Questionable degrees raise doubts on Navy surgeon general's vetting

Zero science 100% politics. Let's stick to the former please boys.

agreed - no need to embrass a war criminal here

This article isn't factual. Although the " PhD came from a university whose accreditation the federal government doesn't recognize. And the JD, or law degree, was granted by a diploma mill that collapsed after its president was imprisoned for fraud" does not mean Vice Admiral Arthur did not receive a quality education or complete course work required to obtain the degree. There are a variety of reasons why an agency is unrecognized, some agencies may be working towards recognition with the Secretary or CHEA and others may not meet the criteria for recognition. Accreditation of degree-granting institutions in the United States is a voluntary process. Diploma mills frequently use names similar to those used by accredited schools, which often allows the diploma mills to be mistaken for accredited schools. For example, Hamilton University of Evanston, Wyoming, which is not accredited by an accrediting body recognized by ED, has a name similar to Hamilton College, a fully accredited school in Clinton, New York. There are no uniform verification practices throughout the government whereby agencies can obtain information and conduct effective queries on schools and their accreditation status.
A recent study conducted by a recognized agency identified 463 students employed by the federal government who received degrees from unaccredited organizations. Two of the four schools provided records that federal agencies paid them $150,387.80 for the fees of federal employee students. Many service members have obtained such degrees and their resume is not under the microscope. I doubt very seriously the Board selected Vice Admiral Arthur for promotion soley on the fact that documentation within his service record listed the degrees in question. He was as an commissioned officer based on his medical degree and credntials he holds as a physician.
The federal government hasn't taken a stand on this issue and doesn't requires one to hold a degree from an accredited school AND hasn't established policies and procedures to ensure employees and service members do not list degrees obtained from unaccredited institutions. Until they do leave these folks alone-they attended the school, completed the required course work and paid the fees associated with the degree-why shouldn't they be allowed to display the degree on their wall or list it on their resume?

When medical officers (i,e NC, MSC, MC) are recruited into the navy, they must posses an accredited degree therefore, if they are going to have a degree added to their official record, it should be accredited.
Saying that his MD alone got him promoted is absurd. Did the promotion board idecide to just ignore the other two degrees? Yes, his MD alone would have gotten him promoted to a certain level, but those other degrees helped. At some point, we need to stop making excuses and covering up dishonesty as if such behavior cannot come from a senior ranking officer. The problem I have is that if this was an enlisted sailor s/he would have been out of a job by now.
No one disputes that individuals don't work hard for these degrees, but the bottom line is that non-accredited degrees should not be part of one's official record since these degrees will be taken into consideration at promotion boards. If any old degree will do, then it also be acceptable for a commission into the navy. God help us if it comes to that.

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Don Arthur would have summarily fired subordinates who were guilty of similar inattention to detail and/or less-than-truthful embellishments in official records. His well-deserved reputation was one of doing whatever was necessary to achieve the next rank. The accomplishments noted in his original bio (all the degrees, his training in emergency medicine, etc) represented boxes to be checked to facilitate his climb up the ladder. I am certain there are more than a few officers whose careers he has derailed that are enjoying a bit of perverse pleasure out of his current predicament. This story is just the tip of a very large and ugly iceberg.

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Infidelity. Dereliction of Duty. Conduct unbecoming of an officer. These are just a few allegations that have been circulating for years. But there is honor amongst thieves after all which might explain why nothing has been done about it. Just look at the current mess in the financial services industry? The so called "Master's of the Universe" have lead us all to the brink. Doesn't take a PhD to figure that out. Maybe that is what is wrong with this country, no accountability. Highly educated psychotic narcissists all.

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The iceberg is there. In 2000 I was ordered not to testify on behalf of Dr. Eric Gluck at a peer-review hearing in Groton, and brought the matter to the attention of then-Captain Arthur in December, 2000. My testimony to the DOD IG in this matter was given under oath on 10 June 2005 in the presence of Ralph M. Bard M.D., J.D., Commander USNR (former nuclear officer). Subsequent attempts to bring this case of intentional administrative abuse to light in order to right the wrongs (wrong rank, mail fraud, whistleblower reprisal regarding navy patient safety at Groton under Captain John Burkhart and at Backus Hospital (Norwich), nepotism, defrauding the government by moonlighting on duty time, etc.) were thwarted. In my opinion this is a modern Dreyfus Case, not so much because of anti-Semitism but because Dr. Gluck gave the World's Finest Navy full value, making no attempt to cut corners for personal gain. Admiral Arthur is now working at Main Line Health in Bryn Mawr,'Ponsylvania.' Did he lie to the Senate when presenting his credentials for promotion to ever-higher rank, is lying legal, or is he a credit to us all?
Why did he drop two of his degrees from his official bio (for the accuracy of which he is responsible) as he rose in rank? Why, indeed? I will be happy to testify under oath in these matters. H.E. Butler III M.D. CDR, USNR (Ret.)HButler@post.Harvard.edu

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