Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Milwaukiedave]

Sergeant in trouble for Playboy photos
Air Force blasts her steamy pictorial as �not representative� of service

MSNBC.com

Updated: 10:47 a.m. ET Jan. 12, 2007
SAN ANTONIO - "Drop and give me 20!" is something you might hear Air Force Staff Sgt. Michelle Manhart yell to airmen trainees at Lackland Air Force Base. Drop her trousers is what Manhart did for Playboy magazine, and now it's landed her in trouble with the military.

"Of what I did, nothing is wrong so I didn't anticipate anything, of course," Manhart said Thursday of the pictorial. "I didn't do anything wrong so I didn't think it would be a major issue."

In a six-page spread in February's issue, hitting newsstands this week, Manhart is photographed in uniform yelling and holding weapons under the headline "Tough Love." The following pages show her partially clothed wearing her dog tags while working out, as well as completely nude.

Manhart, 30, who is married with two children, has been relieved of her duties pending an investigation, according to Lackland AFB spokesman Oscar Balladares.

"This staff sergeant's alleged action does not meet the high standards we expect of our airmen, nor does it comply with the Air Force's core values of integrity, service before self, and excellence in all we do. It is not representative of the many thousands of outstanding airmen who serve in the U.S. Air Force today," Balladares said, reading a statement.

Experienced model
Manhart has modeled since she was younger and joined the Air Force in 1994, spending time in Kuwait in 2002. The California native said she hopes the Playboy photo shoot will pave a way into an acting or modeling career.

The pictorial's accompanying article mentioned the possibility of trouble for the brunette drill instructor. But when asked in the article whether it might get her in "hot water with Uncle Sam," Manhart replied: "I've been serving for 13 years, fighting for everyone's rights. Why wouldn't I be able to stand up for my own rights and participate in the freedoms that make this country what it is?"

Manhart said she didn't see the magazine as an escape from the military. She also said she is completely committed to her job.

"I've proven myself. ... They picked me to train our future airmen of the world," she said. "They picked me to train these individuals so if they elect to say I don't have (integrity), then that's their opinion."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16585140/

[Ya-ta Boy]

[twg]

Maybe they just wanted to change the type of salute she was getting?

[On the other hand]

So if the military is so offended by Playboy magazine, do they ban their soldiers from reading it on base?

[Paddycakes]

We teach young men to drop Napalm on people... but they can't write F*UCK on their airplanes because.... because it's obscene....

-Col Kurtz from Apocalypse Now

[ChuckECheese]

In military, sexual harrassment is serious offense which is being strictly enforced as you sometimes see on AFN commercials.

If you just look at a female soldier wrong, they can bust you or ruin your career. Just imagine how many of her subordinate airmen/women will see her naked in the playboy mag.

I suppose you can say that you can do what ever in civilian life but this sort of thing will only make problems within her unit where she's a Non Com. Her subordinates may think of her differently with disrespect but not as a leader.

[Gopher]

On the Other Hand: we do not really consider the Air Force "the military."

"Civilians in uniform," dude. They order their eggs anyway they want them, and they have busers to clean up after them in their mess halls.

That ain't the military that I know.

[ChuckECheese]

[Paddycakes]

[Gamecock]

THAT was the hottest military chick Playboy could find?

[Nowhere Man]

It was her own subtle way of endorsing the dont ask/don't tell policy, which I understand may be endangered.

[mindmetoo]

Don't GIs mostly sit around watching videos of women pissing on each other? This is kid stuff.

[Milwaukiedave]

Normally I wouldn't side with the military, but I have to wonder how stupid she is not to see this coming. If your in the military, there are pretty strict rules you have to follow (I've never been in the military and I know this). Based on what I've heard, she's facing a court martial for what she's done and I have to agree she should get some kind of punishment.

But a good point is made about how readily available Playboy is made on military bases. Certainly it is just a magazine, but some feel it degrades women (I don't have a strong opinon either way) and therefore can lead to problems.

Gamecock, I agree, she's not THAT hot.

[awalk2remember]

After much thought on this subject (ok...maybe 3 minutes) I have concluded that:

Her motivation to pose in Playboy was to get some much needed attention...

No, I don't mean THAT kind of attention.

I mean from the publicity that it is receiving.
Even on Dave's we are posting our comments about it.

She would have known that her actions would cause "quite a stir" ...

Therefore, I conclude that she did it to bring herself into the media. Just like all the movie stars, singers, etc. that pose in this highly popular magazine. They do it for publicity.
She not so much wanted to bare all for people to see because you can easily do that on the internet.

But putting yourself in print in a popular magazine, well thats just a cry for attention...

Maybe she wants out of services ???

just a thought....

[Ya-ta Boy]

Having had some time to think, it occurs to me this is SO last century. Shouldn't the issue today be about some hot Marine stud struting his stuff in Playgirl? It could give a whole new twist to the word 'Semper'.