{"id":38189,"date":"2021-11-16T19:59:30","date_gmt":"2021-11-16T19:59:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/11\/16\/colonel-punished-for-shoplifting-shoes-at-kuwait-px\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:49:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:49:09","slug":"colonel-punished-for-shoplifting-shoes-at-kuwait-px","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2021\/11\/16\/colonel-punished-for-shoplifting-shoes-at-kuwait-px\/","title":{"rendered":"Colonel punished for shoplifting shoes at Kuwait PX"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A colonel deployed to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait<\/a>, received a formal reprimand in recent months after an inquiry found that he stole a pair of shoes from the post exchange, Army officials confirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The unnamed colonel received a permanent general officer\u2019s memorandum of reprimand, an administrative punishment often considered to be career-ending. The officer was assigned to the Army Reserve\u2019s 811th Hospital Center<\/a>, which played a critical role in providing medical care to thousands of Afghan evacuees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a military justice summary posted to Reddit<\/a>, the senior officer pulled a classic shoplifting trick: he put on a new pair of shoes, placed his old shoes in the box, and then he put the box containing his old shoes on the shelf before walking out of the store. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not clear from the report \u2014 or from a statement provided to Army Times by the 1st Theater Sustainment Command \u2014 how far the colonel made it in his new shoes, nor is it clear when or how he was caught.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Army profession requires all Soldiers to serve honorably,\u201d said Maj. Jessica Rovero, a spokesperson for 1st TSC. \u201cReports of misconduct are investigated and adjudicated according to applicable laws and regulations. In this case, the officer committed misconduct and received a General Officer Memorandum of Reprimand in his permanent file.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing is clear: the $45 shoes likely would have been covered by his paycheck as a colonel. In fact, he could have bought at least 191 pairs of the same sneakers on his lowest-possible monthly pay alone, thanks to the AAFES sales tax exemption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s do the math, based on fiscal 2021 pay tables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An Army Reserve colonel deployed to Camp Arifjan would have the following pay and entitlements, totaling a minimum of $8,598.10 per month <\/b>in the unlikely event that he has less than two years of service and lives in Lawton, Oklahoma without any dependents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kuwait deployments also currently grant troops combat zone tax exemptions that prevent the government from collecting income tax on the money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n