Airman convicted for defrauding government

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VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (AFPN) --  An Airman here was convicted recently in a special court-martial for defrauding the U.S. government.

Staff Sgt. Louise Smith, of the 71st Medical Support Squadron, was found guilty of violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice’s Article 132, Fraud Against the United States.

The military judge sentenced Sergeant Smith to a bad conduct discharge, three months confinement, forfeiture of $823 in pay during three months and reduction to airman basic.

The fraud occurred during a local do-it-yourself move, said case prosecutor Capt. Charles Gartland of the 71st Flying Training Wing legal office.

Sergeant Smith’s husband drove a 10,000-pound forklift onto the scale when weighing the family’s household goods. As a result, the claim she submitted to the traffic management office the next day requested reimbursement for moving more than 21,000 pounds of household goods.

This caused TMO and 71st Comptroller Squadron officials to question the extraordinarily high weight being claimed. An investigation ensued, and Sergeant Smith confessed to fraudulently boosting the weight of her family’s household goods. The fraudulent claim netted her about $3,000 more than she was entitled to.

“This case is a perfect illustration of the ultimate test of personal integrity: Doing the right thing when no one else is looking,” Captain Gartland said.

“She wasn’t just wrong about thinking she’d get away with it. From an ethical standpoint, she revealed a character flaw that is fatal to military morale, discipline and mission accomplishment,” he said. “Hopefully, (her) punishment will cause other military members to think hard about their decisions. The military may be in her past once she gets out of jail, but her federal conviction will haunt her forever.” (Courtesy of Air Education and Training News Service)