Comments on: Ex. Maj. Cockerham, Race & Affirmative Action in the Military

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:09:39 +0000

What about all of the blacks or african-americans who have served honorably in the military and who have never compromised their integrity? news flash for you internet racist…….every black person isn’t a criminal or a swindler. i know that’s news to most of my fellow white readers. did anyone ever think that maybe there is good and back in every race? i guess we white ppl think we are so high and mighty and none of us ever do any wrong. most of us are living a lie.

By: Melissa Hill

Melissa Hill — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 10:19:36 +0000

Hi..My name is Melissa Hill. I have met John Cockerham. Been to his house in Texas. Met his wife (Melissa). Met their kids. Oh so sad.. Thank GOD!! Obviously he (GOD) was by my side all the way through this ordeal.. Megde (Mike) Ismail was my boyfriend at the time.. I had my life together and doing really well for myself. I had a beautiful hair/tanning salon. UNTIL I met Mike. His families store was next to my salon. That is how we met. I thought that it was love. Been together for a couple years. Stayed together through all the family fighting because neither side wanted us together. Was great. Good time. He asked me to go to Kuwait with him for vacation for a couple weeks. I was so stressed out at the time that I really didn’t care where I went. Just as long as it was away from all the drama and fighting. So I decided to go. I closed my salon. Sold everything in 2 days. Cheap. tanning beds/wet stations, everything. I just wanted out. I was on a plane the next day. To Reno, Nevada. Where he wanted me to meet him. I didn’t know anything about anything at that time. He met me in Reno a couple days later. Still didn’t know what was going on. Just excited about being away from the stress. He payed for everything while we were on our 5 week road trip. I didn’t say anything about the money situation at that time. But then I started asking him about all the banks we were stopping at, why all the money transfers. He didn’t like all the questions. Then to Kuwait we went. Once we got to the hotel. His whole attitude changed with me. I was in Kuwait 2 weeks by myself. Only seen Megde (Mike)once after we had checked into the hotel. Told me that he had to go to work in Jordan and that he would see me in a couple days. HMMM!!! Imagine that. He never came back for me. Now that I know about the money laudering. He had committed a murder over there also.He’s still there I guess. I am the one that should be talking about race. But you know what? I’ll just let GOD handle it and leave it in his hands. So anyone that wants to talk about black/white/arabic. Come to me. I’ve had all the races (I’m white) screw me over. So if I was you I would just be nice to everybody and don’t judge. You do not know who is who anymore. Believe me.. They all deserve what is coming to them..

By: Bodine

Bodine — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:33:10 +0000

The things that the officers in your article have done is a terrible blight on all officers who serve, black or white. officers as well as all enlisted persons and public officials are held to a higher standard than the general population. The people who compose the military come from the general population and many have their issues. Those issues are no excuse to steal.
I do challenge your assertation that the majority of people involved were black in these scandels. Where are you getting your facts? There have been a number of civilians, enlisted and officers black, white, asian and others who have been caught and convicted for contracting scandels from Iraq and not all of their transgressions made the papers. All of the persons involved have absolutly not all been black. I don’t think even the majority were if you track and add it up. The two high ranking Airforce (white but shouldn’t matter) officers caught up in these scandels killed themselves to save face. Their dishonor is also terrible for all involved. These two men from the Airforce have been written about in articles in the Washington post, but have not been given the amount of attention as the whole Cockerham scheme, because I think the sheer dollar value of his transgressions make his story more noteworthy and heinous. There was also a mention that one of the Airforce officers might have actually been killed, instead of committing suicide, by contractors concerned he would spill the beans on them. You would think a bigger issue would have been made of this, but the blame and attention is being placed on African Americans from Poor backgrounds. Bait and Switch to draw attention away from the real thieves. I recommend you all dig a little deeper to seek the truth on this because you are not working with the facts, just someones opinion. A whole lot of people allowed greed to overtake their senses and there were not all Black or African American. Also, Set-asides are important in government contracts to ensure that the money is spread around and not concentrated in the hands of only large coorperations. Set-aside is not just minorities you have; women owned, native american, veteran(can be caucasian), hispanic and others. The endstae is an attempt to be fair to everyone, but we are not there yet.

By: TWCmxwkj

TWCmxwkj — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:20:58 +0000

In response to John comments,you sound like you have all the knowledge to explain who should be called and African American or not.As a black man I am just that I am a American first that happens to be black.
This basic of this artice is about inappropiate use of our Govt. funds. I will tell you that no matter who does this is very wrong,I happen to know some of these folks,all are good people but they were 100 percent wrong in what they have done.
But for some of you to take this moment to vent about how you have been treated wrongly by the system and blacks you should be ashamed,but if I as a Black man would bring up the fact that blacks just was allowed to go to colleges in the 60′s and how much we have been and still being deprived of you would not want to go there with that conversation.
Also there is a list of folks that are up on charges of these same illegal actions,must I bust your bubble and tell you that only 12percent was Black,guess the other 88percent.

So please we all as citizens can complain about white folks black folks,but whats the use.

Ihad a young black kid ask me one day,he said “why are some whites angry at blacks when they were the ones who have treated us bad from SLAVERY to DISCRIMINATION and many other things,I had to agree with him but I also told him that hatered is in every race. Like President Obama said it’s time for a CHANGE.

By: seahawker

seahawker — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:41:41 +0000

Remember when there was tons of cash found in Saddams palaces, where did that money go. Remember how Bush-2 at every fiscal quarter sent money to Africa in the billions for Aids research and to save the children. Do you really believe George W. Bush gives a damn about anyone in Africa. You people need to really do your researc and read betwwen the lines, maybe then it will be a little more difficult for the politicians and the media to pull your racist bent so easily to cover up their malfiescance.

By: seahawker

seahawker — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:33:29 +0000

When the first Gulf War occurred back in 1989, the only General you say at the fore-front was Gen. Colin Powell, in case Americans were against the war like in Vietnam. When America showed its support for our troops only then did you see Gen. Swartzkopf giving speeches and stradegy meetings.
After the Gulf War Swartzkopf recieved all the praise and credit, plus only he was knighted by the queen, Colin was all but forgotten. I mention this because it shows a pattern of the Bush family and their treatment and disrespect of African-Americans. They use them till their usefulness has been fullfilled then they toss them out have them arrested for the higher-ups crimes. Minorities are only scpe-goats to these assholes.
For exmaple, Bush-1 was in charge of the CIA inthe 70′s who helped create all the despots we’re fighting today. He helped bring to power, Saddam Huessain, Manuel Noreiga and Kadaffi, and probably many more. Now all they were treated once Bush-1 came to power.
Now fast-forward to Bush-2 remember the former attorney General Gonzalez was allowed to take blame for the lawyer firing scandal. Many more I can’t remember at this time except Condelezza Rice, for some reason she was spared although still seen as relatively incompetent.
These soldiers all African American were put in place to take the fall. When sopenas are handed out it looks as though theres a crackdown on corruption of alot of black soldiers, but look deep-down and tell me you believe of all the millions to be made only a few blacks prospered instead of a cadre of white billionaires behind the scenes stole most of the money and are now living quite comfortably in Belize, Austrailia or Africa.
Deb, as your old freind use to play that clip on the radio, “WAKE UP WHITE PEOPLE” the Bush family use race as an atom bomb and it works every time because you poeple all have that deep-seeded hatred just under the surface that you keep close to the vest ready to strike at any moment. One day Debs’ I hope you shave that thin moustache over your lip and treat all races as equal.

By: Worry01

Worry01 — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:16:54 +0000

Sean, do you actually read what people post? McCokerham and the others listed were “soldiers”, and not private contractors. Also, please show me where I was excusing the conduct of private contractors? Please review this quote:”In addition, these companies have faced civil and criminal prosecution, so no one got away with anything.” Are you one of those racists who thinks that one’s skin color is an excuse for criminal activity?

By: Jarhead

Jarhead — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:32:27 +0000

So now people are leaving comments that include Halliburton and Blackwater. Typical of lefties to avoid a question by deflecting the subject matter totally or by bringing up a dissimilar topic. This was a discussion about people who get gov’t entitlements and how they abuse it.

How could I forget. This is all Boooosh’s fault. Bush made these thieves do it. Bush even helped them do it. (sarcasm off)
I just wanted to beat the commie libs to the punch before they started to blame Bush for this too. We of course know that if Odopey speaks about this situation, we will blame Bush.

By: Drakken

Drakken — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:48:10 +0000

PPSSSSSTTTT Shaun,, military contractors don’t shoot so-called innocent civilians for shits and giggles, when muzzy terrorists hide behind so-called innocent civis and shoot at you, they get shot for aiding and abetting muzzy terrorists,, so glad i could clear that up for ya!
As for Gloria Davis,, she was the only one to own up too her actions, and she rightfully did the honorable thing and fell on her sword. Saved the tax payers a truckload of cash.

By: Ms. Teek

Ms. Teek — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:12:40 +0000

Joe,

Oh, so when Whites engage in corruption, it’s because of moral failure and greed. But when Blacks engage in corruption, it’s all to “screw over whitey” as you put it. I suppose the $5.4 MILLION in kickbacks had nothing to do with their atrocious behavior. In this paranoid “they’re out to get us” world, Black people are not subject to the same human shortcomings of greed, corruption, and sin as everyone else…they do everything just to “get whitey”.

When it comes to blacks, I love how some people all of sudden can become expert psychologists and acribe behavioral motives that fit into their own worldview…