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Army Command Sergeant Major to end 30-year service with a bad conduct discharge

by thebesig••109
Command Sergeant Major Joseph Lundberg poses with others at the Peace Support Operations Training Center in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Peace Support Operations Training Center)

Joseph Lundberg, as Command Sergeant Major, was accused of engaging in sexual harassment/assault, disrespect, etc. He pleaded guilty to some of the charges while others were thrown out. Lundberg is set to serve concurrent 30-day jail terms. He will also trade his Sergeant Major rank for Specialist. The end of the article says he would be reduced to E-1. The charges that he pleaded guilty to include a drunken event that involved snapping a woman’s bra strap while making an inappropriate comment, and for touching another woman’s breast without her consent.

From Stripes:

Under the terms of a plea deal and sentencing by military judge Col. Charles Pritchard, Lundberg will end his 30-year career as an E-4 with a bad conduct discharge. He was sentenced to five 30-day jail terms for each of the counts he pleaded guilty to but will serve those sentences concurrently.

Lundberg pleaded guilty to two counts of assault that stemmed from a drunken evening at a bar at Camp Butmir, where the NATO headquarters is located.

He admitted to snapping a female colleague’s bra strap and making an inappropriate comment while at the bar.

Later that night, another acquaintance who lived off base was too intoxicated to go home and instead went to Lundberg’s quarters to sleep. While she was there, Lundberg touched her breasts without consent.

“What started as a night of celebration rapidly turned into an indescribable 18-month nightmare from which the trauma still endures,” the woman said in court, adding that she has spent nearly $15,000 on counseling to help her process what happened.

“Just hearing the letters ‘CSM’ has been a daily reminder of what he did,” the woman said, referring to the initials for command sergeant major.

Command sergeant majors are the highest-ranking enlisted soldiers in the military.

A civilian colleague testified that Lundberg repeatedly made sexual advances, which led to his guilty plea on one count of sexual harassment.

“I felt very stressed, which my husband, my child and my family felt every day I came back from work,” the colleague told the court amid tears.

She said she feared that coming forward might result in financial implications for her family, including the loss of her job.

Lundberg also pleaded guilty to disrespecting a superior female commissioned officer in Bosnia and Herzegovina by making “degrading” comments about her sexual behavior.

His fifth guilty plea was to an obstruction of justice charge stemming from his deletion of text messages related to his offenses.

Stripes provides additional information here.

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109 thoughts on “Army Command Sergeant Major to end 30-year service with a bad conduct discharge”

  3. You’d think that at 30+ years of service, he’d have grown up some and become a little more of an a-dult. Instead he became a dolt.
    Enjoy your reduced rank and pay.
    Hmmmmmm……I may be “operating” under (20+years) old rules, but…….
    As an E4 over 30, isn’t he beyond TIG/TIS, and thus due to be kicked out/not allowed to reup/not allowed to retire?I
    And what will this do to his (retirement?) pay once he’s out?
    I know a lot has changed since I retired (over 20 years ago).
    Inquiring minds, and all that.

    1. It’s always dismayed me when adults in the service three times the most hormone-addled age of my life couldn’t control their zippers better than I did then.

    2. He’s getting kicked out He won’t get retired. But it’s actually a lot worse than that. Social security won’t give him any credit for his wages during the period covered by The big boot. So unless he had some kind of break in service He is buggered. So from the time he went voluntary indefinite until now He gets no social security credit.

      2. Hes been paying into ss for 30 years. I don’t think they can take that from him. Dumb azz though. If you need counseling because someone snapped your bra strap you have no business being in the military. When the military went coed it was the beginning of the end.

        1. She didn’t just turn around, pop him one (he touched her first, which makes it justifiable for the legally picky) and call him a “Pig!”

          People used to do things like that, I understand. Now, we have resiliency training.

      3. I’d like to see the reference for him not getting credit for SS he and the Army paid in for him while he served. It’s bad enough that criminals from anywhere else in the world merely have to enter our country illegally and they are eligible for more in benefits than this dude would have got for his E9 retirement.
        Hell, there are thousands of non-hackers (100% VA disabled) that couldn’t make it through a single enlistment that make more than I do (post-tax) as a retired E-9.

  4. Not sure how he thought any of that was a good idea. A lot of times they put that wreath on and they think they’re untouchable. Then comes the FAFO and a big chicken dinner.

  5. Gee Whiz…

    18 June 2021:

    “Sergeant Major Dropped To E-4, Gets Confinement Over Sexual Misconduct At Fort Stewart”

    https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2021/06/18/sergeant-major-dropped-to-e-4-gets-confinement-over-sexual-misconduct-at-fort-stewart/

    “The former command sergeant major of Winn Army Community Hospital at Fort Stewart, Georgia, was sentenced to six months of confinement and dropped in rank to specialist after he was convicted of sexual misconduct.”

    2. Another one who let his dick control him? Adult Males have two heads, and many just have enough blood to keep only one of them running at a time!

  6. That’s gotta be a new record in wanker walking. Gotta ask the same questions as Tox, will his retirement be protected under high 3? I don’t know the latest and greatest on that stuff. I’d be just fine if he retired with nothing.

    2. The bigger question is how much will his (most likely former) wife get out of all this. 30 years of being drug all over God’s green earth, up rooted just as good roots were being put down, places she would not like to see again, etc etc.

      She is going to want more than a portion of E4 pay.

        1. I’m thinking he’s going to prefer the military form of treatment compared to the ex wife.

          30 years for nothing.

          1. You are correct. Foresee automated McD’s franchises run by one or two people (and skilled ones) in Cali now.

            1. Kind of a pity, let’s not forget that our favorite UC Berzerkely Moonbat’s only admitted time working in the Private Sector was a short stint at a McGunk franchise!

  7. Gee Whiz…

    13 December 2021.

    Sgt. Maj. Dustin Bice.

    “The former top NCO for the 2nd Infantry Division Artillery will be reduced in rank and reprimanded after a jury of officers found him guilty of abusive sexual contact against a junior enlisted soldier and attempted fraternization.”

    “Bice formerly served as the command sergeant major of the 2nd Infantry Division Artillery, but he was relieved once the charges were referred to a general court-martial.”

    https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2021/07/15/command-sergeant-major-at-2nd-id-artillery-sexually-abused-subordinate-prosecutors-say/

  8. Gee Whiz.

    June 2021.

    SGM Benito Perez.

    “Fort Carson Sergeant Major Sentenced For Inappropriate Relationship, Indecent Language”

    https://www.militarytimes.com/news/2021/06/14/fort-carson-sergeant-major-sentenced-in-sexual-misconduct-case/

    “Sergeant Major Faces Court-Martial Over Child Sex Abuse Charges”

    https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2021/06/01/sergeant-major-faces-court-martial-over-child-sex-abuse-charges/

    “Sgt. Maj. Benito Perez, 51, who was the 4th Infantry Division Artillery’s senior enlisted leader until January 2020..”

    “Perez also previously served as the command sergeant major of 4th Infantry Division’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team from 2014 to 2017.”

    “While stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, between 2009 and 2011, Perez attempted to undress the girl under the age of 16.”

    “Years later, Perez attempted to persuade the underage girl to “engage in sexual activity” through internet messages while deployed to Kuwait from October 2013 to July 2014.”

    1. If it turns out that he’s guilty, then he ought to be buried under the Stockade and his name forgotten.

  9. Gee Whiz.

    Chief Master Sgt. Jose A. Barraza

    October 2017.

    “Chief Master Sergeant Pleads Guilty in Sexual Misconduct Case”

    https://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/10/13/chief-master-sergeant-pleads-guilty-in-sexual-misconduct-case.html

    A Former 12th Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant pleaded guilty to 17 Uniform Code of Military Justice charges, including two sexual misconduct charges, in front of a military judge.”

    “Chief Master Sgt. Jose A. Barraza was sentenced to 10 months’ confinement, reduction in rank to E-4 and a reprimand.”

    “The 12th Air Force, or Air Forces Southern, has a dual mission as an Air Combat Command component numbered Air Force and as the air component for U.S. Southern Command.”

    2. Just wanted to let everyone know that’s not the former SMA who got canned for playing grab-ass.

      That’s a picture of his identical twin brother.

  12. Gee Whiz.

    MSG Clinton M. Murray.

    August 2021.

    “Former Fort Bragg Sergeant Major Faces Charges Of Impeding Sexual Assault Investigation”

    https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/2021/08/09/former-fort-bragg-sergeant-major-faces-desertion-extortion-charges/8078782002/

    “A former Fort Bragg command sergeant major who has since been demoted and allegedly forged documents to retire in the midst of an Army investigation now faces new charges.”

    “A trial against Master Sgt. Clinton M. Murray is set to begin Oct. 11 on the new charges of desertion, failure to obey a regulation, extortion, impeding a sexual investigation and revenge porn..”

    “Murray was found guilty in January 2020 following court-martial proceedings at Fort Bragg of having an inappropriate relationship while deployed to Afghanistan with a private first class between July 1, 2017, and Dec 30, 2017. He was reprimanded and demoted one step in rank to master sergeant.”

    “At the time he was charged, he was command sergeant major of the 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.”

  13. I hope he enjoys chowing down on that Big Chicken Dinner. Motherfucker is going be living under a highway overpass when he gets out of the pokey.

      1. Maybe I just have a weak spot for Latinas, but I would have at least hit it a few more times before I tried to quit it.

  16. Gee Whiz, more…

    Post CSM of Fort Bliss (you’ll have look up date, etc.) suddenly retired shortly into his tenure after getting caught for DUI driving in the gate.

      1. Got busted by the Polizei in Germany for DUI several times as our Bde CSM, too– somehow didn’t get in a sling with the Army until he got back and had to stand on his own for once.

        1. Sounds like he either belonged to the right Buddy mafia or he really had some good dirt on the right people!

    2. I was at Bliss 90-92 and I seem to remember hearing about this…but I could be conflating memories, which I am wont to do.

  18. Gee Whiz, still morr…

    Dude (if you know who, feel free) makes SGM in 16 years, goes to Korea as CSM, sets up a few female junior enlisted for his enjoyment (hey, babe, how about a little quid for my pro quo), they get together and turn him in; at 19 years, he’s at Ft Hood (as “special assistant” to somebody, handing out towels at the gym or so) until he can retire.

        1. He won’t even be considered a veteran. He can only get medical If it is shown to be connected to a combat zone.

  21. WTF happened to leading by example? Oh well, that’s what letting your dick think for you will produce, along with Mister Al-Key-Haul!

    1. Being respectable is for losers and isn’t “poh-tential” like “building relationships” and havin’ dirt on your boss today, ya know.

    2. Was his example hard followed by the command “this way ladies”?

      As has been said before, there is only so much blood in a males body, and it can only support 1 brain at a time.

  22. “He will also trade his Sergeant Major rank for Specialist”

    WTF? Why not Private E-1 nothing?
    I was a Specialist once. If I did what he did would they make me a Special Specialist?

    2. The article mentions that he is ultimately going to be reduced to E-1 nothing.

      “The plea deal threw out four counts of sexual assault charges and one for making threats. It also reduced the maximum punishment to 30 days for each count, a bad conduct discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances and a reduction to the pay grade of E-1.”

      He is also facing a Bad Conduct Discharge. It’s possible that he was reduced to E-4 for the purposes of serving his sentence, and then faces a reduction to E-1 with Big Chicken Dinner after serving his sentence.

      Based on what I’ve read so far on situations like this, he might end up with nothing; no retirement pay, no VA benefits, etc. It’s also possible that he may not be federally recognized as a veteran, may not get unemployment, may have a harder time getting government jobs, etc. There are some exceptions, the VA may determine that relevant service-connected issues could be looked at. Whatever happens in his situation, he’s spending the rest of his life with a “look at what I could have won” situation.

      https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/12740

  23. I deployed with him once. Different companies. Kind of an arrogant prick, but didn’t see this coming. We had a lot different command climate than it seems he was in here. That’s not an excuse BTW.

    Disappointed in him doesn’t describe how I feel. I can’t imagine the embarrassment that his family has right now.

  26. You would think after Tailhook senior enlisted and officers would know better.

    Face in palm doesn’t even start to cover this.

  27. Mighta shoulda, had oughta put this on The SPoTW Thread, but considering how teh stoopid this big dumbass was, he deserved his own thread. Hope it was worth it, SarMaj, er er Specialist, I mean Private…oops…Civilian with no future prospects. You may want to apply at Brucie’s Bath House (enter thru the rear)…I hear they may be looking for some Apprentice Towel Fluffers.

  28. He’ll probably be OK. He’s part of the Lundberg Rice family. He gets several $M a year from that

  29. Imagine being among that elite group of the most highly decorated Privates in history. One day, you’re power tripping as the Command Sergeant Major, all but untouchable (in your mind) and surely above questioning by subordinate NCOs, enlisted, and even the Field Grade officers in the unit. No, you answer to the “Old Man” himself, whether he (or she) is a LTC, COL, or GO. The next day, you’re a disgraced E-4(D), on the fast track to E-1. But hey, that uniform will sure look good hanging in the closet with a chest full of decorations and no rank insignia.

    “Hero to Zero”, isn’t that the saying? Any crimes of a sexual nature are, by default, considered about the worst out there. Even Lifers in prison for multiple murders are considered higher up the totem pole.

    I was questioned once about what I did to get busted. I was new to The Old Guard and still a SPC (hence, no rank worn on the Blues), with six medals, AASLT Wings, and CIB. The bus drivers were used to seeing SGTs and even SSGs with 3-4 medals and maybe an EIB, so one was confused. I never received so much as a “negative” counseling statement while in. This SPC turned PVT will hopefully be required to wear his AGSU whenever not incarcerated until he exits the Army. Imagine the pictures that would be circulating around social media of the PVT with 10 service stripes, multiple high-level awards, and two CIBs.

  30. while I agree this dude is an idiot, when I read this part I knew this was at least partially BS: “What started as a night of celebration rapidly turned into an indescribable 18-month nightmare from which the trauma still endures,” the woman said in court, adding that she has spent nearly $15,000 on counseling to help her process what happened.”

    That right there is straight out of the textbook at college.

    2. Agreed. The words “indescribable” and “nightmare” point to her trying to deflect as if something sketchy was going on (thou doth protest too much).

      1. Especially when the major escalation was that he touched her boobs. Ain’t like anything on the order of anal rape occurred…(although one suspects he may soon learn about that one.) She seems unduly traumatized by a simple grope.

    3. If anyone asks the reason I and other folk don’t like the various mandatory-fun balls, dining-ins, etc. and the drunkassery therein…

  32. I wouldn’t be surprised if, while he was quid pro quo – ing, he wasn’t seeing that E-4’s in his unit who used the “wrong” pronouns got crucified.

  33. A bit off topic, but how can this guy be within standards?
    Just the quarter of his body visible in the photo probably weighs more than I do.

  37. Later that night, another acquaintance who lived off base was too intoxicated to go home and instead went to Lundberg’s quarters to sleep. While she was there, Lundberg touched her breasts without consent.

    “What started as a night of celebration rapidly turned into an indescribable 18-month nightmare from which the trauma still endures,” the woman said in court, adding that she has spent nearly $15,000 on counseling to help her process what happened.

    Ok….?

    I’m glad all that physical evidence led to a 30 year career Vet being brought to account for his ultra violent crimes. /s

    Women want to be treated as equal? Esprit de Corps trumps your fucking feelings, hanging around deerunk Infantreedoods is gonna get your balls tagged or clams jammed.

    Your bra strap is way way WAY WAY inbounds and fair game, douches.
    Don’t like it? Don’t be there.
    -Or-
    Punch a mother fucker back, they’ll learn.

    See, equal.

    You get more of what you tolerate, it’s on you to change the system because clearly the system is incapable of metering justice, at any level, at anytime.

    See: everyfreakingpart of this situation, integration’s failed outcomes, doubling down on failure.

    Big oops.

    1. No means no, even if everyone involved is drunk, stupid and made tons of dumb decisions/actions against that along the way and encouraging folk to smack someone back to stop them being a perv is misgynistic, outdated and dangerous (unlike being helpless and “traumatized” for a long-revisited extended period) and not prosocial nowadays.

      1. There is a concept in the law I am fond of; contributory negligence;

        1. The rule of law under which an act or omission of plaintiff is a contributing cause of injury and a possible bar to a complete recovery.
        2. (law) behavior by the plaintiff that contributes to the harm resulting from the defendant’s negligence.

        Lundberg got what he deserved, maybe more, but the “victim” doesn’t deserve to be rewarded for her negligence. Once you become an adult you have to assume responsibility for your actions and the foreseeable consequences of your actions. An adult female who goes to a party, gets too drunk to take a cab, uber, or beg a ride from another guest, and instead voluntarily spends the night in a man’s quarters does not get to be rewarded, financially or morally, for her stupidity. The fact that she gets to remain anonymous should be reward enough.

        1. She poked the bear and, to badly continue the metaphor, got pawed… not excusing Lundberg either (he’s a creep and got his for it) but you’re right.

  38. I guess some E-9s just don’t realize that you gotta be a Flag officer to get away with this kind of stuff and/or if you do get caught, still be able to retire with just a one grade reduction. Shame shame.

    When people talk about bringing back career E-4s, this is not what they meant.

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