Not-So-Stealthy Endorsement

Efforts to preserve the F-22 have included disengenious arguments about preserving jobs, backed by elaborate lobbying efforts like Preserve Raptor Jobs. The promotional efforts revealed in a recent USA Today article suggest that the Air Force may have crossed the line by appearing in a video in which "Air Force pilots rhapsodize about the fastest, stealthiest, most advanced dogfighter ever built." This seems to directly violate ethics regulations that prohibit federal employees from misusing their position for private gain:

§ 2635.702 Use of public office for private gain.

An employee shall not use his public office for his own private gain, for the endorsement of any product, service or enterprise, or for the private gain of friends, relatives, or persons with whom the employee is affiliated in a nongovernmental capacity, including nonprofit organizations of which the employee is an officer or member, and persons with whom the employee has or seeks employment or business relations. (Emphasis POGO's)

Defense Secretary Gates' recent prohibition against discussing the FY 2010 budget is designed to prevent selective disclosure distorting budget development. If the Air Force pilots featured in this video are active duty, not only are they distorting the decision-making process, they may be violating the law.

-- Mandy Smithberger

Comments

[Posted on: Feb 27, 2009 at 06:53 PM]

I agree with both the Article and the blog comment reply positive aspects and from my novice, uninformed and/or and/or very limited expertise within this area of expetise.

Hopefully our commendable brave and courageous pilots have not been duped, hoodwinked and/or otherwise deceived and have the best of the best Representation, Support and Guidance to NOT!! be subject to any undue concerns within this Article.

As to some extent a novice,uninformed, wishful and/or hopefull effort of expression and view of the Transparency and/or "Oversight and Accountability' efforts and endeavors is a mention for the review and consideration aspects is to some extent to express a somewhat abstract view of to some extent to wishfull and/or hopefull expression as I do not have the expertise information would seemingly be of a product sufficiently equal to or ten times better to the positive aspects and at 1/10th the cost.

[Posted on: Feb 27, 2009 at 05:44 PM]

While I haven't seen the video, I highly doubt the comments offered by F-22 pilots as depicted in the story constitute an endorsement in violation of USC and DOD regulations.

I once was part of a small arms weapon test group and our after action reviews were recorded. There were several reasons but the important ones related to showing/explaining to engineers who weren't present what it was we were talking about. It's hard for a trainer to go to an engineer and explain why, for tactical reasons, a gas tube needs to be moved one-sixteenth of an inch or why you'd like a little less weight and where you believe ounces can be removed and not affect performance.

Furthermore, providing video and written comments is almost always a mandatory part of the process. If LM chose to use those recorded or written comments from the pilots, it's hard to find culpability.