ever having even threatened his wife with violence, or as having a penchant for the young, male or female. Out after curfew without a freedom or warrior pass, maybe, but someone still would have had to have it out for him to get relieved over that. Someone having it out for him is honestly the only thing that makes any sense. If anyone else posting on this site actually knows him – PERSONALLY – and thinks differently, I’ll listen. Until then, it’s all speculation.
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2:43 am on November 20th, 2008 19
Nick, would you let your son sleep in the same bed with your friend Col Roth?
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11:23 pm on November 20th, 2008 20
Lots of people have others “out for them” but for a brigade commander to be relieved I’m fairly sure someone was quite certain he did something pretty damn serious. How well do you really know the guy? You can’t fathom for the life of you that he would ever do anything wrong. What a miscarriage of justice! Why the secrecy?
I bet his wife was just as surprised as you are!
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8:22 am on November 22nd, 2008 21
I heard that he was swinging with other folks and a video was made. One of the participants wanted out and went forward to CID. The tape was proffered and the witness was evacuated out of Korea.
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3:38 pm on November 24th, 2008 22
AParent
2:43 am on November 20th, 2008 19
Nick, would you let your son sleep in the same bed with your friend Col Roth?
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What an odd question!
Would you let ANY of your children, regardless of gender, sleep in the same bed as a 40-something year old man?
If the answer’s yes, I worry about YOU!
If there was ever a litmus test for figuring out if you trust someone, this certainly isn’t it. However, if you rephrased the question to ask whether I would let my son spend the night at his house (if friends with one of his kids), then the answer would be yes.
To set the record straight, I’m not saying that I “can’t fathom for the life of me that he would ever do anything wrong,” as Leon LaPorte claims I said (but never did say). In all likelihood, he DID do something wrong, and I didn’t say that he didn’t. Re-read what I wrote – I said I couldn’t imagine him having a thing for little boys or beating his wife. As for your “involved with an E-4″ theory, why would there not have been UCMJ for adultery, sexual harrassment, sexual misconduct, fraternization, etc?
Politics are politics, and are especially rampant at higher levels in the Army – not to even take into account that most guys at his rank are trying for a star or two, which is purely political. My argument is that he: 1, did something wrong; 2, had people who didn’t like him; and 3, got punished more severely than others might have if they were part of the “Good Ol’ Boy” network.
So, in summary:
1. I wouldn’t let children share a bed with a middle-aged man, no matter who he is.
2. COL Roth is human and capable of making mistakes.
3. I don’t believe that COL Roth did anything that involved other uniformed servicemembers, male or female.
4. The Army is political.
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